Ten Facts About the Battle of Princeton-- Part 2: The Two Forces Almost Didn't Meet

From George Washington's Mt. Vernon site.

Continued from December 22, 2021.  I seem to have forgotten this thread, but will finish it now.

3.  THE OPPOSING FORCES ALMOST MISSED EACH OTHER

Lt. Col. Charles Mawhood, the British commander at Princeton, had been ordered by  Cornwallis to bring reinforcements to Trenton.  He left a small garrison at Princeton and began his march to Trenton down the Post Road just before dawn.

Washington's army was marching northward on a parallel, but lesser-known road that crossed Thomas  Clark's farm .  The road was  largely out of view of the Post Road.

Washington had sent a small force under Hugh Mercer to seize and destroy the Stony Brook bridge on the Post Road.  This detachment was seen by British scouts and Mawhood, now aware of a threat to Princeton wheeled about and approached Mercer's force at the Clark Farm.

Had this chance meeting not occurred, Mawhood would have been well on his way to Trenton and Washington would have found a very small enemy at Princeton which he could have easily overwhelmed.

--Cooter