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Washington's Crossing (Pivotal Moments in American History) First Edition
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Yet, as David Hackett Fischer recounts in this riveting history, George Washington--and many other Americans--refused to let the Revolution die. On Christmas night, as a howling nor'easter struck the Delaware Valley, he led his men across the river and attacked the exhausted Hessian garrison at Trenton, killing or capturing nearly a thousand men. A second battle of Trenton followed within days. The Americans held off a counterattack by Lord Cornwallis's best troops, then were almost trapped by the British force. Under cover of night, Washington's men stole behind the enemy and struck them again, defeating a brigade at Princeton. The British were badly shaken. In twelve weeks of winter fighting, their army suffered severe damage, their hold on New Jersey was broken, and their strategy was ruined.
Fischer's richly textured narrative reveals the crucial role of contingency in these events. We see how the campaign unfolded in a sequence of difficult choices by many actors, from generals to civilians, on both sides. While British and German forces remained rigid and hierarchical, Americans evolved an open and flexible system that was fundamental to their success. The startling success of Washington and his compatriots not only saved the faltering American Revolution, but helped to give it new meaning.
- ISBN-100195170342
- ISBN-13978-0195170344
- EditionFirst Edition
- PublisherOxford University Press
- Publication dateFebruary 12, 2004
- LanguageEnglish
- Dimensions6.13 x 1.68 x 9.86 inches
- Print length564 pages
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Copyright © 2005 The New Yorker
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Book Description
A dramatic and colorful narrative of a pivotal moment in American history--George Washington crossing the Delaware
About the Author
From The Washington Post
The past few years saw a flurry of books on Benjamin Franklin. Now, it seems, attention is shifting to George Washington. Henry Wiencek's An Imperfect God, on Washington and his slaves, heralded the change. Now David Hackett Fischer's Washington's Crossing continues the trend, and there's more to come.
Fischer, a historian at Brandeis University whose previous books include Albion's Seed and Paul Revere's Ride, describes in moving detail the military campaign of 1776-1777 and the British, German and American soldiers who fought it. As in the familiar 1850 painting by Emmanuel Leutze that inspired Fischer's title, Washington stands firmly at the book's center. His actions as commander of the American army were pivotal for both his future and that of the fledgling American republic. At first, their futures looked unpromising.
In the summer of 1776, the British Army began a massive campaign to smash the colonists' "rebellion" once and for all. The 33,000 British and German soldiers sent to New York constituted, Fischer says, a "modern professional army" commanded by generals with three decades of military experience. Even privates had on average nine years of service. By contrast, the American army was substantially smaller and pathetically inexperienced: Most soldiers had been on active duty only a few months, and even Washington had relatively little combat experience. The British, moreover, had 70 warships in America. The United States had none.
A predictable disaster followed. The American army barely escaped capture after losing the battle of Long Island in August of 1776, and it failed to hold Manhattan. Washington moved his men north onto the mainland in October, briefly engaged the British at White Plains, and then, in early November, crossed to the western side of the Hudson. Soon the British seized the American Forts Washington and Lee on the opposite sides of that river, and began invading New Jersey. As a dwindling American army retreated south, more than 3,000 people in that state signed loyalty oaths to the Crown.
Washington was near despair. He had lost substantial territory and most of his army. Rivals vied to replace him, and the revolution itself seemed on the verge of failure. But after he led his army across the Delaware River to Pennsylvania in early December, his fortunes took a turn for the better. New recruits began joining the American army, and Thomas Paine's The American Crisis, with its moving reference to the "times that try men's souls," rallied further support. Meanwhile, militiamen from New Jersey and Pennsylvania gradually retook the Jersey countryside.
Washington suddenly saw an opportunity for a "counterstroke." On Christmas night, he again crossed the half-frozen Delaware River -- the event Leutze's painting recalled -- and on Dec. 26 won a stunning victory over Hessians at Trenton. After returning to Pennsylvania, Washington again crossed the Delaware, defeated British and Hessian forces in a second battle of Trenton on Jan. 2, 1777, and the next day, in a brilliant maneuver, marched his men behind the lines of an advancing British army and took the British base at Princeton.
The fighting continued even after Washington led his exhausted men to winter quarters at Morristown. Groups of militiamen repeatedly attacked British soldiers seeking feed for their horses. That "forage war" compelled the King's army to further concentrate its forces, abandoning Loyalist supporters dependent on its protection. By the spring Howe had lost more than half his army and was on the defensive. American morale surged; Washington became a hero with some job security; and in London commentators began to question the wisdom of continuing a war that it suddenly seemed the British might lose.
Why the change? Washington had learned a lot fast. Fischer also emphasizes the spirit of the 13 major figures in Leutze's "Washington's Crossing." That painting, he concedes, is inaccurate in certain details: The crossing occurred, for example, at night during a fierce nor'easter, not in clear daylight. (The men were, however, standing up: The boats had no benches and several inches of slush in their bottoms.) But the soldiers' heroic determination, which the artist hoped would inspire 19th-century European revolutionaries, is for Fischer historically correct. Success depended on the commitment of Americans who "were fighting on their own ground, in defense of homes and families, for ideas of liberty and freedom."
Unfortunately, that wasn't enough to win the victory dimly glimpsed in early 1777, as Washington understood. Militiamen who defended their homes and families against the wholesale plunder, rapes and other atrocities committed by the British and their allies in New Jersey were fine for short-term campaigns such as those of the "forage war," but they could not hold the field against British regulars. That demanded what Washington called a "respectable army," with trained officers and men who agreed to serve on a permanent basis, not the short-term recruits of 1776. The only way to get such an army, Washington told Congress, was by offering material incentives.
His proposal went against American fears of "standing armies." But in late 1776 and early 1777, Congress let Washington recruit men -- who were drawn disproportionately from the poor -- for three years or the duration of the war with bounties and other incentives, and it endorsed harsher punishments for infractions of military discipline. That newly formed Continental Army was more like a European "army of order" than Fischer seems prepared to admit.
In fact, the "new kind of war" that emerged from the trials of 1776-77 was remarkably conventional, unlike the petit guerre of irregular bands that Washington's rival Charles Lee favored and Fischer celebrates. In October 1777, this new Continental Army -- albeit with the help of local militiamen -- won the battle of Saratoga, which led to the French alliance. Four years later, that same Continental Army defeated the British at Yorktown with a standard siege operation, which depended on the protection of the French navy and both manpower and technical advice from the French army.
Fischer ends his book, as Leutze designed his canvas, with a lesson for today. "The story of Washington's Crossing," he says, "tells us that Americans in an earlier generation were capable of acting in a higher spirit, and so are we." True. But to win independence, the Americans also needed a trained professional army and the help of the French. That, too, has meaning for our time.
Reviewed by Pauline Maier
Copyright 2004, The Washington Post Co. All Rights Reserved.
Product details
- Publisher : Oxford University Press
- Publication date : February 12, 2004
- Edition : First Edition
- Language : English
- Print length : 564 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0195170342
- ISBN-13 : 978-0195170344
- Item Weight : 2.45 pounds
- Dimensions : 6.13 x 1.68 x 9.86 inches
- Part of series : Pivotal Moments in American History
- Best Sellers Rank: #218,918 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #59 in American Revolution Biographies (Books)
- #133 in U.S. Revolution & Founding History
- #640 in U.S. State & Local History
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

David Hackett Fischer is University Professor and Warren Professor of History at Brandeis University in Massachusetts. The recipient of many prizes and awards for his teaching and writing, he is the author of numerous books, including Washington's Crossing, which was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in history.
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Customers find this history book to be a brilliant narrative that details all sides of the pivotal event, with well-researched facts and clear character development. Moreover, the book is written in a compelling fashion, with one customer noting how it covers both sides evenly. However, the map quality receives mixed feedback, with some customers praising the excellent maps while others report issues with visibility.
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Customers praise the book's historical narrative, noting its brilliant research and comprehensive coverage of all sides of the event.
"...to produce a near-perfect history book with widespread appeal: interesting, important subject matter..." Read more
"Excellent history that clears up a lot of misconceptions in that time in History! Made me proud to be an American" Read more
"I read it. Very interesting. I love history." Read more
"...Well researched and exciting all at once, I could not put the book down." Read more
Customers find the book highly readable and interesting, with one customer noting it's the best Revolutionary War book of all time.
"...Great book." Read more
"Great Book !" Read more
"...A truly great read." Read more
"1/2 way in. Great read. Very interesting and informative." Read more
Customers praise the book's insightful content, noting its brilliant research and well-researched detail, with one customer highlighting its comprehensive coverage of the subject.
"...Fishcer's work is compelling, thorough, well-researched, and most of all enjoyable. History fans will not be disappointed." Read more
"...This is a wonderfully written, well researched and well analyzed work that will leave the reader both profoundly impressed by Washington and the men..." Read more
"...A spot-check of the notes and references seems to indicate a well-researched and sourced book. The Not So Good Points..." Read more
"This book is very informative and therefore highly recommended to everyone, even to those who are not big into history." Read more
Customers praise the book's pacing, finding it wonderfully readable and written in a compelling fashion, with one customer noting how the author skillfully describes battles with a novelist's flair.
"Well written and documented. As a retired soldier I am always interested in our nation's military history...." Read more
"I thought this was well written and paced...." Read more
"He says the writing is clear and concise, and the information is presented accurately and in a manner that holds his interest." Read more
"Fisher is detailed, thorough and easy to read and logical in his presentation. This is an excellent recounting of the Trenton/Princeton conflicts...." Read more
Customers appreciate the character development in the book, with one customer noting how it provides life background on the major players and examines them in great detail.
"...Maps of all the major encounters are plentiful, as are portraits of the major players, and they all appear in the text when the person is introduced..." Read more
"...Book examines the key players in great detail…who they really were, where they came from and their extensive backgrounds leading up to The..." Read more
"...It covers a broad range of characters and moves through events and time with enough depth to understand a each situation, but not so much that you..." Read more
"...technology of the times, and with exquisite detail, giving life background on the major players who are about to engage in war...." Read more
Customers have mixed opinions about the maps in the book, with some finding them excellent while others report issues with visibility and size.
"...As military history it is unsurpassed. It has excellent maps, thorough research, and is fair and impartial. It is also thought provoking...." Read more
"...The book is full of maps, none of which are legible on the Kindle...." Read more
"...Maps for each battle are included, assisting the reader in creating a visual of the battles. Mr. Fischer writes, "Something fundamental had changed...." Read more
"...Kindle version and the only drawback that I see is that the maps do not show up well at all on the Kindle, but this is not the author's fault...." Read more
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- Reviewed in the United States on May 18, 2012Format: KindleVerified PurchaseI've been reading a lot of American Revolutionary history lately, and even so, David Hackett Fischer's 2003 volume Washington's Crossing, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for history, stands out as excellent. Much like David McCullough's fantastic 1776, Washington's Crossing focuses in on a narrow portion of the Revolutionary War and brings it to vivid life.
Washington's Crossing is devoted to an in-depth look at the New Jersey campaign of the winter of 1776-1777. However, Fischer doesn't just dump you into the icy Delaware River without some background. He starts off by examining each of the three armies involved, the American, British, and Hessian, looking at where they came from, how they viewed the Revolution, how they operated, and what their goals were. This section is extremely interesting, and did a lot to enhance my understandings of all sides.
The challenges Washington faced with Continental troops from all over the colonies and militia only vaguely under his command, the plans of British commanders Admiral and General Howe to pacify the countryside and aide the surely-numerous Loyalists in keeping the colonies under the King, and the economic and historical reasons Hessians became excellent mercenaries, and more - all of this was illuminating. Finally, Fischer gives an overview of the disastrous routing of the Continental Army during the New York campaign, which lead to the dire straights the Cause found itself in by November 1776.
Once he turns to the New Jersey campaign, Fischer breaks the action down into four main parts - the Battle of Trenton, the Battle of Assunpink Creek, the Battle of Princeton, and the Forage Wars. The Battle of Trenton, of course, is where the title of the book - and the famous painting - comes from, and was the initial shock that stunned the British and Hessians. Fischer does a great job of setting the scene for just how big a gamble this was for Washington. He also dispels the common myth about the Hessians being drunk on Christmas, as instead explaining how their openness to attack was a combination of fatigue from being on watch for days on end for militia who had been harassing them and an assumption that no one could be crazy enough to attack in the intense blizzard that, in fact, served the American purpose excellently by covering their approach.
My favorite part of the book, in fact, may be the part detailing the Battle of Assunpink Creek (also known as the Second Battle of Trenton). I hadn't even heard of this battle before. It was the British counterstrike after their loss at Trenton, and the Americans were forced into defending the indefensible city they had just taken from the Hessians days before. Through a combination of bravery from the men, ingenious generalship from Washington, and a willingness to fight the way that worked, instead of the way the British expected them to, the Americans not only won the battle, they were able to slip away from under the British's very noses in the middle of the night and make their way to Princeton, surprising the British once again with the American ability to show up where they weren't expected.
What followed was the Battle of Princeton, where the Americans ran into reinforcements headed to Trenton and defeated the British in a pitched battle on open field - a first. In less than two weeks, the Americans had run up several victories against the British, and rallied a Cause they seemed nearly dead only a month before. But they weren't done yet. The rest of the winter was consumed by the Forage War, in which the Americans - mostly militia - harassed the British in their winter quarters and while they attempted to supply their army from the countryside. By the spring of 1777, the British had gone from assuming the war was nearly over to, among some major leaders and many of the men, believing it could not be won.
Fischer covers all the bases in Washington's Crossing. He explains the motivations of the people and forces involved, he compellingly describes the battles with a novelist's flair, and he clearly lays out the effect the events of this book had on the Revolution as it continued. He really leaves no angle unexplored in this thorough effort, and is entertaining all the while.
One detail that aided the book greatly was the care given to the visual aspect of history. Maps of all the major encounters are plentiful, as are portraits of the major players, and they all appear in the text when the person is introduced, and not sequestered in a glossy break in the narrative midway though the pages of the book. This may not seem a big deal, but so many histories and biographies manage to mess it up that it's refreshing when it's handled well as it is in Washington's Crossing.
Finally, a comparison, since I mentioned it at the beginning, to David McCullough's 1776. There is certainly overlap between the two books. 1776 mainly covers between the Siege of Boston and the Battle of Princeton. It does so quite well, and is fantastic at covering the American side of the story. Washington's Crossing covers from the Battle of Long Island to the Forage Wars, and gives more attention to the British and Hessian side of the story than does 1776. Both are excellent and I recommend them to any fan of American history. If I had to pick one, it would probably be Washington's Crossing, by the narrowest of margins.
British General Lord Cornwallis, known to Americans as the loser at Yorktown in 1781, was also involved in the New Jersey campaign, and told Washington after Yorktown, "When the illustrious part that your Excellency has borne in this long and arduous contest becomes a matter of history, fame will gather your brightest laurels rather from the banks of the Delaware than from those of the Chesapeake." Cornwallis was right - as important as the later battles of the war were, Washington saved the Revolution with the Continental victories in the New Jersey campaign. Washington's Crossing will show you why.
I highly recommend David Hackett Fischer's Washington's Crossing to any fan of American or military history. Fishcer's work is compelling, thorough, well-researched, and most of all enjoyable. History fans will not be disappointed.
- Reviewed in the United States on March 12, 2013Format: KindleVerified Purchase"Washington Crossing the Delaware" is more than just a famous painting hanging at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. As David Hackett Fischer masterfully portrays in this book, it was a pivotal turning point in the American War of Independence. Winning the Pulitzer Prize for History in 2005, this book describes the context of the event depicted in the painting, and why it was such an important event in American history.
Mr. Fischer's book will be loved among military history buffs. After starting the book with an analysis of Emanuel Leutze's painting, he delves into the details that describe each side of the war: The Regulars (British), The Hessians (Germans), and The Rebels (Americans). The details provided in the book for each side are remarkable. Uniforms are illustrated, the organization and weaponry of the armies are clearly described, and the professionalism of the British Army was worthy of admiration. Readers may discover new respect for each side in the Revolution after absorbing these details that may be normally glossed over in other texts on the subject.
While sometimes alluding to other events in the war, Mr. Fischer never takes his eye off the main storyline that set the tone for the Delaware Crossing. This storyline covers the New York and New Jersey campaign, which includes the Battle of Long Island and the Battle of Fort Washington before the crossing, and the Battle of Trenton, the Second Battle of Trenton, the Battle of Princeton, followed by the Forage War after the crossing. Mr. Fischer describes the battles leading up to the crossing in detail to give the reader a sense of public opinion and soldier morale at the time. With the plummeting morale among the Rebels, General Washington's desperation for a sweeping victory set the context for the Delaware Crossing and the following battles.
The actual crossing and subsequent march on Trenton is described in awesome detail. Mr. Fischer provides detailed maps showing the crossing points, and describes the numerous setbacks that almost derailed the entire operation. General Washington "watched his men struggling against the storm and ice and wondered if he should call it off." One can only wonder what course the war would have taken if this operation were added onto Washington's growing list of failures. The conditions that night were terrible. His plans fell hours behind schedule, and many of his unit's weapons were rendered wet and useless. To top it all off, a rogue regiment attacked Trenton hours earlier and put the Hessians on alert. What is illustrated as a glorious moment in American history by Emanuel Leutze was, in reality, a night plagued with many problems.
Despite these setbacks, the operation turned out to be a success. The public opinion took an immediate turn. A British resident in Virginia wrote: "The minds of the people are much altered. A few days ago they had given up the cause for lost. Their late successes have turned the scale and now they are all liberty mad again. Their Recruiting parties could not get a man (except he bought him from his master) no longer since than last week, and now the men are coming in by companies." The Commander-in-Chief of the British Army, General William Howe, recognized the importance of public opinion on the war. Mr. Fischer places a lot of emphasis on the country's mood at the time to reflect this.
The victory at Trenton served as a morale booster and led to a series of victories. The book covers the subsequent Second Battle of Trenton and the Battle of Princeton in deep detail. Maps for each battle are included, assisting the reader in creating a visual of the battles. Mr. Fischer writes, "Something fundamental had changed. The thoughts of British commanders were no longer about attacking but being attacked." Such was the impact of the Delaware Crossing on the war.
Mr. Fischer provides appendices at the end of the book with highly interesting information. These include the names of officers on both sides (even to include company-grade officers), strength estimates for the major battles in the campaign, casualty estimates, and even an interesting segment on women in the armies. There's even a day-by-day record of weather in the Delaware Valley, recorded by Phineas Pemberton, which includes weather on the morning of December 26, 1776 to be shown as "33 degrees" and "stormy with much rain." The information in these appendices is a treasure trove of information for history buffs looking to dig into the deep details of the New York and New Jersey campaign.
Finally, I noticed this text is often compared to David McCullough's "1776". Both are masterpieces worth reading, and I would even go so far as to say they complement each other. There is obviously some overlap, but "Washington's Crossing" goes into more details on the battles than "1776". Mr. McCullough briefly mentions the Second Battle of Trenton and the Battle of Princeton (since it's outside the scope of his book, namely, the year 1776), while Mr. Fischer goes into full detail of these two subsequent battles. Furthermore, "1776" details the Siege of Boston, which is absent from "Washington's Crossing." If you intend on reading just one, I would go with "1776" since it has more of a storytelling feel, and it doesn't delve into as much detail on battles that "casual" history-lovers may not put a priority on. But if you're interested in the time period, I highly recommended reading both: "1776" first to familiarize yourself with the campaign, and then "Washington's Crossing" to get another perspective, more detail, and to learn about the subsequent battles at Trenton and Princeton.
Mr. Fischer's book is well-deserving of the Pulitzer Prize for History, and if you've ever wondered why the Delaware Crossing was so monumental in American history, then I can't recommend this book enough.
Top reviews from other countries
Sparrow KellyReviewed in the United Kingdom on March 6, 20235.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding.
Format: PaperbackVerified PurchaseThis is so unputdownable that I read it in two days.
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Dr. Jens P. BeckerReviewed in Germany on September 28, 20095.0 out of 5 stars Merry Christmas
Format: PaperbackVerified PurchaseNein, die deutsche Garnison feierte nicht volltrunken Weihnachten als sie von Washingtons kleiner Armee überrascht wurden. Und der Übergang über den Delaware sah in der Wirklichkeit auch anders aus als auf dem berühmten Bild von Emmanuel Leutze. Der Doyen der amerikanischen Historiker, David Hackett Fischer, hat sich die ersten Siege von Washingtons Armee bei Trenton und Princeton als Thema genommen. Nicht dass dies wirklich bedeutende Schlachten des Unabhängigkeitskrieges gewesen sind, Saratoga wäre das, vielleicht sogar das Gefecht von Cowpens. Aber sie sind, wie der Reihentitel sagt "Pivotal Moments in American History". Sie sind psychologisch von ungeheurer Bedeutung und geben der zusammengewürfelten Armee und ihrem Oberkommandierenden Selbstvertrauen. Fischer hat alle Figuren dieses Dramas aus den Archiven geholt (der 200-seitige Appendix macht diese Leistung deutlich), von General Howe bis zum kleinen hessischen Soldaten, und hat sie zum Leben erweckt. Nicht nur das Militär, auch die Zivilbevölkerung wird vor unseren Augen wieder lebendig. Es gelingt dem Autor, uns das Geschehen so plastisch zu vermitteln, dass wir als Leser das Gefühl bekommen, an der Jahreswende 1776 zu 1777 hier dabeigewesen zu sein. Aber so exzellent das Buch ist, es fehlt ihm das letzte Flair. Barbara Tuchmann schreibt in "The First Salute" aufregender (obgleich ihre Leistung als Historikerin da nicht so groß ist) und auch Christopher Hibbert ist spannender. Das liegt wahrscheinlich daran, dass Fischer kein Militärhistoriker ist. In diesem Fall hätte es ihm nicht geschadet, wenn er etwas weniger in Archiven gewühlt hätte und etwas mehr vom englischen Meister der "military history", John Keegan, gelernt hätte. Und manchmal sind auch bedeutende Historiker betriebsblind. Wenn Fischer von einem Studenten namens Seume in hessischen Diensten berichtet, dann hat man nicht das Gefühl, dass er weiß, wer dieser J.G. Seume wirklich ist. Aber trotz dieser Mäkeleien bleibt es ein 5 Sterne Buch. Und wenn der Leser vielleicht den ganzen wissenschaftlichen Apparat nicht lesen mag, die Teile über das Ereignis in der bildenden Kunst sollte er unbedingt lesen.
P. Hernandez StalderReviewed in Spain on April 3, 20235.0 out of 5 stars Great book on the campaign in the winter
Format: KindleVerified PurchaseThe book explains the battles of Trenton and Princeton and its significance. Well written.
RJ SteenstraReviewed in Canada on June 4, 20185.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Format: HardcoverVerified PurchaseExcellent read. Worth picking up if this time in history is of interest.
Kindle CustomerReviewed in the United Kingdom on October 29, 20195.0 out of 5 stars Good read
Format: KindleVerified PurchaseAs a British national, I’m proud of the empire and her achievements. I was torn between cheering for the British forces and admiring the rebels in this first American civil war. The author does an excellent job in explaining both sides in an equitable manner. I now need to find another book that continues the story ....... even if the good guys lost ;-)










