That Washington crossed the Delaware River on December 25, 1776 is fairly well known, but people remember little else. German soldiers of fortune, Hessians, were working for the British and had taken Trenton, nine miles to the south of where Washington's ragtag, often shoeless army crossed. The suprise attack on Decenber 26 gave Washington a significant victory, and served to rally the colonists to support the cause.
George Washington had accepted his commission in 1775 and from then until 1783 was only able to visit his home in Mt. Vernon once. The great general missed his home, and after his final military act of orchestrating the reoccupation of New York, Washington began his journey with the goal of coming home by Christmas. Along the way, he was compelled to visit Philadelphia and Annapolis to bid colleagues farewell and was honored at each place he stopped.
In spite of weather delays, Washington finally arrived at his beloved home along the Potomac River on December 24, 1783, and a grand Christmas celebration was held with guests, fine food, and celebratory firing of guns. The man now considered the Father of the Country had, as his first act following war, celebrated Christmas with his family and friends.
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