By this success he cleared the upper parts of New Jersey of British troops, who were shut once more within the limits of New York City and Long Island.
In January, 1777, no man could say that the turning-point in the American Revolution had been passed.

There were still to come long months, and years even, of doubt and disillusion and suffering; the agony of Valley Forge; the ignominy of betrayal; and the slowly gnawing pain of hope deferred.

But the fact, if men could have but seen it, was clear--Trenton and Princeton were prophetic of the end.

And what was even clearer was the supreme importance of George Washington.

Had he been cut off after Princeton or had he been forced to retire through accident, the Revolution would have slackened, lost head and direction, and spent itself among thinly parcelled rivulets without strength to reach the sea.