Washington Crosses the Delaware

By that winter, the American army was cold, tired, and losing — and lots of soldiers were ready to go home.

General George Washington had a very sneaky idea: nobody would expect a battle on Christmas night.

So in a snowstorm, he loaded his soldiers into little wooden boats and pushed off into the icy Delaware River.

Big chunks of ice bumped and thumped against the boats, but they made it all the way across before dawn.

They surprised the sleeping soldiers on the other side and won — and the army suddenly believed they could really do it.