Washington's Crossing
by David Hackett Fischer
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Six months after the Declaration of Independence, the American Revolution was all but lost. A powerful British force had routed the Americans at New York, occupied three colonies, and advanced within sight of Philadelphia. 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 show more 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. show lessTags
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kkunker these books compliment each other quite well
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I loved this book. The writing is easy to read and not too dense, unlike some histories. Fischer starts out giving us a good deal of background information that helps us to better understand the events that will follow. Some readers might get bored at this point, but I did not, and I found the information helpful. Fischer describes the make-up of all the armies involved: American, British, and Hessian, as well as their uniforms and weaponry.
Fischer starts the meat of the book with the campaign plans for both sides and the battle in New York. By this time, I am very familiar with that battle, but it's necessary to understand it in order to understand the situation leading to the famous crossing. What I really appreciated was Fischer's show more detailed description of the American army's retreat across New Jersey, because that normally seems to take only a few sentences in most histories, and what happened then has been rather fuzzy to me. Fischer also talks about the behavior of the British in New Jersey. The army took grain and livestock from the farmers to feed their soldiers. But their behavior was extremely boorish, and many took to plundering and even rape, even though this was against the rules the army was supposed to follow. Of course, this inspired groups of civilians to begin to oppose the British occupation, and they began to harass the British. All of this was new to me.
Fischer thoroughly describes Washington's crossing of the Delaware and the attack on Trenton. He debunks the reports that the Hessians were drunk and unprepared. He also tells us about planned simultaneous attacks on a couple of other locations that fell apart. Did you know there was a second battle of Trenton? Fischer gives as full a recounting of that battle as he did the first one. This was apparently a very important encounter during the Revolution, and has mostly been overlooked by history. One participant "always remembered the stand at Assunpink as the critical moment of the war." This is immediately followed by the attack at Princeton, which is given another full account here. I've read about that battle before but again, not in the detail we get here. Fischer concludes with an analysis of what this campaign meant to the Revolution. He asserts that "the battles at Trenton and Princeton and the Forage War were not small symbolic victories, as many historians have regarded them. The winter campaign inflicted severe damage on British and Hessian forces."
Washington's Crossing gives a clear picture of what happened during the initial campaigns of the Revolution. Fischer includes a large number of footnotes, appendices, and an extensive bibliography, evidence of the research that went into the book. There's also a Historiography discussing interpretations of The Crossing from many viewpoints over time. Overall, the book provides excellent coverage of the entire campaign. This is the way history should be written. show less
Fischer starts the meat of the book with the campaign plans for both sides and the battle in New York. By this time, I am very familiar with that battle, but it's necessary to understand it in order to understand the situation leading to the famous crossing. What I really appreciated was Fischer's show more detailed description of the American army's retreat across New Jersey, because that normally seems to take only a few sentences in most histories, and what happened then has been rather fuzzy to me. Fischer also talks about the behavior of the British in New Jersey. The army took grain and livestock from the farmers to feed their soldiers. But their behavior was extremely boorish, and many took to plundering and even rape, even though this was against the rules the army was supposed to follow. Of course, this inspired groups of civilians to begin to oppose the British occupation, and they began to harass the British. All of this was new to me.
Fischer thoroughly describes Washington's crossing of the Delaware and the attack on Trenton. He debunks the reports that the Hessians were drunk and unprepared. He also tells us about planned simultaneous attacks on a couple of other locations that fell apart. Did you know there was a second battle of Trenton? Fischer gives as full a recounting of that battle as he did the first one. This was apparently a very important encounter during the Revolution, and has mostly been overlooked by history. One participant "always remembered the stand at Assunpink as the critical moment of the war." This is immediately followed by the attack at Princeton, which is given another full account here. I've read about that battle before but again, not in the detail we get here. Fischer concludes with an analysis of what this campaign meant to the Revolution. He asserts that "the battles at Trenton and Princeton and the Forage War were not small symbolic victories, as many historians have regarded them. The winter campaign inflicted severe damage on British and Hessian forces."
Washington's Crossing gives a clear picture of what happened during the initial campaigns of the Revolution. Fischer includes a large number of footnotes, appendices, and an extensive bibliography, evidence of the research that went into the book. There's also a Historiography discussing interpretations of The Crossing from many viewpoints over time. Overall, the book provides excellent coverage of the entire campaign. This is the way history should be written. show less
Fischer's skill as a writer made the subject come alive and is the most interesting story of war and battles I've ever read. I truly did not want to put it down, something very rare to say about a non-fiction work. I appreciated Fischer correcting the mythologies we Americans learn in school about the crossing, the battles and the aftermath.
Fischer starts with the painting, so familiar to many Americans, of Washington Crossisng the Delaware. Detractors have mocked Washington standing, virtually, on one leg in the boat, crossing an icy river. The fact is that the type of boat shown in the painting is not the type of boat used for the troops to cross that icy river. The boats used actually had nowhere to sit. Not only was Washington show more standing, so was everyone! On another note, I was interested in the symbolism Fischer identifies in the painting, something of which I was completely unaware.
I was keenly interested in Fischer's delineation of the significant differences in leadership styles of the British and Hessians versus the Americans. Also different was responsibility of commanders of the Europeans that went back to their Heads of State. The American military responsibility went back to a mix of Congress and public opinion, the latter having no real effect on European military leaders. This pattern of the American military being responsible to and ultimately headed by, with agreement of that military, to civilian authority continues today as it was established then.
What I particularly liked was Fischer's ability to engage the reader with a human story. One gets to know the people involved; they aren't just names. As an example he relates a story which I summarize. The battle of Trenton is done, Americans clearly the winners, the Hessians furiously livid, the next battle looming and the Hessian commander orders his troops "Take no prisoners.", an order the soldiers are happy to obey. As he rides along, an American civilian spots a group of Hessian soldiers slightly before they see him. The American turns and gallops away as one of the Hessians takes off after him. But the Hessian war horse is faster than the American horse. Gradually the Hessian gains on the American, closer and closer and getting into firing range. A shot rings out. I have no idea why I put my hands over my eyes as I listened to the audio book. show less
Fischer starts with the painting, so familiar to many Americans, of Washington Crossisng the Delaware. Detractors have mocked Washington standing, virtually, on one leg in the boat, crossing an icy river. The fact is that the type of boat shown in the painting is not the type of boat used for the troops to cross that icy river. The boats used actually had nowhere to sit. Not only was Washington show more standing, so was everyone! On another note, I was interested in the symbolism Fischer identifies in the painting, something of which I was completely unaware.
I was keenly interested in Fischer's delineation of the significant differences in leadership styles of the British and Hessians versus the Americans. Also different was responsibility of commanders of the Europeans that went back to their Heads of State. The American military responsibility went back to a mix of Congress and public opinion, the latter having no real effect on European military leaders. This pattern of the American military being responsible to and ultimately headed by, with agreement of that military, to civilian authority continues today as it was established then.
What I particularly liked was Fischer's ability to engage the reader with a human story. One gets to know the people involved; they aren't just names. As an example he relates a story which I summarize. The battle of Trenton is done, Americans clearly the winners, the Hessians furiously livid, the next battle looming and the Hessian commander orders his troops "Take no prisoners.", an order the soldiers are happy to obey. As he rides along, an American civilian spots a group of Hessian soldiers slightly before they see him. The American turns and gallops away as one of the Hessians takes off after him. But the Hessian war horse is faster than the American horse. Gradually the Hessian gains on the American, closer and closer and getting into firing range. A shot rings out. I have no idea why I put my hands over my eyes as I listened to the audio book. show less
Less than two weeks ago I read David McCullough's 1776, a history of the first year of the Continental Army under George Washington, its mixed success in Boston and disaster in New York City and culminating--after a night crossing of the Delaware River--in their victory in the Battle of Trenton. It was an engaging, well-told story of such suffering and such blunders I left that book amazed the American Revolution, the army and cause survived to triumph. This book covers much of the same territory, with a particular focus on the crossing of the Delaware on Christmas of 1776, the ensuing Battle of Trenton and the Battle of Princeton less than a week later. The Editor's Note claims that: "No single day in history was more decisive for the show more creation of the United States than Christmas 1776. On that night a ragged army of 2,400 colonials crossed the ice-choked Delaware River from Pennsylvania to New York in the teeth of a nor'easter that lashed their boats and bodies with sleet and snow."
Given the overlap in material I thought this book was likely to suffer in comparison. That 1776 would likely make the stronger impression having been read first. McCullough is arguably the more engaging, more concise writer--but not only did Fischer have a different read, emphasis and details, but in the end Washington's Crossing is the stronger, more scholarly book, packed with notes, maps and illustrations. Although you'd have to enjoy not just history but military history. Fischer paints the crucial battles in a much more detailed way than McCullough did, not simply in terms of grand strategy but the more personal tragedies and individual casualties. And if McCullough's book arguably throws George Washington in sharper relief, Fischer is superb in depicting the various armies, their soldiers and officers. Fischer tells you of their training, their discipline, even about their drum calls. The British commanders, the brothers General and Admiral Howe, come across in a more complex, human way--the same is true of the Hessians and their officers. For one, Fischer explained that even in contemporary times, a British officer could say there was no British army--only a collection of "tribes" which is why the British army could never bring off a coup. You understand what that meant when Fischer details the very different customs and cultures of various regiments--the Scottish Highlanders going into battle in their kilts and determined not to let down their kin and clan fighting beside them. The Americans were varied as well. I had known blacks had served in the Revolutionary War--I hadn't known that in at least one Massachusetts regiment they served in integrated units--and that there were black officers, one of whom rose to the rank of colonel. The various folk ways of the different American regions, and the need to wield them together into a unified force that didn't conflict with the revolutionary ideals were a big part of the story.
I really liked 1776, and I'd recommend both books really. And probably 1776 with the more sweeping, less detailed overview is the one to read first. But if I were forced to choose only one book to read or keep on the bookshelf, it would be Washington's Crossing. I'd certainly be interested in reading more of Fischer in the future. show less
Given the overlap in material I thought this book was likely to suffer in comparison. That 1776 would likely make the stronger impression having been read first. McCullough is arguably the more engaging, more concise writer--but not only did Fischer have a different read, emphasis and details, but in the end Washington's Crossing is the stronger, more scholarly book, packed with notes, maps and illustrations. Although you'd have to enjoy not just history but military history. Fischer paints the crucial battles in a much more detailed way than McCullough did, not simply in terms of grand strategy but the more personal tragedies and individual casualties. And if McCullough's book arguably throws George Washington in sharper relief, Fischer is superb in depicting the various armies, their soldiers and officers. Fischer tells you of their training, their discipline, even about their drum calls. The British commanders, the brothers General and Admiral Howe, come across in a more complex, human way--the same is true of the Hessians and their officers. For one, Fischer explained that even in contemporary times, a British officer could say there was no British army--only a collection of "tribes" which is why the British army could never bring off a coup. You understand what that meant when Fischer details the very different customs and cultures of various regiments--the Scottish Highlanders going into battle in their kilts and determined not to let down their kin and clan fighting beside them. The Americans were varied as well. I had known blacks had served in the Revolutionary War--I hadn't known that in at least one Massachusetts regiment they served in integrated units--and that there were black officers, one of whom rose to the rank of colonel. The various folk ways of the different American regions, and the need to wield them together into a unified force that didn't conflict with the revolutionary ideals were a big part of the story.
I really liked 1776, and I'd recommend both books really. And probably 1776 with the more sweeping, less detailed overview is the one to read first. But if I were forced to choose only one book to read or keep on the bookshelf, it would be Washington's Crossing. I'd certainly be interested in reading more of Fischer in the future. show less
nonfiction (history--Revolutionary War). Great narrative reading. I still have trouble absorbing all of the battle/tactical information, but it is getting easier, and DHF does a nice job with incorporating the humanity of the soldiers and officers through inclusion of their personal letters and writings--I especially remember and appreciate the intro (about the famous painting and its history, as well as how it may or may not be inaccurate) or the concluding chapter.
I just finished reading Washington's Crossing by David Hackett Fischer. This book was definitely worthwhile. I am giving it "Five Stars." I confess to reading it fast, slower than a skim but much faster than I usually read a book. The reason is that much of the material concerning the famous crossing of the Delaware that stormy Christmas night and the surprise attack on the British and the Hessians at Trentown (now Trenton, New Jersey) was described in detail in Washington: A Life by Ron Chernow and 1776 by David McCullough, which I previously read.
A major distinction is that Chernow and McCullough are primarily writers, whereas Fischer is primarily a professor.
Fischer posits convincingly that the revival of the Revolution, almost show more sundered in the loss of New York City during the summer and fall of 1776 started before the Crossing of the Delaware and the Battle of Trenton, and that revival made those victories possible. A brief excerpt from what I think was the most stirring chapter, "The Great Revival":
That view of the best of America being brought forth by crisis is true to this day.
Another focus of Washington's Crossing is in part on the uniquely American system that Washington and Continental Congress helped pioneer of placing elected representatives in overall charge, but delegating to experts a major amount of discretion in how they discharge their duties. Washington was given overall charge of the conduct of the Revolutionary War, for example. Fischer takes this analogy further, to having boards of directors of corporation selecting operating officers, and Boards of Education selecting superintendents operating independently but under supervision.
He also retells the thrilling stories of Washington's flexible and then-unique war strategy of avoiding pitched battles, but making the British and Hessians die the proverbial "death of a thousand cuts" though he does not use that phrase.
One quibble; I was constantly looking up words. One was "celerity" which turns out to mean "rapidity of motion." Another was "anabasis" which means "a military advance." And another jarring reference was his reference to "the Jamestown and Sagadahoc Colonies of 1607." The latter was a short-lived colony in Maine. This book may be more for history buffs, but it makes great reading. show less
A major distinction is that Chernow and McCullough are primarily writers, whereas Fischer is primarily a professor.
Fischer posits convincingly that the revival of the Revolution, almost show more sundered in the loss of New York City during the summer and fall of 1776 started before the Crossing of the Delaware and the Battle of Trenton, and that revival made those victories possible. A brief excerpt from what I think was the most stirring chapter, "The Great Revival":
There is an old American folk tale about George Washington and the Crossing of the Delaware. It tells us that the new American republics nearly failed in the winter of 1776, that George Washington crossed the Delaware on Christmas night, and that his victory at 1renton revived the Revolution. All of this story is true, but it is not the whole truth. There was more to it. The great revival did not follow the battles of Trenton and Princeton, important as they were. It preceded them, and made those events possible (though not inevitable).
*****
This great revival grew from defeat, not from victory. The awakening was a response to a disaster. Doctor Benjamin Rush, who had a major role in the event, believed that this was the way a free republic would always work, and the American republic in particular. He thought it was a national habit of the American people (maybe all free people) not to deal with a difficult problem until it was nearly impossible.
That view of the best of America being brought forth by crisis is true to this day.
Another focus of Washington's Crossing is in part on the uniquely American system that Washington and Continental Congress helped pioneer of placing elected representatives in overall charge, but delegating to experts a major amount of discretion in how they discharge their duties. Washington was given overall charge of the conduct of the Revolutionary War, for example. Fischer takes this analogy further, to having boards of directors of corporation selecting operating officers, and Boards of Education selecting superintendents operating independently but under supervision.
He also retells the thrilling stories of Washington's flexible and then-unique war strategy of avoiding pitched battles, but making the British and Hessians die the proverbial "death of a thousand cuts" though he does not use that phrase.
One quibble; I was constantly looking up words. One was "celerity" which turns out to mean "rapidity of motion." Another was "anabasis" which means "a military advance." And another jarring reference was his reference to "the Jamestown and Sagadahoc Colonies of 1607." The latter was a short-lived colony in Maine. This book may be more for history buffs, but it makes great reading. show less
Washington's Crossing focuses in on what the author believes is the key turning point in the Revolutionary War. We start in 1776, after Lexington & Concord, and follow the fate of the Continental Army as they are routed in New York, retreat through New Jersey in the Fall, and escape across the Delaware to Pennsylvania. At this point, things look bleak for the rebels, and Washington has to find a way to take the initiative. So he orders a daring Christmas night re-crossing of the Delaware and surprise of the Hessian garrison in Trenton. Then we're taken through the next week, including more Delaware crossings and the Battle of Princeton.
The Americans were undermanned and undertrained, but had some advantages too- a committed citizenry, show more New Jersey residents angry about British military rule, and the vast spaces of American, impossible to fully garrison, along with some lucky breaks with the weather. But fundamentally, George Washington was a highly effective leader and an excellent military strategist and tactician, who knew how to spot an opportunity and seize it.
Good history, well written, and fun. show less
The Americans were undermanned and undertrained, but had some advantages too- a committed citizenry, show more New Jersey residents angry about British military rule, and the vast spaces of American, impossible to fully garrison, along with some lucky breaks with the weather. But fundamentally, George Washington was a highly effective leader and an excellent military strategist and tactician, who knew how to spot an opportunity and seize it.
Good history, well written, and fun. show less
Military history of the key early portions of the American War of Independence, emphasizing both generalship and reliance on groups of soldiers. Fischer gives biographies of the key men (and a couple of women) in what was essentially, from both sides’ perspectives, a civil war, and concentrates on what began as a very bad year for the rebels, with constant losses, and ended with momentum on the American side after key New Jersey battles. One thing that stood out was that some things haven’t changed at all: if you rape/plunder/kill the locals, you lose their support; small unorganized forces can inflict disproportionate damage on even well-trained organized troops far from home.
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Fischer has devised a storytelling technique that combines old and new methods in a winning way.
added by readysetgo
At the core of an impeccably researched, brilliantly executed military history is an analysis of George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River in December 1776 and the resulting destruction of the Hessian garrison of Trenton and defeat of a British brigade at Princeton.
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Author Information
15+ Works 8,880 Members
David Hackett Fischer is University Professor and Warren Professor of History at Brandeis University in Massachusetts. He is the author of numerous books, including Washington's Crossing, which won the Pulitzer Prize in history.
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Washington's Crossing
- Original title
- Washington's Crossing
- Original publication date
- 2004
- People/Characters
- George Washington
- Important places
- Trenton, New Jersey, USA; Princeton, New Jersey, USA
- Important events
- American Revolution (1775 | 1783); New York and New Jersey Campaign (1776 | 1777); Battle of Trenton (1776-12-26); Battle of Princeton (1777)
- Dedication
- For Anne, with love
- Original language
- English
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Statistics
- Members
- 2,030
- Popularity
- 10,287
- Reviews
- 26
- Rating
- (4.35)
- Languages
- English, Serbian
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 19
- UPCs
- 2
- ASINs
- 13