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I will make my yearly post of the story of Washington Crossing the Delaware a little later. Thanks for your post.

I do have to disagree with the History Channel on one thing and that is their assertion that the Battle of Trenton didn't have much strategic significance. The crossing and battle, set off a chain of events (the 10 Crucial Days) that changed the course of the Revolution forever. Never again did the forces of the Crown have as good an oppurtunity to achieve victory as they did before December 25, 1776.

The Crossing, the 1st Battle of Trenton (December 26) and the subsequent 2nd Battle of Trenton (January 2, 1777) along with the Battle of Princeton (January 3, 1777) ended any British hopes of holding New Jersey and defeating the Rebellion.

P.S. - the Hessian soldiers were not hung over, that is legend not fact. Some of their officers (e.g. Colonel Rall) did attend drinking parties the evening before but the enlistedmen were allowed no such pleasures.

The victory was not particularly significant from a strategic point of view, but news of Washington's initiative raised the spirits of the American colonists, who previously feared that the Continental Army was incapable of victory.

You are correct that the above is not accurate. The History Channel ought to actually read some history. While the battle of Trenton was not what many consider a major engagement, it, along with the battle of Princton forced the British to withdraw from New Jersey that winter taking the pressure off of Philadelphia and giving Washington time to rebuild his battered force. It is also wrong that the Hessian soldiers were too hungover to fight. That is a myth. They were tough professionals who's only real mistake was in underestimating their enemy and the capacity of Washington to take bold action.