Thursday, April 28 (8:00am-5:00pm)
Leaving from the Dolce Hotel, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania
Led by Bill Welsch and Bruce Venter
Registration Fee: $145.00
Less than an hour from Valley Forge was the scene of George Washington’s stunning victory over the British army’s garrison of feared Hessians at Trenton, New Jersey. It was here that a ragged, sleet-soaked Continental army crossed the ice-packed Delaware River on Christmas night 1776 to attack unprepared German hirelings under Colonel Johann Rall. Washington’s complete victory at Trenton is considered by some historians to be a more significant turning point in the Revolutionary War than even Saratoga. Washington’s steadfast determination to lead his troops to victory stabilized sagging Patriot morale at a time when the American cause was at its nadir.
This full-day tour will cover the battle of Trenton in-depth. Our first stop will be the Washington Crossing State Park in New Jersey. The Visitors Center houses the famous Swan Historical Foundation Collection of nearly 900 Revolutionary War era items, including muskets, side arms, swords, clothing, maps, etc. We have invited Mr. Harry Kels Swan, who frequently visits his collection, to be at the Visitors Center for our tour. Our next stop will be the Johnson Ferry House and the site where Washington’s troops actually crossed the river and marched up a road bed that is still visible today. We will also cross the river (by bridge, not boat) to see Pennsylvania’s display of Durham boats. Our tour will include a sit-down lunch at a local restaurant. After lunch we will visit the Trenton Battle Monument and tour the Old Barracks in downtown Trenton. The Old Barracks, built by the British during the French and Indian War, where Rall housed some of his Hessians, has been fully restored and includes a gallery of Colonial and Revolutionary War artifacts and militaria. Then we’re off to Five Mile Run where British Major General Charles Lord Cornwallis launched his counterattack against Washington on January 2, 1777. Next we will visit the Assunpink Creek site that was important to both battles of Trenton. We’ll see the Douglas House where Washington met with his generals during the Trenton actions. We’ll finish the day at the site marking the start of the Continentals’ march to Princeton and complete the story of these two famous battles.
