Bucha, Ukraine - 27 Feb 2022 - 15mm
The Battle of Trenton – 20mm Miniature Wargame – The Christmas Miracle of 1776
Today we’re running a 20mm miniature wargame depicting the main action at the Battle of Trenton, fought during the American Revolution on 26 December 1776. A desperate surprise attack against a fortified brigade of German soldiers in the employ of the British Crown, this was the absolute last throw of the dice for an American Continental Army on the brink of disintegration.
Crossing the half-frozen Delaware River in the dead of Christmas night, the Americans marched against the Germans and assaulted Trenton in one of the most fateful moments of the war.
Failure here would have meant the end of the Continental Army, almost certainly the Revolution, and probably any prospect of a “United States” for at least another hundred years.
Sunday, 2PM ET / 7PM UK
Historical landmarks on the table include the Presbyterian Church, St. Michael’s Evangelical Chruch, Pott’s House (Colonel Johann Rall’s HQ), Petty’s Run (creek), the Stone Barracks, and Abraham Hunt’s House.
Patriot units include:
- Knox’s Artillery
- Fermoy’s Brigade (Greene’s Division)
- Sterling’s Brigade (Greene’s Division)
- Mercer’s Brigade (Greene’s Division)
- Glover’s Brigade (Sullivan’s Division)
- St. Claire’s Brigade (Sullivan’s Division)
- Command Group with General Washington, Colonel Fitzgerald, and Captain Alexander Hamilton.
Crown German (“Hessian”) units include:
- Rall’s Grenadier Regiment
- Knyphausen Regiment
- Lossberg Regiment
- Jaegers
Overall look at the table, viewed from the battlefield's northeast.
Knox's Artillery, with Washington's command group just behind. Stationed on the high ground north of town, these guns fired right down the throat of King's Street (including Pott's House, Rall's HQ) and Queen's Street.
Fermoy's brigade (including 1st Pennsylvania Rifles and Patriot Continental German Regiments) close in from the northeast, outflanking the Hessian right wing as they struggle to come together into some kind of formation.
Steven's Brigade, Greene's Division, pushing down between King and Queen Street.
Hessian reinforcements rally through the Trenton streets, passing the Presbyterian Church behind them.
Speaking of the Presbyterian Church, here she is, complete with cemetery (where Johann Rall will historically be buried).
Nathaniel Greene's Division, including Stephen's, Mercer's, and Sterling's Brigades, are forming up along Petty's Run to engage Rall's Grenadiers and the fusiliers of the Lossberg Regiment.
Washington's Command Group, including Colonel Fitzgerald and Captain Alexander Washington
Hessians of the Knyphausen Fusiliers (including a detachment of Jaeger riflemen) mobilize to support the Hessian right.
Sullivan's Division - including Glover's Brigade, St.Claire's Brigade, Sergeant's Brigade (off table), cross Petty's Creek behind the Pott House (Rall's HQ) and engages the Hessians as they try to form up out of the stone barracks.
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