"Has anyone gamed the SECOND Battle of Trenton?" Topic

In some respects it is even more interesting than the first, with the "not drunk" Hessians.
The Contintntal Army was in this case outnumbered by perhaps the most gifted British commander of the war, Cornwalis.
There was a hard fought, SKILLFUL!!! retereat to Trenton, the defense of Assunpink Creek.
This w3as followed by yet another snealy Washington ploy, the disengagement during the night to set up and win the battle at Princeton.

Almost every AWI scenario book I have seen features First Trenton and/or Princeton, but I have never seen one for Second Trenton. That would be a Way Cool nail biter.

JOFM: it is my intention to game all three battles. After I game First Trenton I will adjust the terrain on my table for the action at Assumpink Creek, and then follow that up with Princeton.

I'm sure someone has posted on here after playing this – at least a couple of years ago, though. Have you searched under Assunpink Creek?

Trenton II- Electric Boogaloo!

We've done it in 6mm, didn't remember it until Assunpink Creek (which we always mangled to Assandpunk Creek) was mention.

I am amazed at how often this battle is ignored by documentaries. It is just as important as the first one. The campaign as a whole shows Washington at his best.

My group gamed it but as part of a horror RPG dealing with the search for the Jersey Devil set during the campaign.

link

I incorporated it in the game after reading some of your earlier posts on the second battle, John. As you mentioned, the Osprey Campaign book on Trenton-Princeton provides a good account and is definitely one of their better books.

Incidentally, the Revolutionary War spy series Turn made reference to second battle and actually included the scene of Cornwallis riding into the abandoned American camp.

I ran it once, some years ago, in 15mm using "The Whites of Their Eyes", the AWI supplement to Bruce McFarlane's "Habitants and Highlanders". There wasn't a Trenton II scenario in the book, but there was enough information to scrape one together. As John noted, the situation cried out to be gamed.

What? There was a second battle of Trenton? Why wasn't I informed?!

I been running AWI 15mm Assunpink Creek at several game cons last year. I start the scenerio out with the Americans under Col Hand retreating from Stockton Hollow into Trenton. The British advancing behind them. It plays pretty good for a four hour event at a con. The British have to push across the bridge or find the ford to cross and attack the main American line. The American have to hold out until the four hour time slot is up. Then its night fall and the british go into camp and Washington slinks away.

John – sounds like a cool battle. What's the best reference do you think? Boatner? 'Washington's Crossing'?
EC

Sounds like an interesting battle to game. Are their any orbats or gaming table maps out there? Wouldn't mind trying this out as a Black Powder game. I have Novak's book which lists the campaign forces but there are no specific listings for Assunpink Creek.

Thanks in advance for any pointers towards orbats and maps.

Ezza

Designed and ran a sceanrio "based" on the battle of Assunpink Creek at Historicon last summer… played it using 28mm figs and Black Powder rules. More than happy to share with the public. PM me if interested.

SFC Retired

Washington's Crossing is the best overall history. It goes into the whole campaign.
Boatner and Ward are good too.

SFC Retired,

I would be interested in getting a copy of your scenario. I too would be doing it in 28mm. What is your e-mail address?

Thanks,

Ezza

Uhmm we will just play the first battle, like, first.

;)

I included a description of the battle in my Osprey Trenton and Princeton campaign book and I gamed the American delaying action in 40mm a couple of years ago.

db

I was just going to say, Osprey Trenton & Princeton campaign book covers Assunpink Creek very well. Its what I used for the scenerio I ran at game cons last year.