1776
The Continental Congress published the “Tory Act” resolution on this day. It defined how the colonies should handle Loyalists (Tories) who remained faithful to King George III. It instructed committees to educate “uninformed” people on the nature of the controversy and recommended that “dangerous” Loyalists be disarmed or kept in custody.
1777
After their victory at the First Battle of Trenton on December 26, 1776, Washington and his army took up defensive positions on the high ground in order to defend a bridge and waited to be attacked by the British.
On January 2, about 8,000 British and Hessian troops had marched from Princeton to retaliate for the American victory, but the Continental Army was ready with a great concentration of artillery. Washington’s 6,000 troops repulsed three separate British attempts to cross the bridge into Trenton. Casualties were so heavy witnesses described the bridge as “red as blood.” The Continental Army won this Second Battle of Trenton exacting a substantial toll in killed and wounded.
That evening Washington held a council of war to decide what they should do next. Should they engage the British directly or retreat? A third option was decided upon. They would attack the British rear at Princeton and then proceed to an attack on New Brunswick.