You're listening to an Airwave Media Podcast. Hello and thank you for joining the American Revolution.

Today episode 125 the Second Battle of Trenton. We last left the Continental Army, having pulled off a

surprise victory at Trenton, capturing the Hesh and Garrison there, and then retreating back

to Pennsylvania,

after which time the leadership almost immediately decided to go

back to New Jersey again and see if they could follow up on their victory.

As Washington attempted to build on his victory at Trenton,

the British in New York had to decide how to react to the Trenton raid. Now I've been

covering quite a bit of detail over the last few episodes.

So it's important to remember that despite there being several weeks of discussions here,

it's really only been about two weeks since General Howe had secured New Jersey in mid-December,

organized the outposts, and returned to New York City to sit out the cold winter with good wine, a fire and his mistress.

Heshin Colonel Van Donop had retreated from Mount Holly on the night of December 26th,

moving his force of Heshessions toward Princeton and Brunswick.

He also collected some of the Hessions who had escaped capture at Trenton during his March.

Von Dunup sent a messenger to Brunswick with news of the capture of Trenton.

From there British General James Grant, who had served as overall commander of the force in New Jersey, sent an express writer to New York City to inform

General Howe.

Some of the reports suggested that the Americans had invaded New Jersey with as many as 20,000 men.

In truth, there were maybe at this point five or six thousand combined total American soldiers

in the state if you're counting all the men that

Washington brought over as well as the men who crossed under General Cadwalader

...