“In truth, men were dreadfully dispirited.”
Many had given up, in addition to the 2,000 who had refused to sign on again after December 1. Hundreds had deserted. Many of those left were sick, hungry, altogether as miserable as they appeared.
To Charles Willson Peale, walking among them by the light of the next morning on the Pennsylvania shore, they looked as wretched as any men he had ever seen. One had almost no clothes, “He was in an old dirty blanket jacket, his beard long, and his face so full of sores that he could not clean it.” So “disfigured” was he that Peale failed at first to recognize that the man was his own brother, James Peale, who had been with a Maryland unit as part of the rear guard. — David McCullough, 1776, pg. 263.
To learn more about Charles Willson Peale and his Philadelphia Associators, attend the “To Princeton with Peale” event at the Old Barracks Museum on January 2, 2015. It’s all a part of Patriots Week, Trenton’s week-long celebration of the city’s pivotal role in the fight for independence.
“The possession of Trenton was extremely desirable.”
From “1776” by David McCullough (pgs 261 and 262):
British and Hessian forces got under way from Brunswick on December 7 and came on faster than ever, William Howe having decided that, “The possession of Trenton was extremely desirable.”
December 26 – 30, Trenton celebrates its key role in the country’s fight for independence. For more information, check out Patriots Week.
Reservations requested, but we aim to please
While we recommend arranging your tour with us in advance, we certainly understand when circumstances dictate a little extra flexibility.
Today, we took a call for tour that we were able to accommodate with just 10 minutes notice. Our guests from Germany took a chance side trip to Trenton as they wind down their US tour. Once here, they realized TrenTours was available to help them discover Stephanie Plum’s Trenton and gave us a call.
Call or email us to arrange your tour!
A little history sets the scene for a good read.
Author Edward Bloor and a couple of his friends took a tour of Trenton’s industrial sites with us in the spring of 2013. All three men were originally from Trenton and Ed was doing some research for this book.
You can read more about the book here, or order an e-version here.
Trenton’s Old Barracks Museum Certified as “Excellent!”
Acknowledging what many of us already know, the Old Barrack’s Museum has received a certificate of excellence from travel website TripAdvisor.com
Planning a visit? Why not contact us to arrange a walking tour highlighting the battles of Trenton for after your tour of the Barracks.
We may be quiet, but we have a lot to say on our tours
Want to learn about Trenton’s role in America’s fight for independence?
How about checking out the meaning behind the “Trenton Makes The World Takes” slogan displayed on our famous bridge?
Or maybe you want to visit the places that informed and inspired Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum books.
We’ve got a lot to tell you about. Make your appointment for a tour today!
No time like the present to visit our past
The Times of Trenton ran an article yesterday reporting on a renewed attempt to promote heritage tourism in the city.
We’re supportive, of course. But you don’t have to wait for the City and the Trenton Downtown Association to develop their signage and self-guided tours. Call or email us.
In the past month, we’ve hosted a visitor from the Netherlands seeking out the haunts of Stephanie Plum; helped a group of friends who grew up in the area connect the dots on Trenton’s industrial past; and explained baseball, tomato pies and Trenton history with Linda Bentley, an amazing Australian woman who is visiting all 50 states in 50 weeks.
Give us a call and get in on the fun.