Battle of the Assunpink Creek

Battle of the Assunpink Creek
Part of the New York and New Jersey campaign
General George Washington at Trenton by the Assunpink Creek on the night before the Battle of Princeton
General George Washington at Trenton, by the Assunpink Creek on the night of the battle, painting by John Trumbull
DateJanuary 2, 1777
Location
Trenton, New Jersey
40°13′05″N 74°45′51″W / 40.21806°N 74.76417°W / 40.21806; -74.76417
Result Strategic American victory[1]
Belligerents
United States  Great Britain
Commanders and leaders
United States George Washington Kingdom of Great Britain Charles Cornwallis
Strength
6,000
40 guns[2]
5,000[3]
28 guns[2]
Casualties and losses
7–100 killed or wounded[4][5] 55–365 killed, wounded or captured[5][6]
Battle of the Assunpink Creek is located in USA Midwest and Northeast
Battle of the Assunpink Creek
Location within USA Midwest and Northeast
Battle of the Assunpink Creek is located in New Jersey
Battle of the Assunpink Creek
Battle of the Assunpink Creek (New Jersey)

The Battle of the Assunpink Creek, also known as the Second Battle of Trenton, was a battle between American and British troops that took place in and around Trenton, New Jersey, on January 2, 1777, during the American Revolutionary War, and resulted in an American victory.

Following the victory at the Battle of Trenton early in the morning of December 26, 1776, General George Washington of the Continental Army and his council of war expected a strong British counterattack. Washington and the council decided to meet this attack in Trenton and established a defensive position south of the Assunpink Creek.

Lieutenant General Charles Cornwallis led the British forces southward in the aftermath of the December 26 battle. Leaving 1,400 men under Lieutenant Colonel Charles Mawhood in Princeton, Cornwallis advanced on Trenton with about 5,000 men on January 2. His advance was significantly slowed by defensive skirmishing by American riflemen under the command of Edward Hand, and the advance guard did not reach Trenton until twilight. After assaulting the American positions three times and being repulsed each time, Cornwallis decided to wait and finish the battle the next day. Washington moved his army around Cornwallis's camp that night and attacked Mawhood at Princeton the next day. That defeat prompted the British to withdraw from most of New Jersey for the winter.

  1. ^ Fischer p. 307
  2. ^ a b Fischer p. 404
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference ketchum286 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Stryker, p. 265
  5. ^ a b Fischer p. 412
  6. ^ Peckham, p. 29