Of course I’m talking about one of the major events of the American Revolutionary War which took place on Christmas night … December 25, 1776 … when General George Washington and his patriot troops crossed the icy Delaware River in boats to travel a few miles downstream on the New Jersey side to launch a surprise attack on the British – then known as the Hessians – quartered at Trenton. This George Washington Christmas 1776, of course, took place barely six months after our founding fathers had signed the Declaration of Independence, declaring the United States to be a free and independent nation and no longer a colony of Great Britain … setting off this war being fought by thousands of brave patriots.
George Washington Christmas 1776 and Today
If American history was being taught when you were in school and you were awake, you likely know all of this. However, what you may not know is that every Christmas day, beginning back in the 1950’s, more than 300 men gather to carry out a re-enactment of George Washington’s historic crossing of the Delaware at a location in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, which is aptly named Washington’s Crossing. And, it’s an event which attracts hundreds of onlookers each year.
If you’ve read my ABOUT page, you’ll know that this area is where I grew up, and this beautiful, historic area remains close to my heart.
All of this is to set the stage and lead up to the reason I’ve writing about this event. Nineteen years ago, in 1998, what was occurring on the Delaware River in this rather rocky, shallow section north of Trenton was of growing concern as to how it would impact the Christmas day crossing re-enactment––due to lack of rainfall to the north, the Delaware was much more shallow than normal, so much so that there was great concern as to there being sufficient water for the loaded boats to float.
Beginning back in late November, nearly every day the great local daily newspaper, the Intelligencer, carried a story on the subject and what were the options. One option offered was that the re-enactors might have to use the bridge which crosses from Pennsylvania to New Jersey just I few hundred feet south of where it’s believed the original crossing took place. Of course, the bridge had not even been thought of in Revolutionary days … it’d be nearly 60 years before a bridge spanned this section of the Delaware River. That was in 1834, when a wooden bridge opened, to be replaced in the early 1900’s by a steel truss bridge … the one still in use today.
It wasn’t long before a dozen of these articles had appeared, discussing the potential for the water level’s rise and how to handle the matter of logistics if it didn’t … as the final decision on how to cross the Delaware would not be made until hours before the re-enactment would begin. So, considering that the Intelligencer had a great Letters to the Editor section, Marlin decided he should weigh in on the matter and at least offer an option on how to notify everyone about which route would be taken … and they printed it!
By the way, at the very last moment in 1998, the Delaware River waters deepened just enough for the boats to safely cross.
Here in 2017, 241 years after the George Washington Christmas 1776, (specifically December 25, 1776 that is) crossing of the Delaware by General George Washington and his troops to surprise the British at Trenton, there’ll again be a gathering at river side at midday on Christmas Day by those who will either take part or view the re-enactment of this historic event. At last report, the river is deep enough for the boats to safely cross!
Main Image Acknowledgement:
George Washington, played by John Godzieba, standing center, holds onto his hat as he and his troops land in Titusville, N.J., after crossing the Delaware River during the 62nd annual reenactment of George Washington Christmas 1776 daring crossing of the river – the trek that turned the tide of the Revolutionary War – Thursday, Dec. 25, 2014, in Washington Crossing, Pa. (AP Photo/Mel Evans). See original article at: The Washington Times
Most interesting. Didn’t know it was only re-enacted since the 1950’s. The crossing on Christmas Day was mentioned on WCBS newsradio this morning, Dec 24th.