It was, as he well knew, the habit of the Germans to celebrate that day with feasting and drinking, and such being the case, he felt that he might reasonably expect to find them under the influence of intoxicating drinks, therefore unfit for a successful resistance.
"The river had been free from ice, but in the last twenty-four hours before the time appointed for the expedition the weather changed, growing very much colder, so that the water was filled with floating ice, greatly increasing the difficulty and danger of crossing; a storm of sleet and snow set in too, and the night was dark and gloomy.
"Still the little army was undaunted; they paraded at M'Conkey's Ferry at dusk, expecting to reach Trenton by midnight; but so slow and perilous was the crossing that it was nearly four o'clock when at last they mustered on the Jersey shore.
"It was now too late to attack under cover of the darkness, as had been Washington's plan." "Excuse me, mamma, but surely it would be still dark at four o'clock in the morning ?" Walter said half inquiringly.
"Yes, my son, but you must remember they had crossed at M'Conkey's Ferry, which is eight miles higher up the river than is Trenton, so that they had that distance to march before they could make their attack.
"Washington divided his forces, leading one portion himself by the upper road,--Generals Greene, Mercer, and Lord Sterling accompanying him,--and giving Sullivan command of the other, which was to approach the town by another road leading along the river.
"The two arrived at Trenton about the same time, having marched so silently that the enemy was unaware of their approach till they were but a short distance from the picket guards on the outskirts of the town.
"There was a brisk skirmish then, the Hessians retreating toward their main body, firing as they went from behind the houses, while the Americans pursued them closely." "Then the Hessians weren't drunk as Washington expected, were they, Grandma Elsie ?" asked Grace.
"Well-authenticated tradition says they were," replied Mrs.Travilla; "that they had been carousing through the night, Rall himself feasting, drinking, and playing cards at the house of Abraham Hunt, who had invited him and other officers to a Christmas supper.

They had been playing all night and regaling themselves with wine.
"A Tory on the Pennington road saw, about dawn, the approach of the Americans under Washington and sent a messenger with a note to warn Rall.

But a negro servant who had been stationed as warden at the door refused to allow the messenger to pass in, saying, 'The gemman can't be disturbed.' "It seems that the messenger was aware of the contents of the note, or at least that it was a warning of the approach of the Americans, so, being foiled in his purpose of seeing Rall himself, he handed the note to the negro with an order to carry it at once to Colonel Rall.
"The negro obeyed, but Rall, excited with wine and interested in his game, merely thrust the note into his pocket and went on with his deal.
"But presently the roll of the American drums, the rattle of musketry, the tramp of horses, and the rumble of heavy gun-carriages fell upon his drowsy ear, and in a moment he was wide awake, the cards were dropped, he sprang to his feet, then rushed away to his quarters and mounted his horse with all speed; but at that time his soldiers were being driven by the Americans as chaff before the wind.
"The Hessians' drums were beating to arms, and a company rushed out of the barracks to protect the patrol.

Washington's troops had begun the fight with an attack upon the outermost picket on the Pennington road, and Stark, with the van of Sullivan's party, gave three cheers and rushed upon the enemy's pickets near the river with their bayonets, and they, astonished at the suddenness and fury of the charge, were seized with a panic and fled in confusion across the Assanpink.
"Both divisions--the one commanded by Washington, the other under Sullivan--now pressed forward so rapidly, and with such zeal and determination, that the Hessians were not allowed to form.

Nor could they get possession of the two cannon in front of Rall's quarters.
"The Americans themselves were forming in line of battle when Rall made his appearance, reeling in his saddle as if drunk,--as I presume he was,--received a report, then rode up in front of his regiment and called out, 'Forward, march; advance, advance!' "But before his order could be obeyed a party of Americans hurried forward and dismounted his two cannon, accomplishing the feat without injury to themselves except that Captains William Washington and James Monroe were slightly wounded." "And where was General Washington just then, mamma ?" asked Walter.
"He was there in the midst of the fighting, and exposed to the same dangers as his troops.