George Washington’s Surprise Attack: A New Look at the Battle That Decided the Fate of America

The image of George Washington standing on his boat’s prow, directing his troops across an icy Delaware River, burns in the American historical consciousness, as on that snowy night in December he led his troops into a decisive battle with the Hessians encamped near Trenton, N.J. But in this repetitious book, historian Tucker (Exodus from the Alamo) pulls back the shroud of legend surrounding the battle of Trenton, revealing the details of this turning point of the American Revolution. Drawing on tactical military history, Tucker points out that Washington led his legion of rustic farmers and rag-tag revolutionaries to victory by using double envelopment—a strategy that Hannibal used in 216 BCE—as well as one of the most important lessons of Indian warfare: the surprise, lighting strike attack. Contrary to longstanding theories that Washington won because of the incompetence of Hessian leader Col. Johann Gottlieb Rall, Tucker validates Rall’s tenacity and deep military leadership. He also gives credit to unsung heroes in Washington’s army—like Cpt. Daniel Neil and Pvt. William McCarty—who helped secure victory. Unfortunately, Tucker overshadows his argument by tiresomely proclaiming the “miracle” of this “improbable victory,” and hedging his descriptions of its consequences. (Mar.)