DNF because I don't give a single fuck about how disciplined the British troops were especially when this historian used Rawdon's quote about SA against local colonial women and their "most entertaining" daily court-martials to fucking express how often they were being reprimanded by the British military. A horrific quote that I won't include here that the historian breezes past just to further talk about military discipline. That's not a good enough reason to use that quote. No you can't breeze past horrors of war like that without even the briefest of further context or literally anything but praising the British army's discipline. This book glosses over history to the point of being irresponsible. George Washington emancipating his slaves is also glossed over. It's said that he did so in his will. Yes, at the time of his wife's death, leaving her with 331 people who wanted her dead. He owned people until it was no longer his problem or his inconvenience. He did grapple with the question as the historian mentions briefly but even the little addition of "at his wife's death." would have allowed for broader context. Also there is little regard for any sense of chronological order, which is fine, but don't fucking talk about events George Washington goes through in the French and Indian War and then later when talking about the British army be like oh and they fought in this war that is called the French and Indian War. The intended audience for this book is unclear as I'm not sure who both knows and doesn't know about general facts, but regardless the audience doesn't include me.

I enjoyed this book a lot! Even as a middle school history teacher I learned some of the things I was taught about the two battles at Trenton and the battle of Princeton were actually historically inaccurate. In addition, I learned excellent details about the Revolutionary War I didn’t know. All points in the book were well-supported by primary sources. Great book I would recommend to anyone trying to better understand the Revolutionary War!

Less than two weeks ago I read David McCullough's 1776, a history of the first year of the Continental Army under George Washington, its mixed success in Boston and disaster in New York City and culminating--after a night crossing of the Delaware River--in their victory in the Battle of Trenton. It was an engaging, well-told story of such suffering and such blunders I left that book amazed the American Revolution, the army and cause survived to triumph. This book covers much of the same territory, with a particular focus on the crossing of the Delaware on Christmas of 1776, the ensuing Battle of Trenton and the Battle of Princeton less than a week later. The Editor's Note claims that: "No single day in history was more decisive for the creation of the United States than Christmas 1776. On that night a ragged army of 2,400 colonials crossed the ice-choked Delaware River from Pennsylvania to New York in the teeth of a nor'easter that lashed their boats and bodies with sleet and snow."

Given the overlap in material I thought this book was likely to suffer in comparison. That 1776 would likely make the stronger impression having been read first. McCullough is arguably the more engaging, more concise writer--but not only did Fischer have a different read, emphasis and details, but in the end Washington's Crossing is the stronger, more scholarly book, packed with notes, maps and illustrations. Although you'd have to enjoy not just history but military history. Fischer paints the crucial battles in a much more detailed way than McCullough did, not simply in terms of grand strategy but the more personal tragedies and individual casualties. And if McCullough's book arguably throws George Washington in sharper relief, Fischer is superb in depicting the various armies, their soldiers and officers. Fischer tells you of their training, their discipline, even about their drum calls. The British commanders, the brothers General and Admiral Howe, come across in a more complex, human way--the same is true of the Hessians and their officers. For one, Fischer explained that even in contemporary times, a British officer could say there was no British army--only a collection of "tribes" which is why the British army could never bring off a coup. You understand what that meant when Fischer details the very different customs and cultures of various regiments--the Scottish Highlanders going into battle in their kilts and determined not to let down their kin and clan fighting beside them. The Americans were varied as well. I had known blacks had served in the Revolutionary War--I hadn't known that in at least one Massachusetts regiment they served in integrated units--and that there were black officers, one of whom rose to the rank of colonel. The various folk ways of the different American regions, and the need to wield them together into a unified force that didn't conflict with the revolutionary ideals were a big part of the story.

I really liked 1776, and I'd recommend both books really. And probably 1776 with the more sweeping, less detailed overview is the one to read first. But if I were forced to choose only one book to read or keep on the bookshelf, it would be Washington's Crossing. I'd certainly be interested in reading more of Fischer in the future.

Washington's Crossing was an excellent read, with a very engaging narrative. Growing up we think of "The Crossing" as the big event of the the engagement that it preceded. However, it was a small part of a much larger campaign. In fact, the actual crossing only occupies a handful of pages. Fischer does an outstanding job of bringing us into the context of the times, the lives and players in the campaign and the outside factors. He does this in a way that provides a great deal of texture and makes the reader feel as if they were there and knew all the players. While it naturally highlights the tactics and engagements, it's not a heavy tactical study. Those details are only provided to the degree they add to the overall story. This is a must read for fans of history and in particular the Revolutionary War period. Well done!

I'm finding it hard to give this book only 4 stars. It's deserving of more. But five stars is "AMAZING" and I think that's tough to justify as well. So, 5 will have to do with a caveat or two. It's dense, and is written as a military history, so some readers may need to look up some terms. Also, there's a fairly large cast of characters on both the British and Colonial side, that at times I forgot who was who. That being said... read on.

I think that this book needs to be "rellooked" at in terms of today's political climate. It's a book for every American, in my opinion, and others as well who simply want a classic case of great leadership. In addition, if you're from New Jersey or live in New Jersey, and you're mildly interested in New Jersey's history in the Revolution, this book really gives you most of it.

So, the basic rundown is it's a military/strategic/tactical breakdown of the fall and winter of 1776 into 1777. This encompasses the American defense of New York's Long Island and Manhattan Island, our retreat across New Jersey into Pennsylvania and then the subsequent battles of Trenton and Princeton and a variety of other skirmishes throughout New Jersey in the late winter and spring of 1777. If you've been around NJ and seen one of those blue plaques denoting a historical site, my guess is it's covered in this book, as New Jersey really was the centerpiece of the American Revolution, at least in the early years.

But this is not solely a military history book. It dives nicely into the personalities involved, from the vengeful Britons in London, to the forgiving Howe brothers to the questioning Washington of course. It will give you some nice maps and details about the famous battles of Trenton and Princeton, including the crossing of the Delaware River that fateful Christmas night in full bloody detail. But it will also give you the thoughts behind these decisions and maybe that's where the true weight and value of this book lies.

What was Washington thinking? A midnight crossing of an ice choked river by exhausted, low morale troops who only had a few days left in their enlistments? And let's not forget all the horses and cannons that needed to cross too! But that's the point! Fischer's writing will give you exactly what Washington was thinking, what was at stake, from many different points of view, painstakingly researched (for instance, the edition I read was done at page 379, yet the book has another 150+ pages of notes, appendices, and other extras) and showing the command decisions that were made by Washington, Howe and others and how it affected the "boots on the ground" or the common soldiers who had to deal with it.

By comparison, there's several points where Washington's leadership is showcased on display versus the British command's decision making process and it shows the true value of a leader like Washington. We celebrate the man as a Founding Father, a war hero and a shining example of what it is to be American. My suggestion would be that we actually give his example another look. There's a political climate out there that could certainly learn some lessons from him, as well as the common people who in 1776 rose to meet the challenges of Washington's leadership and I would suggest need to keep in mind some of the ideas that make us/me/you and American.

No, I'm not talking about "Murica"... I'm talking about the United States of America and some of the things that may not have been written down at the time, but clearly was on our very young national conscience. Washington's Crossing is a very good read and a summary of the character of the people who rose up and created a nation. The very same character that we as a nation may need to be reminded of, if only to recall the tremendous effort that went into creating this nation, not just from Washington and our leaders, but from the individual rank and file. And to not take it all for granted.

This is a magnificent book. It's simply the best history I have ever read about the crucial first year of the Revolutionary War (with apologies to David McCullough). Fischer has wrought much more than a narrative history. It is a brilliant exploration of the ideological, strategic, cultural, social, psychological and even meteorological influences that had decisive effect on the critical battles from Brooklyn to Princeton. Fischer's narrative is so rich in color and facts that it puts the reader in the midst of Washington's troops as they suffered through frost and hunger, bullets and bayonets to save the Revolution from death in its infancy. After reading these accounts, you'll want to visit every Revolutionary War memorial you can find and say a prayer for these incredibly brave and determined souls whose valor gave us an inimitable nation. If you are a fan of Revolutionary War history, you cannot miss this book. And, make sure to read the extremely interesting and informative Appendices that Fischer adds as a big bonus to this prized history.

Interesting and informative American Revolution military history. All Americans should be proud of the military policy of humanity towards enemy combatants that was established during the Revolutionary War and continues to this day. This policy of humanity was used both as a tactical tool and as a moral tenet.

I learned a lot of basic information about the campaigns during the Revolutionary War along with lots of little tidbits about the various commanders, both English and American, especially George Washington.

This is a good book but the title is misleading. This is an exhaustive recount of the New Jersey Campaign of the Revolutionary War. It touches upon all aspects of the war and covers events in New England and the south. Lots of great information and strategy but far more expansive than it leads on.

A fantastic review of a year in the Revolutionary War and some of the best writing on the military aspects of the battles, campaigns and strategies for both sides in the year 1776 and the war in general.

Like most history lovers, I think I have neglected the actual nuts and bolts of this war. So much has been written (and rightfully so) about the towering personalities and characters of the Founding Fathers, but often times the obstacles facing the milita and soldiers in the trenches battling each other has been overlooked. This book is a great reminder of the sacrifices and sometimes absolutely bloody warfare that occurred. I think often we relegate those tales to the Civil War and the two World Wars, but one must remember the hard fighting and adverse conditions endured in the war that made us an entity.

The contrasting leadership styles implemented by the generals on both sides was intriguing as well. It seemed a bit stereotypical and simplistic to depict the aristocratic British leadership as opposed to Washington's more egalitarian style (seems a bit awkward to call Washington an egalitarian), but perhaps there is a nugget of truth in that stereotype.

Of course, even after saying that I enjoyed the depiction of the experiences of average troops, the standout of the story, as he always seems to be, is Washington. His presence and charisma are in this story again, but I thought it was a more human side of Washington that emerged. Quotations and shared memories of soldiers who fought under his leadership show him to be completely human and not devoid of passion or faults as he is so often made to be.

Finally, it is yet another fascinating example of what one so often stumbles upon when reading about our nation's past--that is, how close this nation came to never existing. Whether one reads about the dark days of 1776, the bickering in the generation following the Fathers, the conflicts over slavery in the mid 19th century, the obviously dangerous times of the Civil War or any other conflict after, one becomes utterly aware of just how precarious was our existence, especially at the start.

Probably the best history I've read on the Revolutionary War. Lots of stuff I didn't know before, especially about the make up of the armies (Colonial, British, and Hessian). But Fisher never gets bogged down with details, and keeps the narrative flowing. I was surprised at the level of brutality involved with the British/Hessian occupation of New Jersey. Gang rapes, from little girls to old women, plundering houses, etc, all of which,in a compressed amount of time (a few weeks), pretty much undermined the official British "hearts and minds" campaign.

Almost everyone knows the famous painting of General Washington standing heroically in a shallow boat, surrounded by soldiers in a variety of garb including James Madison holding an American flag, crossing the ice-choked Delaware river. The painting, done by a German artist 75 years after the fact, is a pretty romanticized depiction of the event. But there's no debating the significance of what happened on that Christmas Day 1776. This book, which won the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for History, is a remarkable record of the events leading up to the crossing, the truth about the crossing itself, the rout of the Hessians in Trenton that followed, and the aftermath in the war for independence. He describes in great detail the British invasion of New York some months after the Declaration of Independence, and the dismal state of the American effort at that point. The impact of British and Hessian atrocities helped motivate the sluggish colonists; but Washington's character and leadership shine most brightly. I was newly fascinated by the vivid but very readable description of what Fischer believes to be the turning of the tide that led to American independence.