battle princeton battle princeton january pivotal battle general george_washington revolutionary forces defeated british forces near princeton new_jersey night january george_washington commander chief continental_army repulsed british attack battle creek night evacuated position general lord army went attack british garrison princeton brigadier general continental_army clashed regiments command lieutenant colonel british_army troops overrun washington sent militia brigadier general help militia seeing flight men began flee washington rode reinforcements rallied fleeing militia led attack troops driving gave order retreat troops tried flee princeton brigadier general encouraged british troops taken refuge nassau hall surrender ending battle battle washington moved army defeat days british evacuated southern new_jersey victory princeton morale rose american ranks men began enlist army battle considered minor british standards major action washington winter new_jersey campaign site battle background victories night december general george_washington commander chief continental_army led men mile march seized town morning 26th killing wounding capturing soon capturing town washington led army delaware pennsylvania 29th washington led army river established defensive position 31st washington appealed men expired end year stay weeks extra bounty dollars appeal worked men agreed stay day washington learned congress voted wide ranging powers months described response loss general lord left new_york_city british force princeton oppose washington leaving men command lieutenant colonel princeton left princeton january command men attack washington army troops washington sent troops skirmish approaching british delay advance nightfall time british reached failed attempts cross bridge creek primary american defenses called attack day evacuation night washington called council war asked officers stand fight attempt cross river attack princeton idea occurred washington learned plan attack princeton possible intelligence collection efforts came fruition end december supported surprise attack consulting officers agreed best option attack princeton washington ordered excess baggage taken sent pennsylvania ground frozen making possible artillery sinking ground midnight plan complete baggage way guns wrapped heavy cloth noise prevent british learning evacuation washington left men cannon patrol fires burning work picks british think digging dawn men join main army entire army motion roughly bridge road men ordered march absolute silence way rumor spread surrounded frightened fled philadelphia march difficult route ran thick woods causing horses slip men break ice ponds plan attack dawn came army approached stream called road army took followed mile farther post road princeton right road unused road crossed farmland road visible post road ran cleared land stretch town entered point british left washington running schedule planned attack capture british outposts dawn capture garrison shortly afterward time dawn broke miles town washington sent men command destroy bridge order delay army found washington escaped shortly washington wheeled rest army right unused road column went general division consisting brigades following brigade reaction sent orders bring 17th 55th british regiments join army morning moved princeton fulfill orders troops climbed hill south sighted main american army unable figure size american army wooded hills sent rider warn 40th left princeton wheeled 17th 55th regiments headed princeton day called patrol area washington approaching received word leading troops bridge princeton orders washington moved column right order hit british confront washington main army moved rear realized able cut time decided join sullivan learned rear moving join sullivan detached 55th regiment join town moved rest 55th 17th cavalry artillery pieces attack battle ordered light troops delay brought detachments walking orchard british light troops appeared british light troops volley went high gave time wheel troops battle line troops advanced pushing british light troops americans took position fence upper end orchard brought troops artillery american gunners opened fire minutes outnumbered american infantry exchanged fire british americans rifles took longer load muskets ordered bayonet charge americans rifles equipped overrun americans cannons captured british turned fleeing troops surrounded british soldiers shouted surrender damn rebel declining ask quarter chose resist instead british thinking caught washington left dead second command colonel shot head killed arrival light infantry men pursuit men fresh brigade command appeared gathered men battlefield battle line formation sullivan detachment 55th regiment come assist daring main battle risk exposing flank attempted men battle line combat experience know basic military maneuvers men reached hill saw men fleeing british militia turned ran hill washington arrival men began flee american guns opened fire british preparing attack guns able hold minutes able company fire volley fled immediately point washington arrived washington ordered position right hand hill washington quickly rode fleeing men washington shouted parade brave handful enemy shall directly men formed battle formation washington direction new england arrived washington sent right washington hat hand rode forward americans forward rode ahead horse point moved troops slightly left range american artillery fire washington gave orders fire gave signal thirty yards away turned horse facing men said halt fire moment british fired field cloud smoke washington officers pulled hat eyes avoid seeing washington killed smoke cleared washington appeared unharmed waving men forward british collapse right fired volley advanced threatening turn british flank slowly picking british soldiers american artillery firing british lines point ordered men charge british began flee british attempted save artillery militia charged gave order retreat british fled post road followed americans washington angry shouted fine fox chase boys americans post road order block british retreat bridge ordered bayonet charge broke american lines escaping bridge americans hand continued pursue british ordered buy time retreat pushed americans continued pursue fleeing british nightfall killing taking prisoner time washington turned rode princeton edge town received orders fall join town 40th taken position outside town north 55th formed left 40th 55th sent platoon flank oncoming americans cut pieces sullivan sent regiments scale fell making brief stand british fell leaving princeton taking refuge nassau hall brought cannons blast away building americans rushed door broke british white flag outside windows exactly british soldiers walked building laid arms aftermath entering princeton americans began abandoned british supply wagons town news approaching washington knew leave princeton washington wanted push new_brunswick capture british pay chest pounds talked instead washington moved army night january marched january arrived sunset day winter battle abandoned posts new_jersey ordered army retreat new_brunswick casualties general sir official casualty report battle stated killed wounded missing says americans took prisoners battle remaining missing men killed civilian eyewitness anonymous writer brief narrative british princeton wrote british soldiers found dead field george_washington claimed british killed captured follows washington stating british loss men killed wounded captured george_washington reported army casualties officers enlisted men killed giving figures wounded states americans enlisted men officers killed gives officers enlisted men killed gives total casualties killed wounded loyalist newspaper reported january american losses princeton killed wounded consequences british viewed princeton minor american victories victories americans believed win war american historians consider great victory par battle subsequent loss control new_jersey crown forces historians consider impressive century later british historian sir write study american revolution talking impact victories princeton doubted small number men employed short space time greater lasting effects history world legacy battlefield preserved designated equestrian statue george_washington washington depicts battle princeton sculptor said speech statue dedication ceremony february incident selected representation statue battle princeton washington attempts rally troops advanced near enemy lines horse refused stood brave rider sat hand noble horse represented terror stricken hero calm believing instrument hand providence work great problem liberty current units currently active regular army artillery battalion 5th derived american units participated battle princeton thirty current units colonial roots story states battle princeton commander artillery battery ordered cannons fire british soldiers taking refuge nassau hall allegedly shot head portrait king hung chapel subsequently replaced portrait george_washington
Battle of Princeton