Battle+of+Princeton+Period+8

= BATTLE OF PRINCETON  =

=**The Batte of Princeton begins on January 3, 1777. The Battle of Princeton starts only 10 days after**= =** Americas Victory at the Battle of Trenton. As soon as the British Commander, William Howe has heard of the American victory at Trenton, he knows he wants to catch Washington while America's troops are still in New Jersey. So William sends Lord Charles Cornwallis to find Washington's troops in Delaware, and there he would join forces with General James Grant. The British soon meet up with a combined number of 8,000 British soldiers fully armed. Washington again crosses the Delaware River for another battle while America still has the forward momentum. Still America is out numbered with only 1,500 soldiers armed and unwounded. December 30th comes around and most of Washington's mens enlistments were up the next day at midnight, but Washington tells his men its there decision, but if thy stay for another six months they have a major chance of beating Britain in combat. Making this speech lifts Americas spirit to rise up aganist Britian. Some men left, but most felt the need to stay for there country and end up reenlisting.**=

= = =Washington's sets his troops to meet up along the banks of Assunpink Creek, Just outside of Trenton. The British slowly advance while the American Army stays, sets up camp, and slowly prepares for the upcoming battle. On January 2, 1777, in the early morning, Washington comes through again with another ingenious plan. He leaves 400 men to make shoveling noises to make it seem they were making trenches for defensive purposes for the next battle and to keep the fires going, but Washington is actually performing a mass evacuation to head north to Princeton to have a better chance to attack. So quietly Washington's troops march forward north for the rest of the night and early hours of the morning to Princeton. They made a wide arc around the British army by taking a back-road around which was about one and a half miles long. They soon reach a big situation that slows Washington's plan down unsuspectingly, they reach Quaker bridge, which wasn't strong enough to carry the army and ammunition across. So Washington had to make a new bridge fast. Washington finishes and had just enough time to fit the process in and get to Princeton a little past sun rise. But while the bridge was being constructed Washingotn had to make a nail bitting decision of splitting the troops into two wings. A larger wing would go to General John Sullivan. John Sullivan would bring his troops on the right and was assigned of bringing his troops to princeton before early sun rise, and the remaining men would go to General Nathanael Greene. General Nathanael Greene would take the left and bring his men to destroy the bridge of Stony Brook as well as block the on coming men overcoming the highway.=

= **Lieutenant Colonel Mawhood left a small amount of forces in Princeton to join Cornwallis in the south. but on there journey they meet up with American Forces under Brigadier General Hugh Mercer who was suppose to have to secure and have complete control over the bridge over Stoney Brooke. Mercer goes and takes cover with his men in an close orchard. The British then continue till they meet up with Cornwallis.** =

= The British holding fixed bayonets standing there out= =numbering Americas troops by over 2000 men. Washington now gains men from the Melita from New jersey and Pennsylvania Washington leads them into attack Dangerously close to the British Yelping "It's a fine fox hunt, boys!" encouraging and leading them forward. In return this attack, Sullivan leads a small amount of British forces that ended up taking cover in Nassau Hall. Nassau Hall is located in Princeton University where a very= =l **imited amount of the battle took place. That British wave gets cornered in Nassau hall. They surrender and get captured by the Americans.** =

=Cornwallis missed these events just leading him into a poor situation that could very much effect the out come for the war, but when Cornwallis was alerted that these things happened and they assumed the Americans retreated= =towards the south and he as well starts heading towards the Delaware River. Later finding out= =the Americans headed North and Cornwallis immediately heads north as well. They end up **having to cross the fridged water of Stoney Creek due to the Americans burning the bridge for trying to by some time while they head North.** = = =

**Washington was faced with another very vital decision. It was his idea to either to march** **straight through the British Regional Head Quarters with his army of [|Continentals] in New Brunswick. The British Regional head Quarters Held 70,000 euros in silver. Washington also realized that Cornwallis was in pursuit and his own army was exhaust****ed. They later found out that the Continental Army was heading toward [|Morristown], and so Cornwallis went to New Brunswick.**

= **The battle resulted in** 86 British casualties and around 200 soldiers captured, the Americans suffered 40 Casualties including Mercer's death and zero captured.= = = = = = = = = = = = = =__**Videos:**__= media type="youtube" key="HwWi0zdF7wk?fs=1" height="340" width="560"media type="youtube" key="ZXm6zNKC9_c?fs=1" height="340" width="560" =@http://www.history.com/videos/american-revolution=

__ **Review Questions:** __ = =
 * 1. What bridge could the American army not get over? Why? **
 * 2. What was Washington's plan around this. **
 * 3. How did Washington get his troops to evacuate from the night at Assunpink Creek? **
 * 4. What battle took place before The battle of Princeton? **
 * 5. What Bridge did the Americans burn? **
 * 6. What states did the men from the Melita come from? **