From The Lid (hat tip: Ed Driscoll on Instapundit):

Five Unknown Facts About Washington’s Crossing The Delaware On Christmas Day

On December 25th and stretching into the 26th in 1776 during the Revolutionary War, General George Washington crossed the Delaware River with the Continental Army, launching a surprise attack on Hessian forces (hired German forces who served the British) and capturing a surprise major military victory. 

Washington staged the bold and borderline irrational effort to cross an icy river in one night, directly into a severe winter storm of sleet and snow, as a motivational tool.

His troops were in poor shape – suffering from a lack of supplies and a dwindling level of hope.  They had recently lost the Battle of NY and barely escaped capture, escaping Manhattan by boat.

Washington’s Christmas Day crossing the Delaware and surprise attack worked and was a key victory in the American Revolution. The Hessians surrendered before morning.

The crossing and victory are famous—but there are some things about Washington’s first big Revolutionary War victory that you may not know about.

Click the link to read them all.