With twenty-four hundred hardy veterans, Washington crossed the Delaware.

The night was bitter cold and the passage difficult.

When they landed, and began their march of nine miles to Trenton, a fierce storm of sleet drove in their faces.
Sullivan; marching by the river, sent word that the arms of his men were wet.

"Then tell your general," said Washington, "to use the bayonet, for the town must be taken." In broad daylight they came to the town.

Washington, at the front and on the right of the line, swept down the Pennington road, and as he drove in the pickets he heard the shouts of Sullivan's men, as, with Stark leading the van, they charged in from the river.