The night of December 25th, 1776, was bitter cold along the Delaware River. Ice floes crashed against the hulls of Durham boats as 2,400 desperate men prepared for what would become the most audacious gamble of the American Revolution. General George Washington stood at the precipice of not just military defeat, but the complete collapse of the cause for independence. His army was literally dying, not from British musket balls, but from the slow hemorrhage of desertion, disease, and despair that had followed them across New Jersey like a shadow.
Six months earlier, the Declaration of Independence had proclaimed a new nation. Now that nation existed only on paper and in the fading hope of the ragged men huddled against the freezing wind. Enlistments would expire on December 31st. Without a victory, without proof that the Continental Army could stand against professional soldiers, the Revolution would dissolve before the new year dawned. Washington understood this with brutal clarity. His plan was simple in concept but desperate in execution: attack the Hessian garrison at Trenton when no one would expect it. Attack on Christmas night. Attack when conventional military wisdom said armies went into winter quarters. Attack because there was no other choice.
The password that night was "Victory or Death." It was not melodrama, it was the stark truth of their situation.
This pivotal moment in American history, when everything hung by the thinnest of threads, now comes alive on your tabletop. The Christmas battle that saved the Revolution offers wargamers one of history's most dramatic scenarios: desperate underdogs launching a surprise attack against professional soldiers, with weather, timing, and sheer audacity playing as crucial a role as muskets and bayonets. Whether you're a history enthusiast looking to explore this turning point or a wargamer seeking an exciting scenario for your holiday gaming sessions, WoFun's American Revolution - PD collection brings you battle-ready armies illustrated by renowned historical artist Peter Dennis. These aren't just miniatures, they're the men who crossed the Delaware, the Hessians who defended Trenton, and the officers who commanded them, all ready to march onto your gaming table without a single brush stroke required.
Let's step into that frozen Christmas night and discover how Washington turned certain defeat into America's first real victory.
THE STRATEGIC SITUATION: Winter of Desperation
The summer of 1776 had belonged to words and ideals. In Philadelphia, the Continental Congress declared independence with eloquent phrases about self-evident truths and unalienable rights. But by December, the Revolution had become a test not of rhetoric but of endurance, and the Continental Army was failing that test catastrophically.
The cascade of disasters had begun in August. Washington's army was routed at the Battle of Long Island, barely escaping across the East River under cover of fog and night. Fort Washington fell in November with nearly 3,000 prisoners taken. Fort Lee was abandoned in panic. The Continental Army retreated across New Jersey in what became known as "the dark days", a fighting withdrawal that left a trail of stragglers, deserters, and abandoned equipment. Thomas Paine, marching with the army, would write his famous pamphlet "The Crisis" by campfire light: "These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country..."
By mid-December, Washington's force had dwindled to perhaps 6,000 men fit for duty, and even that number would evaporate when enlistments expired on December 31st. The American Continental Infantry regiments that formed the backbone of his army were skeleton crews of their authorized strength, their blue coats (when they had coats at all) faded and torn. These Continental regulars represented Washington's most reliable troops, but their ranks were dangerously thin. Supporting them were various American Militia units, farmers and tradesmen whose terms of service were measured in weeks, not years, and whose discipline varied wildly from competent to catastrophic.
Washington did have some advantages, however slim. His American Riflemen were invaluable as scouts and skirmishers, their long rifles far more accurate than standard muskets, making them perfect for reconnaissance around Trenton. Henry Knox's American and Allied Artillery had somehow managed to drag their guns across New Jersey intact, and these cannons would prove crucial in any assault on a fortified position. The American and British Mounted Officers provided essential command and control, though in truth, Washington's staff officers spent more time coordinating desperate retreats than cavalry charges.
Across the Delaware River at Trenton sat the tempting target that would change everything: a Hessian garrison of approximately 1,500 men under Colonel Johann Rall. These weren't British regulars but German professional soldiers hired by King George III, and they were formidable. The Hessian Infantry (Von Trumbach Regiment) represented the core of Rall's force, disciplined professionals who drilled daily and maintained their equipment with Prussian precision. Even more intimidating were the Hessian Grenadiers, elite shock troops selected for their size, courage, and combat experience, wearing their distinctive tall brass-fronted caps that made them appear even more imposing. Supporting these infantry were efficient British and Hessian Artillery crews whose gun drill was measured in seconds, not minutes.
Rall had been warned about potential American attacks. Local Loyalists reported rebel movements. Hessian British and Hessian Light Infantry patrols skirmished with American scouts almost daily. But Rall was supremely confident, perhaps overconfident. These "country clowns" (as he reportedly called the Americans) had been running for months. They wouldn't dare attack professional soldiers in a fortified position. Certainly not during Christmas celebrations. Certainly not in a nor'easter.
Washington was counting on exactly that assumption.
THE CROSSING: Christmas Night 1776
Washington's plan was admirably simple in concept, brutally complex in execution. Three separate columns would cross the Delaware River at different points and converge on Trenton from multiple directions, surrounding the Hessian garrison before they could react. The main force of 2,400 men under Washington's personal command would cross at McKonkey's Ferry, nine miles north of Trenton. Colonel John Cadwalader would cross further south with 1,800 men to block Hessian reinforcements from Bordentown. General James Ewing would take 700 militia directly across from Trenton to seal off the southern escape routes.
It was the kind of coordinated multi-column attack that professional armies struggled to execute in daylight with perfect conditions. Washington proposed to do it at night, in winter, in a storm, with an army held together by little more than desperation and willpower.
The crossing was supposed to begin at sunset on December 25th, with all forces across by midnight. This would give them several hours of darkness to march the nine miles to Trenton and attack at dawn. But the moment the first Durham boats pushed off from the Pennsylvania shore, nothing went according to plan. The nor'easter that had been building all day intensified into a full winter gale. Snow mixed with sleet drove horizontally into the faces of the men manning the oars. The Delaware River, normally sluggish in winter, churned with ice floes that crashed against the boats' hulls with sounds like musket fire.
Colonel John Glover's Marblehead mariners, fishermen and sailors from Massachusetts, performed miracles that night. Their boats, designed for hauling iron ore, were stable platforms even in these conditions, but loading horses and Henry Knox's eighteen artillery pieces in darkness while ice accumulated on every surface tested even their considerable skills. Men slipped on ice-coated gunwales and fell into water cold enough to kill in minutes. Horses panicked and had to be blindfolded. The artillery pieces, each weighing hundreds of pounds, had to be manhandled across gangplanks slick with ice.
By midnight, the deadline for completing the crossing, barely half the force was across. Washington paced the Pennsylvania shore, his famous composure tested to its limits. His American Continental Infantry Red Facings regiments were still waiting to board, stamping their feet in a futile attempt to maintain circulation in limbs going numb from cold. Officers wrapped rags around their men's feet; many soldiers had no shoes at all, leaving bloody footprints in the snow. The password for the night was "Victory or Death," and in the howling darkness, death seemed the more likely outcome.
It wasn't until 3 AM, three hours behind schedule, that the last boat touched the New Jersey shore. Washington now faced an agonizing decision: call off the attack, or proceed knowing they would arrive at Trenton in daylight rather than the protective darkness he'd counted on. Daylight meant the Hessian sentries would see them coming. It meant no surprise. It meant walking into prepared defenses against professional soldiers.
Washington consulted his officers briefly, then gave the order to march. They had crossed the Delaware, literally the Rubicon of the American Revolution. There was no turning back now, whatever awaited them at Trenton.
Behind them, at the other crossing points, the two supporting columns had failed completely. Ewing's militia, intimidated by the ice-choked river, never crossed at all. Cadwalader managed to get his men across but couldn't land his artillery and retreated back to Pennsylvania. Washington's 2,400 men would attack Trenton alone, unsupported, in daylight.
Every military principle said to turn back. Washington ordered the advance to continue.
For wargamers recreating this scenario, the crossing itself offers fascinating possibilities beyond the main battle. Weather effects, command and control challenges, and the element of chance all played crucial roles. A scenario focusing just on the crossing, Will the army get across in time? Will the Hessians detect the movement?, creates tension before a shot is even fired. The historical outcome hung on variables no general could control: weather, river conditions, and the sheer determination of frozen men pushing themselves beyond normal human endurance. Your tabletop can capture that desperate race against time, ice, and the coming dawn.
THE BATTLE OF TRENTON: December 26, 1776
The American columns arrived at Trenton's outskirts around 8 AM, nearly four hours later than planned, with full daylight exposing their approach. Washington split his force into two divisions: General John Sullivan would attack from the south along River Road, while General Nathanael Greene's division (with Washington accompanying) would strike from the north along Pennington Road. The plan was to converge on the town center, trapping the Hessians between them.
The first shots came from Hessian pickets on the outskirts, who fired and ran. Their warnings reached Colonel Rall, who was reportedly nursing a Christmas hangover. He'd been up late the night before, ignoring repeated warnings about American movements. Now those ragged rebels were inside his perimeter in force.
Sullivan's southern column pushed forward with grim determination. American Infantry Brown Coats Red Facings regiments advanced street by street, their officers keeping them moving despite numbed fingers that could barely pull triggers. Knox's artillery unlimbered at King and Queen Streets, the intersection commanding Trenton's heart, and began methodical fire that proved devastating. The Hessians' own artillery crews attempted to respond, but American riflemen picked off gunners before they could effectively serve their pieces.
From the north, Greene's division swept into town like a winter storm. Washington personally directed units through the snow-covered streets, his presence steadying men who had barely slept or eaten in days. American Light Dragoons moved to secure escape routes, cutting off Hessian attempts to retreat toward Princeton or Bordentown.
Rall attempted to organize a counterattack, personally leading his grenadiers in a desperate charge to retake the artillery position at King Street. It was brave but futile, American numbers and positioned artillery proved overwhelming. Rall took a mortal wound and his regiment's discipline collapsed. Some Hessians attempted to fight their way out toward Assunpink Creek, but Sullivan's troops blocked that route. Others barricaded themselves in buildings, continuing a stubborn house-to-house defense until officers emerged with white flags.
By 9:30 AM, barely ninety minutes after the first shots, it was over. Nearly 900 Hessian soldiers surrendered, their regimental colors captured, their legendary reputation shattered. The Casualties told the remarkable story: 22 Hessians killed, 98 wounded. American losses? Two frozen to death on the march, five wounded. Not a single American soldier died in combat.
Washington had his victory. More importantly, America had proof that Continental soldiers could defeat professional European troops. The Revolution, which had seemed dead just 24 hours earlier, suddenly had a pulse again.
AFTERMATH & PRINCETON: The Ten Crucial Days
Washington didn't rest on his laurels. The victory at Trenton was magnificent, but strategically it accomplished nothing if he simply retreated back across the Delaware with his prisoners. The British would regroup, and the strategic situation would return to the pre-Christmas status quo. Washington needed to press his advantage while the enemy was still reeling.
On December 30th, he made a fateful decision: he would cross back into New Jersey and challenge the British again. He appealed directly to his men whose enlistments were expiring. Stand with me for six more weeks, he asked, and we can drive the British from New Jersey entirely. Enough men agreed, barely, to give him a fighting force.
By January 2nd, 1777, Washington's army occupied Trenton again, now facing a British relief force of 8,000 men under Lord Cornwallis advancing from Princeton. The British commander was supremely confident: he had Washington pinned against the Delaware River with overwhelming numbers. "We've got the old fox in a trap," Cornwallis reportedly said, "we'll bag him in the morning."
But the old fox had one more trick. That night, leaving campfires burning and men making noise with picks and shovels to suggest entrenchment, Washington slipped his entire army around Cornwallis's left flank on a little-used road. By dawn on January 3rd, he was attacking the British rear guard at Princeton.
The battle was sharp and confused. Early British Infantry units, caught completely by surprise, initially drove back American militia in a fierce bayonet charge. Early British Grenadiers formed disciplined lines and delivered controlled volleys that stopped the first American advance cold. For a moment, it seemed Washington's gamble would fail disastrously.
Then Washington himself rode forward, rallying his troops within thirty yards of British muskets. It was the kind of reckless personal courage that would have gotten him killed had luck not been with him. The Americans steadied, supported by Early British Infantry Blue Facings who found themselves fighting their own countrymen in the confused melee. The British line broke and retreated toward New Brunswick.
Washington had won again. In ten crucial days, from December 25th to January 3rd, he had transformed the war. The British abandoned most of New Jersey. European powers began to take American independence seriously as a possibility rather than a fantasy. Most importantly, the Continental Army survived to fight another day.
BRING THE DELAWARE CAMPAIGN TO YOUR TABLE
Gaming Scenarios & Force Organization
The Delaware crossing and Trenton battle offer wargamers exceptional scenario variety. The classic engagement is the assault on Trenton itself, a combined arms attack with infantry, artillery, and cavalry converging on a surprised garrison. The scenario naturally favors the Americans with surprise and numbers, but skilled players controlling the Hessians can create desperate last stands at key intersections or fighting withdrawals toward Assunpink Creek.
For more advanced gaming, consider "The Ten Crucial Days" campaign system linking Trenton to Princeton. Players command the same forces across multiple battles, with casualties, fatigue, and ammunition carrying over. Washington's night march around Cornwallis becomes a strategic mini-game of deception versus detection. Will the British player realize his opponent has slipped away before dawn reveals empty American positions?
Special rules add historical flavor: weather effects for the nor'easter, surprise mechanics giving Americans first move advantage, morale checks for the Hessians' Christmas revelries affecting their initial response time. The Americans' frozen muskets (many wouldn't fire after the river crossing) can be modeled with ammunition reliability rules. Terrain is crucial, Trenton's narrow streets channeled the fighting and prevented the Hessians from using their superior drill to advantage.
Building Your Forces: Starter Packs for Immediate Action
For wargamers new to the American Revolution or those wanting a ready-to-play Trenton scenario, the 18mm American War of Independence Starter Pack delivers 427 battle-ready figures including Continental regulars, militia, riflemen, British infantry, Hessians, artillery, and mounted commanders, everything needed to recreate Washington's Christmas gamble straight out of the box.
The starter pack's force composition mirrors the historical armies remarkably well: two Continental infantry regiments and two militia regiments for the American main force, supported by skirmishing riflemen and Knox's artillery train. The British/Hessian side fields four infantry regiments, skirmishers, two artillery batteries, and mounted officers. Both armies include generals to command them, creating balanced forces perfect for the Trenton scenario.
Players preferring larger-scale miniatures can choose the 28mm American War of Independence Starter Pack, which provides the same 427-figure force composition in impressive 28mm scale for more detailed tabletop battles. The larger figures showcase Peter Dennis's artwork beautifully and work perfectly for skirmish-level games or display purposes. Both scales include Andy Callan's free wargaming rules, basic rules for quick games and advanced rules for experienced players seeking tactical depth.
The Complete Campaign: Full Army Collections
Serious collectors and campaign gamers will want the comprehensive 18mm American War of Independence Full Pack, containing 1,507 figures across 18 plexiglass sprues, encompassing every regiment in the Peter Dennis collection including multiple Continental infantry variants, French allies, Highland troops, Loyalist forces, light dragoons, and complete artillery trains.
This complete collection lets you game the entire war from Lexington to Yorktown. The Continental army includes regiments with different facing colors (red, blue, yellow, green), representing various state regiments and allowing historically accurate orders of battle. Brown-coated variants represent the diverse clothing reality of 1776-1777 before standardized uniforms. French line infantry in Bourbonnais white and alternate pink facings brings the crucial 1780-1781 campaigns to life.
The British forces are equally comprehensive: early war infantry and grenadiers for Bunker Hill and Long Island, standard infantry for the middle war years, Highland regiments for their distinctive role in multiple campaigns, and Loyalist American units representing the civil war dimension. The Hessian contingent includes both line infantry and elite grenadiers that fought at Trenton, Long Island, and Brandywine.
For the ultimate gaming experience, the premium 28mm American War of Independence Full Pack scales up to 35 plexiglass sprues with the same complete 1,507-figure collection in impressive 28mm scale, perfect for players who want maximum detail and visual impact on their gaming tables.
Both full packs deliver extraordinary value and variety, enough forces for multiple simultaneous games, large-scale battles like Brandywine or Monmouth, or years of campaign gaming following armies through the entire eight-year struggle for independence.