Non-fictional account of General Washington's crossing and recrossing of the Delaware River in 1776. Disspells several myths concerning the battle of Trenton during which the American forces routed and captured the German garrison.
While a better account of the battle than most Americans are aware of---many other accounts have the Hessians drunk---it is still not the best. A much better account is on the Battle of Trenton Wikipedia page. But that is still not the best either. The Hessians knew the Colonial rebels were coming, and several alerts got all of them out of bed and into the streets during the night. By the end of the night they were worn out. It was Fortune's boon Washington's plan to attack at dawn, as the Hessians expected, didn't occur. This let the Hessians to go back to bed again.
I was also surprised to see Howard Fast didn't mention the Battle of Harlem Heights in the beginning of the book. This was Washington's first victory of the war. Perhaps he was turning novelist again and setting a tone of defeat to make the Battle of Trenton look even more impressive than it is.
And while the Wikipedia page shows the famous painting of "Washington Crossing the Delaware," it doesn't list all the historical mistakes in the painting, while Howard Fast does.
I was also surprised to see Howard Fast didn't mention the Battle of Harlem Heights in the beginning of the book. This was Washington's first victory of the war. Perhaps he was turning novelist again and setting a tone of defeat to make the Battle of Trenton look even more impressive than it is.
And while the Wikipedia page shows the famous painting of "Washington Crossing the Delaware," it doesn't list all the historical mistakes in the painting, while Howard Fast does.
