Washington's Crossing

Six months after the Declaration of Independence, the American Revolution was all but lost. A powerful British force had routed the Americans at New York, occupied three colonies, and advanced within sight of Philadelphia.

Yet, as David Hackett Fischer recounts in this riveting history, George Washington--and many other Americans--refused to let the Revolution die. On Christmas night, as a howling nor'easter struck the Delaware Valley, he led his men across the river and attacked the exhausted Hessian garrison at Trenton, killing or capturing nearly a thousand men. A second battle of Trenton followed within days. The Americans held off a counterattack by Lord Cornwallis's best troops, then were almost trapped by the British force. Under cover of night, Washington's men stole behind the enemy and struck them again, defeating a brigade at Princeton. The British were badly shaken. In twelve weeks of winter fighting, their army suffered severe damage, their hold on New Jersey was broken, and their strategy was ruined.

Fischer's richly textured narrative reveals the crucial role of contingency in these events. We see how the campaign unfolded in a sequence of difficult choices by many actors, from generals to civilians, on both sides. While British and German forces remained rigid and hierarchical, Americans evolved an open and flexible system that was fundamental to their success. The startling success of Washington and his compatriots not only saved the faltering American Revolution, but helped to give it new meaning.

Author: David Hackett Fischer
Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Published: 02/12/2004
Series: Pivotal Moments in American History
Pages: 564
Weight: 2.55lbs
Size: 9.86h x 6.13w x 1.68d
ISBN: 9780195170344


Award: National Book Awards - Finalist
Award: Pulitzer Prize - Winner
Award: ALA Notable Books - Winner
Award: Ambassador Book Awards - Winner
Award: Massachusetts Book Award (MassBook) - Honor Book