BATTLE OF ASSUNPINK CREEK

Battle of Assunpink Creek

In the winter following the disastrous losses around New York, George Washington’s army clung to survival around Trenton. On January 2nd, 1777, British forces under Charles Cornwallis advanced to drive the Continentals into the Delaware River, attacking along the frozen banks of Assunpink Creek. American artillery and infantry, dug in behind the creek and makeshift defenses, repulsed repeated assaults as dusk fell. Washington’s line held, denying the British the decisive blow they sought and showing that his soldiers could stand against veteran regulars when properly positioned. That night, under cover of the standoff, the Continental army slipped away around the British flank, setting the stage for the surprise at Princeton and turning Assunpink Creek into a hard-fought prelude to a larger victory.