Battle Of The Assunpink Creek

The Battle of the Assunpink Creek also known as The Second Battle of Trenton was an American victory that took place on January 2, 1777, during the American Revolutionary War.

Lieutenant General Charles Cornwallis had left 1,400 British troops under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Charles Mawhood in Princeton, New Jersey. Following a surprise victory at the Battle of Trenton early in the morning of December 26, 1776, General George Washington of the Continental Army and his council of war expected a strong British counter-attack. Washington and his council decided to meet this attack in Trenton.

Washington established a defensive position south of the Assunpink Creek, just south of Trenton. Cornwallis moved from Princeton to Trenton on January 2, but his army was delayed by riflemen under the command of Edward Hand, and the advanced guard did not even reach Trenton until twilight. After assaulting the American positions three times, and being repulsed each time, Cornwallis decided to wait and finish the battle the next day. Washington moved his army and attacked Mawhood at Princeton the next day, forcing the British to evacuate New Jersey.

On January 3, 1777, the Continental Army defeated the British army under General Charles Cornwallis at the Battle of Princeton. Cornwallis had hoped to engage Washington's army at Trenton after George Washington recrossed the Delaware River, resulting in the Second Battle of Trenton. Cornwallis's initial results were failures. After recapturing Trenton, he ordered charges on defenses fortified by Washington at Assunpink Creek. The Americans, from their defenses, fired volleys at the advancing troops, striking heavy casualties in the British army. Later that night, General Washington moved the majority of his army on a surprise attack upon British troops stationed at Princeton. At the same time, he left a few troops to stall Cornwallis by creating false signals (campfires, loud noises, fortification repair) to give the impression that the Continental Army was still stationed in Trenton.