After disastrous campaigns in New York at the Battles of Long Island and Fort Washington in the fall of 1776 where almost 4000 men in the Continental Army were taken prisoner, Washington's "Crossing of the Delaware" was a pivotal moment in the war.
A view of the attack against Fort Washington on the 16 of November 1776 by the British and Hessian brigades by Thomas Davies. I. N. Phelps Stokes Collection of American Historical Prints, The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Print Collection, NYPL
The Retreat Across New Jersey
In November and December, the remainder of Washington's Army beat a hasty retreat across New Jersey with the British Army following closely behind.
Washington’s wing of the Continental Army was the first to arrive in the Bucks County area crossing at Trenton.
The State of the Continental Army
Washington's men were in desperate need, having had to leave or destroy supplies in their haste to put more distance between them and the British forces. For instance, while General Greene was able to salvage most of the powder and ammunition plus two twelve-pounders, he had to leave behind thirty-two pieces of artillery mounted on the ramparts of the fort, a thousand barrels of flour, tents, baggage, and three months provisions for three thousand men.
The soldiers were ragged without blankets and shoes. They camped in the woods in huts made of poles and straw, often needing to forage the land for food.
Detail from Valley Forge-Washington & Lafayette. Winter 1777-78. Copy of engraving by H. B. Hall after Alonzo Chappel. 1931
The Provincial Council of Pennsylvania sent out men to "call upon the housekeepers of this City [Philadelphia] and Liberties, for as many Blankets and woolen stockings as many as each family can spare, for the use of the American Army" adding "if any person shall be so insensible to the distresses of our Countrymen now in service...you are to make use of proper force."
The effort was successful, as George Washington thanked the Council on December 22 for its "Collection of old Clothes for the use of the army."
“From George Washington to the Pennsylvania Council of Safety, 22 December 1776,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-07-02-0323.
Washington further suggested that they send representatives to "the County of Bucks to make a collection of blankets in the manner you have done in Philadelphia, it would be better than doing it in a military way by me for many people would be willing to contribute or sell if asked to do so by their friends and neighbors.
Although according to one Quaker in Philadelphia, Sarah Logan Fisher, these items were sometimes collected , in the military manner , by the self same friends and neighbors.
The representatives were sent and collected 313 blankets, and 678 pounds were taken from the coffers to pay for them including the cost of cleaning them at Jenks fulling mill near Newtown.
The Strategic Importance of the Ferries and Boats
Washington's biggest worry was that the British would cross the Delaware flanking his armies. Washington ordered all the ferries up and down river as far north as Easton be brought to the Pennsylvania side with troops guarding the Ferry sites, from Alexandria/Tinicum down to Coryell's Ferry and Bristol.
On December 8th, Washington writes to General William Maxwell about the importance of securing or destroying boats along the Delaware .
“From George Washington to Brigadier General William Maxwell, 8 December 1776,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-07-02-0218.
And asks General Maxwell to secure "at [Sherrards Ferry] Tinicum a parcel of boats...collected for the transportation of Troops...under a strong guard."
Washington cautioned that " as little should be said as possible least the Enemy should avail themselves of some advantage"
Portrait of General Sir William Maxwell, oil on canvas, by Henry Raeburn. circa 1810-1815.
Washington insisted "the boats in other places...should be destroyed or removed to Tinicum least they should be possessed by some Stratagem of the Enemy ."
To protect against this, General Ewings' 800 men were set up in Morrisville to guard the stretch of the river from Bordentown to Yardley,
The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Print Collection, The New York Public Library. (1851). View of Trenton, N.J. from Morrisville Pa.
General Sterling was headquartered at Thompson Neely House, and his 550 Men were encamped in fields surrounding.
Fermoy's Brigade was camped north of Coryell's Ferry and General Nathanial Greene in Buckingham. General Greene was headquartered in the Robert Merrick House and Knox and Hamilton were at Dr. Chapman's
George Washington relocated his Headquarters to the Keith House in Upper Makefield from December 14th to the 24th
On December 9th Washington, in desperate need of troops, sends a missive to Bucks County Militia Generals, including Arthur Erwin, ordering them to join the fight
“From George Washington to Colonel Arthur Erwin, 9 December 1776,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-07-02-0221.
All able bodied men ages 18 to 53 were drafted into the Militia to serve at least 2 months, with heavy fines levied against those who chose not to participate. Under these terms, over 100 men of Tinicum Township joined the Militia by August of 1776. They fought alongside companies from nearby Bedminster, Springfield, Nockamixon, Rockhill, Richland and Lower Milford
On December 13th the Pennsylvania Council on Safety Minutes noted that "Mr. Redman was directed to pay Col. Arthur Erwin of Bucks County, 200 pounds, to advance a month's pay to his Battalion of Bucks County...Mr. Robert Towers was directed to deliver Col. Arthur Erwin arms and Accoutrments for 66 men"
George Washington reached out yet again on December 19th calling forth the Militia of the County of Bucks to the Assistance of the Continental Army.
“Orders to the Colonels of the Bucks County Militia, 19 December 1776,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-07-02-0300
Perhaps the reluctance on the part of the Bucks County Militia can be attributed to the fact that not all residents supported the American Cause. A poll taken that year showed that there were an almost equal number of Associators at 1688 and of Non-Associators at 1613.
Washington may have not gotten the support initially from the Militia he sought, but Major General John Sullivan arrived to the region at last with much needed troops from Canada, New York and New England.
Major general John Sullivan, a distinguish'd officer in the Continential [sic] Army, [London] : Publish'd as the Act directs by Thos. Hart, 1776 Augt. 22.
Gen. Sullivan's army marched from near Basking Ridge to Bonnel's tavern, then to Pittstown, and from there north to Easton all to avoid meeting up with the British and Hessians.
The New Yorkers made the march in with Sullivan’s wing, crossing the Delaware at Easton. David How, a private in the 16th Continental Regiment noted, on December 16 while preparing themselves to cross into Pennyslvania, he wrote, “we have ben Geting our Bagage a Cross and Geting Waggons for the March this Day.”
On December 18 How Notes, " This morning we crossed the Dulleray River and marched to Springfield, Stayed the Night there." This army numbered upwards of 2,000 men, plus their baggage and camp followers, so it must have been quite a sight to see them coming through the tiny village of Springfield
Then How mentioned , " this day set off and come to Bucking ham. Stayed there. Its been very snowy this night." On the 21st he wrote, “This day we marchd about 7 miles to Solsbury and encamped in the woods there.” Two days later his regiment “went about 4 miles to Live in Houses.”
Though 6,000 Continental Troops lined the shore of the Delaware from Coryells Ferry to tidewater, only 2400 soldiers were healthy enough to make Delaware River Crossing on Christmas. The Crossing started around 6 pm and was completed around 3 pm, taking 9 hours.
The Delaware River at the point of crossing was estimated to be 1000 feet wide and between 5 and 7 feet deep with a current of 11 miles an hour.
Chart of the Delaware River Between Trenton and Easton, Lieutenant Colonel J.D. Kurtz, Corps of Engineers, 1872
It is believed the army had 4 ferry flats and 16 Durham boats. Two ferries served the Continental Army, McConkey’ on the Pennsylvania side and Johnson’s Ferry on the Jersey side. Most of the Durham boats were hidden in Knowles Creek behind Malta Island below Coryell’s Ferry.
Washington Crossing the Delaware Painted by Harrington G. Fitzgerald Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1870s-1890s Oil on Canvas Museum of the American Revolution 2003.00.0507
The ferry flats were 50 feet long and 12 feet wide and carried the artillery, horses and wagons. There were 18 cannons transported. In 1776 the main ferry was operated by Bucks County resident James Slack. Each gun took as much as an hour to load, secure, transport, and unload. Upwards of 90 horses were carried over icy waters.
The Durham boats averaged 60 feet with 18 foot oars and could hold about 35 men. That meant the 16 boats would have to make a total of 70 trips, with each boat crossing 4 times to move all the infantry across the river. Likely it took an hour to load ferry across unload and make the return trip.
The Guides and Oarsman
General Washington's plan called for two guides to accompany each brigade. All of the guides except two were in the 1st Hunterdon Militia. The guides included Col. Joseph Phillips, Capt. Philip Phillips, and Adjutant Elias Phillips, of Maidenhead; John Muirheid, Joseph Inslee, Eden Burroughs, Stephen Burroughs, Ephraim Woolsey, and Henry Simmons, of Hopewell; and Capt. John Mott, David Laning, Amos Scudder, and William Green, of Trenton. The other two guides were John Guild of Hopewell and James Slack of Bucks County, PA
“To George Washington from Brigadier General Philemon Dickinson, 24 December 1776,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-07-02-0336.
The Durham was typically manned by a crew of five to seven. With the captain at the stern, the rest would work the oars or using the setting poles along the gunwales.
Known as the 14th Continental Regiment, 177 men of the Marblehead militia, were employed by Washington to row his entire invasion force across the Delaware and back with some 900 prisoners on the return. The Marblehead Militia, from New England, was a fully integrated unit of White, Black, Latin and Native American troops led by John Glover (a cod fisherman turned rebel).
Portrait of Brigadier General John Glover, facsimile of a pencil drawing from life by Col. J Trumbull
Apocryphal tales claim that the recently published pamphlet by Thomas Paine entitled the American Crisis was distributed by George Washington and read to the troops to boost morale before the invasion.
These are the times that try men's souls: the summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it NOW, deserves the love and thanks of man and Woman."
Whether, Thomas Paine's words were shared or not, the crossing was a great success. Washington's troop surprised the 1400 Hessians and according to accounts "Drove them from their cannon...we took three standards, 6 fine brass cannon and 1000 stand of arms."
And the majority of men whose enlistments were set to expire at the end of the year, reenlisted in the Continental Army, giving the American War for Independence new life.
Credits:
https://allthingsliberty.com/2020/12/christmas-night-1776-how-did-they-cross/