Washington led his troops in a midnight escape from being surrounded by the British in Trenton to Princeton. There, they encountered another British detachment and attacked them in battle. When it looked like the Continental army would lose, Washington rode to the front lines and rallied his wavering forces, turning the tide of battle and routing the British for a major Continental victory.

1. Washington at Princeton Coloring Sheet
Returning to Trenton in January 1777, the British endeavored again to trap
Washington’s army, surrounding the Continentals in an effort to push them against the
Delaware River and defeat them. Washington led his troops on a midnight escape to
Princeton, where he encountered another British detachment and attacked. When the
outcome looked grim for his army,
Washington rode to the battlefront
and rallied his wavering forces. The
tide soon turned and the British were
soundly routed for another major
Continental army victory.
The Executive Council of
Pennsylvania commissioned Charles
Wilson Peale to paint a portrait of
Washington to commemorate his
victory. The coloring sheet on the
next page is adapted from this
painting.
Painting: Charles Wilson Peale, “George
Washington,” ca. 1779-1781, Metropolitan
Museum of Art.