10 Interesting Facts about the Battle of Princeton

One of these following facts about the Battle of Princeton should probably give you much information about this battle. The Battle of Princeton was battle in which General George Washington’s revolutionary forces defeated British forces near Princeton, New Jersey. This battle was fought on Janurary 33d 1777. On the night of January 2, 1777 George Washington, Commander-in-Chief of the Continentral Army, repulsed a British attack at the Battle of the Assunpink Creek in Trenton. That night, he evacuated his position, circled around General Lord Cornwallis’ army, and went to attack the British garrison at Princeton. For further information, to get you to know more about this battle, here are some facts about the Battle of Princeton you might be interested in.

Facts about the Battle of Princeton 1: British Troops in Princeton

In Princeton itself, Brigadier General John Sullivan encouraged some British troops who had taken refuge in Nassau Hall to surrender, ending the battle. After the battle, Washington moved his army to Morristown, and with their third defeat in 10 days, the British evacuated southern New Jersey.

Facts about the Battle of Princeton 2: Victory at Princeton

With the victory at Princeton, morale rose in the ranks and more men began to enlist in the army. The battle (while considered minor by British standards) was the last major action of Washington’s winter New Jersey campaign.

Facts about the Battle of Princeton 3: Evacuation

By 2:00 AM the entire army was in motion roughly along Quaker Bridge Road through what is now Hamilton Towship. The men were ordered to march with absolute silence^. Along the way, a rumor was spread that they were surrounded and some frightened militiamen fled for Philadelphia. The march was difficult, as some of the route ran through thick woods and it was icy, causing horses to slip, and men to break through ice on ponds.

Facts about the Battle of Princeton 4: Plan of Attack

As dawn came, the army approached a stream called Stony Brook. The road the army took followed Stony Brook for a mile farther until it intersected the Post Road from Trenton to Princeton. However, off to the right of this road, there was an unused road which crossed the farmland of Thomas Clark.The road was not visible from the Post Road, and ran through cleared land to a stretch from which the town could be entered at any point because the British had left it undefended.

Facts about the Battle of Princeton 5: Battle

Mawhood ordered his light troops to delay Mercer, while he brought up the other detachments^. Mercer was walking through William Clark’s orchard when the British light troops appeared. The British light troops’ volley went high which gave time for Mercer to wheel his troops around into battle line. Mercer’s troops advanced, pushing back the British light troops.The Americans took up a position behind a fence at the upper end of the orchard.

Facts about the Battle of Princeton 6: Washington Arrival

Washington, with his hat in his hand, rode forward and waved the Americans forward, while he rode ahead on his horse. At this point, Mawhood had moved his troops slightly to the left to get out of the range of the American artillery fire. Washington gave orders not to fire until he gave them the signal, and when they were thirty yards away, he turned around on his horse, facing his men and said “Halt!” and then “Fire!”. Check out more about other battles, facts about the Battle of Long Island.

Facts about the Battle of Princeton 7: British Collapse

On the right, Hitchcock’s New Englanders fired a volley and then advanced again, threatening to turn the British flank.The riflemen were slowly picking off British soldiers while the American artillery was firing grapeshot at the British lines. At this point, Hitchcock ordered his men to charge, and the British began to flee.

Facts about the Battle of Princeton 8: Aftermath

After entering Princeton, the Americans began to loot the abandoned British supply wagons and the town itself.With news that Cornwallis was approaching, Washington knew he had to leave Princeton. Washington wanted to push onto New Brunswick and capture a British pay chest of 70,000 pounds but Major Generals Henry Knox and Nathanael Greene talked him out of it.

Facts about the Battle of Princeton 9: Casualties

General Sir William Howe’s official casualty report for the battle stated 18 killed, 58 wounded and 200 missing.Mark Boatner says that the Americans took 194 prisoners during the battle, while the remaining 6 “missing” men may have been killed.

Facts about the Battle of Princeton 10: Consequences

The British viewed Trenton and Princeton as minor American victories, but with these victories, the Americans believed that they could win the war.American historians often consider the Battle of Princeton a great victory, on par with the battle of Trenton, due to the subsequent loss of control of most of New Jersey by the Crown forces.

Hope you would find those Battle of Princeton facts really interesting, useful, and helpful for your additional reading.