On the night of December 25, 1776, George Washington crossed the freezing Delaware River to attack German mercenaries, allies of the British that were stationed in Trenton.

McKonkey's Ferry is where General George Washington and 2,400 of his troops crossed the river. Then they marched nine miles in the early morning hours to reach Trenton at eight o'clock.

The American troops surprised the Hessian mercenary soldiers in an early morning raid and the Americans captured nearly 1000 men. There were no American casualties.

This victory was the turning point in the war of independence for the Americans. The majority of soldiers' enlistments in the army were up at the end of the year and the soldiers would be returning home. This victory gave them new hope and the encouragement they needed to continue the fight for freedom.