Ten Facts About Battle of Princeton-- Part 4: Washington's Presence Turns the Tide

6.  AT ONE POINT, GEORGE WASHINGTON WAS JUST 30 YARDS FROM THE BRITISH LINE

Moving to reinforce Mercer's broken line, Cadwalader's  brigade, about 1,500 men, moved towards the British.  Despite their numerical superiority, the inexperienced Americans began to fall back under heavy British fire. 

As Cadwalader reformed his men, Washington came riding up astride a magnificent white horse.  As musket balls flew around him, Washington coolly assured his soldiers, "Parade with us brave fellows!    There is but a handful of  the enemy and we shall have them directly!"

Washington then proceeded to lead the militiamen forward and at one point was just 30 yards from the British line, easy musket range.

John Fitzgerald, one of Washington's officers, reportedly pulled his hat over his eyes, expecting to see the general shot from the saddle at any moment.  But, despite his proximity to danger, Washington remained unscathed and his galvanizing presence stabilized the American line at a  critical moment of the battle.

Soon, Washington along with fresh reinforcements was chasing  the remnants of Mawhood's command through the fields and woods.

(See picture at right of the Battle of Princeton.)

--Cooter

Ten Facts About Battle of Princeton-- Part 3: Mawhood;s Spaniels and George Washington Killed?

4.  BRITISH LT.COL. CHARLES MAWHOOD RODE INTO BATTLE WITH SPRINGER SPANIELS AT HIS SIDE.

Mercer's Americans soon saw the British advance from two British regiments, the 17th and 55th Foot.  Mawhood himself could be seen  atop his "brown pony" and with a pair of his favorite spaniels bounding at his side.

To say the least, Mawhood delighted in acting nonchalant at all times, but even so, he was a highly capable officer and really proved his mettle at the Battle of Princeton.

5. MANY BRITISH SOLDIERS THOUGHT THEY HAD KILLED GEORGE WASHINGTON DURING THE BATTLE

During the early stages of the battle, a British bayonet charge broke Hugh Mercer's line.  He tried to rally his troops, but got surrounded by enemy soldiers who shouted "Surrender you damn rebel!"  Mercer, a veteran of European wars and a fierce patriot refused to do so.  

After a brief  struggle, Mercer was bayonetted repeatedly and left for dead.  Given that he  was well-attired (as opposed to the rags of the regular American soldiers, a high-ranking officer and refused to surrender, many British soldiers thought he was George Washington.

--Cooter

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

Battle of Princeton-- Part 2: From Defeat, Washington Gets a Victory

When the Americans spotted the British troops around William Clarke's farm, Washington detached Hugh Mercer's brigade to investigate.  Mercer ran headlong into the 17th Foot Regiment, firmly stationed behind a fence at the end of Clarke's orchard.  In the ensuing volleys,  Mercer was wounded and his men routed by a bayonet charge.

With the British on the verge of splitting his army, Washington quickly detached  John Cadwalader's  Philadelphia Associatiors (militia) to plug the gap.  These green troops fought valiantly, but were also broken by British bayonets.

With the battle, and the war, hanging in the balance, Washington personally led fresh troops onto the field while grapeshot and canister battery from Joseph  Moulder's artillery forced the British back towards Clarke's farmhouse.  Washington's counterattack broke the British line, which quickly turned into a route.

Further nearer the town, two smaller engagements at Frog Hollow and on the grounds of the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University), also resulted in a British retreat.

Washington had won a great victory, defeating a smaller force of British regulars, but British Colonel Mawhood was also praised for delaying the Americans long enough to rescue most of his supplies.

--Brock-Perry

Battle of Princeton-- Part 1

From American Battlefield Trust.

I was  aware of the Battle of Trenton, one great surprise attack, but really didn't know what happened afterwards.  Now, I know.

After crossing the Delaware River on December 25, 1776, and surprising the British at Trenton the next morning, George Washington embarked on a ten-day campaign  that would change the course of the war.  Culminating in the Battle of Princeton on on January 3, 1777, Washington snatched victory from the jaws of defeat and proved his amateur army could defeat the British.

The Battle of Princeton was a classic meeting engagement, with both sides stumbling into each other, and neither expecting to fight on the ground where the battle raged.  Initially, the British commander, Charles Mawhood, marched his force south towards Trenton to meet the main British Army, when he spotted the American column.

Washington had stolen a march on Charles Lord Cornwallis, slipping away  from the British forces along Assunpink Creek the night before.

--Brock-Perry