1776
Battle of Trenton
The setting
Trenton, New Jersey
Town streets along the Delaware River; icy roads, winter storm
Reveal the outcome
Recorded sideHesse-Kassel (Hessian garrison, British service)
Recorded resultRouted; garrison largely captured
American victory
How the atlas explains it
Washington's night crossing of the ice-choked Delaware and a dawn assault in a snowstorm achieved total surprise against a garrison recovering from Christmas; two columns (one under Greene) enveloped the town before the Hessians could form.
What followed
The victory revived the collapsing American cause, re-energized enlistments, and restored faith in Washington after a string of defeats.