Facing Washington's Crossing
The Hessians and the Battle of Trenton
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Westholme Publishing, U.S.
Published:26th Jan '26
£22.00
Supplier delay - available to order, but may take longer than usual.
They crossed the ocean to fight in someone else's war. They came for glory, honor, and plunder. Instead, they became America's most famous captives.
In Steven Bier's groundbreaking book, Facing Washington's Crossing: The Hessians at the Battle of Trenton, old stereotypes are shattered and new information emerges. Using newly translated documents, rare hard-to-find material, and obscure nearly-forgotten sources, Facing Washington's Crossing rewrites our understanding of the Battle of Trenton.
Bier maintains a gripping narrative, following the military exploits of a Hessian Brigade through six brutal battles. From their crushing victories in New York to the shocking reversal in the snow-covered village of Trenton, witness how professional European soldiers faced an enemy unlike any they had encountered. Bier offers a fresh perspective by narrating the story through Hessian eyes, presenting fascinating details: shipboard cockfights, St. Elmo's fires, how the militaristic Hessians were influenced by the peaceful philosopher Voltaire, when the Royal Navy accidentally landed the Hessians on a deserted island, and how Emanuel Leutze's iconic painting of Washington crossing the Delaware was created in a tavern. The author traces the Hessian Prince's decision to hire out his army, the army’s harrowing voyage across the Atlantic, and the numerous clashes leading up to Trenton. Washington’s Crossing and the subsequent battle itself are fully recounted, providing a much-needed understanding of the Hessian experience.For 250 years, the story has been told mostly from one side. Now the essential counterpoint is finally revealed.
“There are many myths and misunderstandings concerning the Hessian troops defeated by General Washington at the Battle of Trenton. To dispel them, Steven Bier provides a solid look at these soldiers and what they experienced on their journey from the villages of Hessen-Kassel through their successful experiences in the colonies before their devastating defeat while in winter quarters at Trenton in December 1776.”—William L. Kidder, author of Ten Crucial Days: Washington's Vision for Victory Unfolds
“Engaging and well written, Steven Bier’s Facing Washington’s Crossing is an excellent study of the Hessians at Trenton. Readers will learn how and why their ruler leased these soldiers to the British, and what led to their legendary defeat that gave George Washington his first victory.”—Ricardo A. Herrera, author Feeding Washington’s Army: Surviving the Valley Forge Winter of 1778.
“Bier’s research is superb and his narrative is lucid; a welcome addition to the literature of the American Revolution.”—Mark Edward Lender, author of Fort Ticonderoga, The Last Campaigns: The War in the North, 1777–1783
ISBN: 9781594164439
Dimensions: 229mm x 152mm x 30mm
Weight: 626g
356 pages