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Imperium: How One Note Changed History
General Washington and General Greene begin their ill-fated advance on Trenton
"If you die here, so do I!" - General Washington before the second advance on Trenton
December 26th, 1776
Trenton, New Jersey
Thirteen Colonies
Johann Rall was on a roll. He was playing chess and was winning pretty handedly. Suddenly there was a knock at the door which made Rall jump a little. Rall got up reluctantly and opened the door to see a poor farmer hand him a note. He said something in English Rall couldn't understand but the note intrigued him. He had let his men celebrate Christmas so it was unusual he would be getting a message, not counting how early it was. Rall opened it up and found that it was written in English. He frowned as he walked back and showed it to Abraham Hunt, whose house he was staying in, and motioned for him to read it. Hunt read it first quietly to himself and quickly rose to his feet, knocking the table around and ruining their game. Rall was just about to protest when Hunt began to speak "Sir! The Patriots are crossing the River!" Rall's eyes bulged as he ran out of the house and down into the camp shouting orders.
His men, groggy after a long night of partying sluggishly got out of their tents to see what their commander was yelling about. One even asked "What are you blabbering about sir?" Rall was quick to respond "The Continentals are coming across the river! Get your guns and form up!" That sure woke them up. After some stumbling and moving around the Hessians were ready for the Continentals in Trenton. Just as the note said it was not long before the first Continental troops entered the Hessians range of fire. Johann gave the order and a volley ripped into the Continentals injuring and killing some but the rest formed up into a rudimentary firing line and returned fire. Over the sounds of the battle Johann yelled "Advance! Advance!". He watched his men begin their march forward but suddenly their was a glint in the corner of his eye. He turned his head and saw a cannon barrel, faint but unmistakable. Rall panicked and yelled "Pull back! Pull Back!" but it was too late. The cannon opened fire and ripped into the side of the Hessian lines. His men began to finally pull back and Rall turned and saw his cannon on a hill some way behind him. He turned to one of the fifers and grabbed him before pulling him close. He pointed to the Continental cannon "Go tell our big guns to fire on them! Run!" The boy nodded before dashing down the road. Rall turned back and heard another thunderous boom but the cannon wasn't aimed properly and the cannonball harmlessly impacted a house near his men; giving them time to pull back deeper into the city and prepare for a second Continental advance.
It was then Rall saw Washington for the first time. He saw his white horse behind the Continental Army as it began its second advance on Trenton. Rall formed his men up and prepared for the Continental's advance but curiously they didn't. Rall began to wonder what was happening before General Washington made his way to the front of the men, parting them like Moses to the Red Sea. Washington turned to his men and probably said something, Rall couldn't hear what, before turning back to face the Hessians. He was soon joined by another man on a brown horse and they began their advance. He heard the Continental drummer boys and fifers begin playing Yankee Doodle, a song picked up by the Continentals from the British. Rall turned back again to check on his cannon and see why they were not firing. He turned just in time to see the first volley get fired. While some landed off to the left, where the enemy cannon was, others flew over the Hessian's and ripped through the Continental lines; but they continued their march. As they got closer Rall got more nervous as they seemed to not even to be thinking of forming up. Rall raised his hand "Ready!" and his men prepared their weapons with military precision. Only now did Washington stop and form his men up, preparing to fire. "FIRE!" Rall yelled as the numerous muskets and cannons went off. Rall watched Washington's horse buckle and fall as numerous bullets impacted the steed and General Washington fell off.
With Washington dead or wounded, his compatriot (General Greene) seemed to try and rally his troops but watched his lines melt away in the face of another volley. The Continentals panicked and retreated...no routed...away from Trenton. Rall smiled as his men advanced to capture the wounded and count the dead. Finally tally: 900 Hessians dead, 30 wounded v. 1,000 Continental's dead, 43 captured...including one George Washington.