Never Underestimate Your Enemy: General Washington at Princeton

January 3rd is a day to remember the 1777 Battle of Princeton, and the ancient and timeless military principle that you should “never underestimate your enemy.”

First a quick reminder. A few days after his brilliantly successful raid on Trenton, New Jersey, the head of insurgent forces, George Washington, decided to try to take the initiative again. Incensed by the sting of defeat at Trenton, British forces swarmed into central New Jersey to try to re-establish control of the colony, and attempt to regain the support of its wavering citizens. Despite being outnumbered and out-gunned, Washington was determined not to let that happen.

Washington made a second crossing of the Delaware, and took his little army back into New Jersey, away from the relative safety of Pennsylvania. He had a notion to encamp for the winter around Morristown, protected by the mountains of north-west New Jersey. That would force the Brits to attempt a winter attack, or retreat to the coast.

But first Washington had to break through the growing concentration of Crown Forces.

His soldiers were tired, hungry, frozen, and short on ammunition. Many wanted to go home after the expiration of their enlistments but Washington persuaded enough of them to serve just a few weeks more.

The British could not conceive that the rebels, in those conditions, could attack again, in the depth of winter.

Never underestimate your enemy.

They did attack.

Washington’s first move was checked at Maidenhead, and he fell back to Trenton. The Brits thought he was cornered. According to one source, Cornwallis said, “We’ve got the old fox safe now. We’ll go over and bag him in the morning.”

Never underestimate your enemy.

Sending his baggage south, with his sick and wounded, Washington marched north with his army. His men trudged along a muddy trail through the forest, and at dawn surprised British forces at the college town of Princeton.

Here was a small British supply post, with a garrison in the town and at the university’s famous Nassau Hall. Also, nearby was a detachment of troops and replacements marching to join Cornwallis and the main army. Now it was the Americans turn to feel confident.

But remember, you should never underestimate your enemy.

Security in the garrison was lax, as the soldiers believed they were miles behind the front line. Some were reportedly playing ball.

The marching force, however, was led by an aggressive officer called Charles Mawhood. This capable soldier quickly appraised the situation, and turned his force around to protect the garrison of Princeton.

Outnumbered, outgunned, Mawhood did the one thing his enemy would not expect. He attacked.

The lead American brigade disintegrated. Rebel General Mercer was killed.

Succeeding rebels brigades also became disorganized until Washington himself could rally them. Realizing he was hopelessly outnumbered, Mawhood closed his ranks and attacked the weakest part of the enemy line, and broke through to safety.

The rest of the British garrison was not so lucky, and many were taken prisoner. Washington made it to Morristown and as expected, the British had to abandon their conquests in New Jersey and lost forever their opportunity to win back the loyalty of its people.

The Battle of Princeton was a close run thing, but the American victory cemented Washington’s international reputation as a strategist.

The distinguished Prussian military historian, Friedrich Wilhelm von Bulow, wrote: “The maneuvers of the American general at Trenton and Princeton were masterpieces. They may be deemed models of the conduct of a general supporting a defensive war against a superior enemy.”

Mawhood, too, won praise and promotion for his conduct, in rescuing the troops that he did.

So this January 3rd, remember the brave men of both sides, and remember what you can do in the face of overwhelming odds, with enough imagination and determination. And above all:

Never underestimate your enemy.

“The Death of General Mercer at the Battle of Princeton, January 3, 1777,” by John Trumbull. Yale University Art Gallery, Trumbull Collection. Courtesy of Yale University, New Haven, CT. (Photo: Wiki Commons)