Answer:
Washington surprised the Hessians on Christmas Eve while they were celebrating.
Explanation:
In order to raise morale and ensure the influx of new militia contingents after a series of defeats in 1776, it was necessary for the American armies to win a victory as soon as possible. General Washington decided to attack the weak British garrison in Trenton, the capital of New Jersey (about 1,200 Hessians). Most of his forces crossed at dawn on December 26, 1776, to the left bank of the Delaware River and, deployed in two columns, began the attack on Trenton. The surprised British garrison surrendered after an hour-long battle. The action near Trenton achieved its goal: the militia of New Jersey and Pennsylvania joined a larger number of Washington forces. This soon enabled, on January 3, 1777, a new victory for Washington at Princeton.
