Week 48: The Turning Point
Times are tough in places like Trenton, New Jersey.
With the cost of living up and the people’s outlooks down, citizens have finally taken up arms. There’s a group of protesters gathered on the Pennington Road, threatening the town. Another is moving up State Street into the city center. The bridge over Assunpink Creek has been blocked with vehicles, choking the southern route out of town. In response, the government is sending in armed forces to break up the protests and clear the rebellion.
But here’s the good news: we’ve been waiting for this for a long time, and YOU can join in the fun.
Every holiday season the Battles of Trenton come to life on the streets of New Jersey’s capital. Originally occurring on December 26, 1776, and January 2, 1777, the battles gave George Washington two much-needed victories over the British, and proved to be the “Turning Point of the American Revolution.” During the pandemic, the annual celebration had to be shelved for safety, but it’s all gearing up for a big return in 2023.
The drama of the two battles has been conveniently collapsed into a one-day re-enactment extravaganza, on Saturday, December 30th. At 11AM, Washington and his soldiers will knock the sauerkraut out of Colonel Johann Rall and his band of nasty Hessian mercenaries in the First Battle of Trenton. Then, after a light lunch, at 3PM, in the Second Battle of Trenton, George and the boys will thumb their noses at General Charles Cornwallis as they defend the Assunpink Bridge and scurry safely out of town. (Who knows where they might head next, Princeton perhaps?).
The annual reenactments are part of a full schedule of activities called Patriots Week. You can watch Washington cross the Delaware on Christmas Day. On the 29th, there’s a Colonial Ball where you can get your steps in. On battle day there’s a puppet show reenactment for the kids. And it’s all coordinated by and centered around the Old Barracks, built in 1758 during the French and Indian War, and the oldest military installation of its kind in North America. It’s open for tours all week, and you’re sure to run into lots of interesting folks in full re-enactment mode.
(Hint: while touring the Barracks, ask them to show you the Pine Tree Flag.)
It’s not every year you can spend your holidays on the streets of Trenton. So come on out.