Battle of Princeton

Overview

The Battle of Princeton was a battle of the American Revolutionary War, fought near Princeton, New Jersey on January 3, 1777, and ending in a small victory for the Colonials. General Lord Cornwallis had left 1,400 British troops under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Charles Mawhood in Princeton. Following a surprise attack at Trenton early in the morning of December 26, 1776, General George Washington of the Continental Army decided to attack the British in New Jersey before entering the winter quarters. On December 30, he crossed the Delaware River back into New Jersey. His troops followed on January 3, 1777. Washington advanced to Princeton by a back road, where he pushed back a smaller British force but had to retreat before Cornwallis arrived with reinforcements. The battles of Trenton and Princeton boosted the morale of the patriot cause, leading many recruits to join the Continental Army in the spring.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

The Battle of Princeton, fought near Princeton, New Jersey on January 3, 1777, was a follow-on action to Washington's surprise attack at Trenton on December 26, 1776. After recrossing the Delaware River into New Jersey on December 30, Washington advanced on Princeton by a back road, pushing back a smaller British force under Lieutenant Colonel Charles Mawhood before withdrawing ahead of Cornwallis's reinforcements. Though the tactical gain was limited—Washington could not hold the town—the engagement contributed to a broader shift in the New Jersey campaign. Together, the battles of Trenton and Princeton lifted patriot morale at a critical low point and drew recruits into the Continental Army the following spring, sustaining the war effort through the next campaign season.

Tactics

Forces & casualties

Commanders (5)