The Freeman's Journal, Or, New Hampshire Gazette Domestic News January 21, 1777

TRENTON, December 30.

The long series of Disasters which have attended us for almost the whole of this Month, and which coming fast upon the Heels of each other, must have sunk your Spirits to extreme Dejection, must certainly call for something very clever to exhilarate them; it is therefore with particular Pleasure I improve a leisure Hour to give an animating Piece of Intelligence, which will certainly have this Effect, & which has produced Consequences of the happiest Nature.

The General finding it absolutely necessary to rouse the Spirits of his Army, resolved to Attempt surprizing a considerable Body of Hessians, quartered at Trenton, consisting of about Nineteen Hundred, & a Detachment of British Light Horse. The Plan was as spiritedly executed, as it was judiciously concerted, & terminated in fully answering the warmest Expectations of its Projectors. On the Morning of the 24th December, Orders were given for a large Part of the Army to have three Days Provisions ready cooked, and 40 rounds a Man, and to be ready to March by 3 o'Clock, in the Afternoon; accordingly the farthest Brigades marched by two o'Clock; the next Morning the whole Body, which did not exceed 2400 Men, had crossed the Delaware, with several Companies of Artillery and 18 Field Pieces, they formed in two Divisions, the one, commanded by General Green, and the other by General Sullivan, and the whole by General Washington. It began snowing about 11 o'Clock, and continued so 'till Day-break, when a most violent North-East Storm came on, of Snow, Rain and Hail together: the Attack began about 7 o'Clock, by the Van-guard of Sullivan's Division, who attacked the Hessians advanced Guard, about a Mile from the Town, which they soon drove, when the whole pushed with the utmost Vigour for the Town, which they immediately entered. General Green's Division attacked the Town on the other Side at the same Time.

The Hessians did as much as could be expected from People so surprized, but the Impetuosity of our Men were irresistible: 15 Minutes decided the Action, & the Enemy threw down their Arms, and surrendered Prisoners of War. They consisted of three Regiments of Grenadiers and Fuzileers, and was equal to any Troops the Prince of Hesse could boast of: The Troop of British Dragoons, without waiting to be charged, scampered off with the utmost Expedition. Could the Brigade under Col. Erving have landed before the Town, as was intended the Light-Horse must inevitably have been taken, as well as a considerable Number of the Hessians, who got off, but the Violence of the Wind was such, and the Quantity of Ice so great, that he found it impossible to cross.

Our Success, though not compleat, was great, as you will judge from the following List of killed and wounded, and Prisoners, and which is as exact as could be obtained, viz.

1 Colonel, dangerously wounded, since dead,
2 Lieutenant-Colonels,
3 Majors, one badly wounded,
4 Captains, 1 killed,
8 Lieutenants,
12 Ensigns,
4 Subalterns, killed,
2 Surgeons,
15 Sergeants,
20 Drummers,
3 Musicians,
25 Servants,
752 Privates, and about 50 killed and wounded,
making in the whole 989.

To these you will add a considerable Number since taken, making in the whole about 1200. The Trophies were 6 Field Pieces, Brass excellently mounted, and 7 Standards. Seven most valuable Waggons were taken, and a Quantity of Pork and Flour. Our Loss does not exceed 50 killed and wounded;

The Men behaved with the utmost Bravery, finding that their Guns did not generally go off, owing to their having been exposed to the Snow and Rain, for six Hours the Men charged Bayonets, and with three Cheers rushed like Blood-Hounds upon the Hessians, who, astonished at their Fury, fled or threw down their Arms, and it was owing to the Ardour of the Attack, that so little Blood was shed.

The Army returned the same Day, and notwithstanding a continual pelting for 12 Hours, of a most violent Rain, Hail and Snow-Storm, we had only two Men froze to Death, luckily they found some Hogheads of Rum at Trenton, large Draughts of which alone preserved the Lives of many. The Soldiers behaved exceeding well with Respect to plundering, considering they were animated by Revenge for past Insults, exasperated by the Injuries done their Mess-Mates taken at Fort Washington, animated by every Incentive that could work upon the Licence of a successful Army.

The General gave the Hessians all their Baggage, and they have since gone to the Western Counties of Pennsylvania, with their Packs unsearched; they were amazed at the Generosity of the General, so opposite to their own Conduct, and called him a very good Rebel.

The Enemy who lay at Bordentown, soon had the Alarm, which was communicated to all the Parties along the River, who after remaining under Arms the whole Day, in the Evening marched off, leaving us to take Possession of Bordentown, Mount-Holly and Burlington. Such are some of the Effects of this Action.

Ten Days ago there was scarce a Town in the Jerseys, that the Enemy did not occupy or overawe, there is now scarce one in the West Jersey they are in Possession of. The General is determined to prosecute his advantage, & if can prevail on the New-England Troops to stay after their Time is out, which is Tomorrow, I have not the least Doubt he will be able to push the Enemy beyond the Rariton.

The Pennsylvanians are arming with Spirit—Brigadier Cadwallader came to Trenton toDay with 1800 Men, and Putnam and Mifflin crossed at Philadelphia with an equal Number; and all coming forward, having been joined by 500 of the Jersey Militia. The Enemy were crossing the River all that Night, & to Day, a Junction of our whole Force, is expected Tomorrow, When the Army, which will then be 10,000 Men (such has been the Alteration within five Days) will march for Princeton. The Captains of the Frigates at Philadelphia with 160 brave Tars and nine Pieces of Cannon, have come up, and are willing to beat the Enemy by Land as well as by Sea, provided the General will let them be commanded by their own Officers and fight their Cannon their own Way. The General has gratified them, and they are attached to particular Brigades. These generous, rough Sailors are in the highest Spirits and come Volunteers, and swear they will never flinch while the General will find them in RUM. BEEF and BISCUIT.

A Train of 50 Pieces of Field Artillery is to accompany the Army—They are all over, and will remove in the Morning, supported by Regiments who from a Gloom bordering on Despair, have now new strung Nerves, & brightened Countenances. We think from present Appearances, we have much to hope.