The fight for our independence from England had been a costly one. On July 4, 1776, the small United States had declared her independence from England, but the battles that followed had taken so many American lives that the Confederate Army had very little strength left. George Washington knew that if they did not have a strong victory soon, all strength would be lost. So on December 26, 1776, the Confederate Army woke up early and attacked the German army that was protecting Trenton in New Jersey. The German army was sleepy after a long night of Christmas festivities, so the Confederate Army defeated them. Some of the German army escaped, but they captured the rest, 1,000 troops of the 1,400 troops that were there. This victory strengthened George Washington and the Confederate Army. The Confederate Army’s enlistment was to expire on December 31st of that year, and if they had not won that battle, Washington might not have had an army to lead in January..and he might not have become our first president.
Washington Wins the First Major US Victory
