Titusville in Mercer County, New Jersey — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Retreat and Counterattack – 1776

Retreat and Counterattack Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Bill Coughlin, April 20, 2008

1. Retreat and Counterattack Marker

Inscription. General George Washington, after losing New York to the British, led his rebel army in retreat through New Jersey and on Sunday, December 8, 1776 crossed the Delaware River into Pennsylvania. He commandeered every available boat along the river so that Lord Cornwallis’s army would be unable to pursue him to attack Philadelphia and capture the Continental Congress.

Directly across from this point, near the Pennsylvania shore, is the island behind which Washington hid the Durham and ferry boats for his return on Christmas night 1776 to attack the British mercenary Hessian troops in Trenton.

By his daring victory at Trenton, Washington and his Continental army restored the ebbing spirit of the colonies in their struggle for independence from Britain, and paved the way for the ultimate victory over Cornwallis five years later at Yorktown, Virginia.

Erected by Washington Crossing State Park.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Revolutionary. A significant historical date for this entry is December 8, 1911.

Location. 40° 17.893′ N, 74° 52.138′ W. Marker is in Titusville, New Jersey, in Mercer County. Marker is on River Drive, on the right when traveling north. Marker is in Washington Crossing State Park, on a park road just off

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River Drive. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Titusville NJ 08560, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Dedicated in Memory of John Honeyman (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Spring House (about 300 feet away); Prelude to Victory (about 400 feet away); Site of Crossing (about 500 feet away); Johnson Ferry House (about 600 feet away); Washington Crossing (about 600 feet away); Ferry Site (about 600 feet away); Continental Lane (about 600 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Titusville.

Also see . . . Washington Crosses the Delaware, 1776. (Submitted on April 24, 2008, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.)

Marker in Washington Crossing State Park image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Bill Coughlin, April 20, 2008

2. Marker in Washington Crossing State Park

The Delaware River, site of Washington's 1776 Christmas night crossing, can be seen in the background.

Photographed By Bill Coughlin, April 20, 2008

3. Ferry Boat

This is a sample of one of the types of boats used by Wasington's army during the crossing.

Washington's Crossing Site image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Bill Coughlin, April 20, 2008

4. Washington's Crossing Site

This is the location where Washington's army crossed the Delaware River on Christmas night in 1776.

Washington Crossing the Delaware image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Bill Coughlin, December 9, 2012

5. Washington Crossing the Delaware

Gen. Washington and his troops are seen here crossing the Delaware River during the 60th annual reenactment of the Crossing.

Credits. This page was last revised on February 16, 2023. It was originally submitted on April 24, 2008, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. This page has been viewed 1,292 times since then and 21 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on April 24, 2008, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. 5. submitted on December 9, 2012, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. • Craig Swain was the editor who published this page.