Washington Crossing the Delaware

On December 25, 1776, Gen. George Washington led the Continental Army on a dangerous nighttime crossing of the Delaware River to attack Hessian troops stationed at Trenton. The attack was a final, desperate effort to gain a victory after months of defeats had reduced the army to a small, exhausted, and demoralized force. Washington’s success at Trenton reinvigorated the American cause and kept the Revolution alive. Emanuel Leutze’s painting Washington Crossing the Delaware captures the drama, danger, and desperation of the crossing, though some details are historically inaccurate, such as the type of boat. Leutze grew up and was trained in Philadelphia, but created the painting in 1850 after returning to his native Germany, and it became a sensation when displayed in America the following year.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania · United States