with Greene, followed the
Scotch road. The latter joins the upper part of the town, while the
river road enters the lower end. The plan was for the two divisions to
strike Trenton at the same time and attack the Hessians in front and
rear. It was hardly light on the morning succeeding Christmas, 1776,
when Washington drove in the sentinels and advanced rapidly in the
direction of Sullivan, the report of whose guns showed that he had
arrived on time and was vigorously pressing matters.

The rattle of musketry and the boom of cannon roused the startled
Hessians, who made the best defense possible. Colonel Rall leaped from
his bed, and, hastily donning his clothes, strove to collect and form
his men. While doing so he was mortally wounded. The moment quickly came
when his situation was hopeless. Supported on either side by a sergeant,
Rall walked painfully forward to where Washington was seated on his
horse, and, handing his sword to him, asked that mercy should be shown
his men. Washington assured him his request was unnecessary. Rall was
carried to a building, where, as he lay on the bed, he was visited by
Washington, who expressed his sympathy for his sufferings, which soon
were terminated by death.

[Illustration: WASHINGTON CROSSING THE DELAWARE.]

The battle of Trenton, as it is known in history, was remarkable in more
than one respect. The Americans captured 950 prisoners, six guns, a
large number of small arms, killed twenty and wounded nearly a hundred
of the enemy. Of the Americans, four were wounded and two killed, and it
is probable that these deaths were due to the extreme cold rather than
the aim of the Hessians, whose work is very suggestive of that of the
Spaniards in the late war.

The moral effect of the victory, however, was almost beyond estimate.
The threatening clouds that had so long darkened the land were
scattered, and the glorious sun of hope burst through and cheered all.
The triumph may be summed up in the expression that it marked the
"turning of the tide." Reverses were yet waiting for the Americans, but
the war for independence was steadily to advance to its triumphant
conclusion.

THE EFFECT OF THE VICTORY.

The situation of Washington at Trenton, however, was critical.
Cornwallis with his powerful force was at Princeton, ten miles distant,
and was sure to advance against him as soon as he learned of the reverse
at Trenton. Washington, therefore, recrossed the Delaware on the same