Watch and See

The Ten Crucial Days were ten days at the end of December 1776 and the first week of January 1777, where several decisive battles were fought between the Continental Army under George Washington and the British army, mostly under Charles Cornwallis. Washington badly needed a victory to prove his army's hope of winning and thus boost morale.

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(89 mins) This made for TV production is fraught with many historical liberties, but the tenor, drama, and costumes are terrific. Just be sure you do not take the 'Hollywood' history for fact.  Posted here FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. The film is based on the book "The Crossing" by Howard Fast.

CAST: Jeff Daniels George Washington Roger Rees Hugh Mercer Sebastien Roche Capt. John Glover Steven McCarthy Alexander Hamilton

Producer(s) David Coatsworth Cinematography Rene Ohashi Editor(s) Zach Staenberg  

Production company(s) Chris/Rose Productions; Columbia TriStar Television; A&E Television Networks

(24:05 mins) Produced by the Princeton Battlefield Society from their original "Eyewitness to the American Revolution" cards, this video brings to life six of the eyewitnesses to the Battle of Princeton on January 3, 1777. Hear from those who were there.

(34:24 minutes) The prelude to the Ten Crucial Days presentation prepared for the Princeton Battlefield Society's 2021 "Experience the Battle of Princeton" with Larry Kidder, author of TEN CRUCIAL DAYS: Washington's Vision for Victory Unfolds

(1:30) Ten Crucial Days with Willie Geist (narrator) - Kean University

Produced by the Princeton Battlefield Society from their original "Eyewitness to the American Revolution" cards, this video brings to life six of the eyewitnesses to the Battle of Princeton on January 3, 1777. Hear from those who were there:

  • - Sergeant Nathaniel Root
  • - 23rd Continental Regiment
  • - Captain William Leslie - 17th Regiment of Foot
  • - Susannah - enslaved woman of the Clarke family
  • - Captain Joseph Moulder - Philadelphia Associator Artillery
  • - Ann Clarke - Wife of William Clarke
  • - Dr. Benjamin Rush - Continental Army Medical Officer

These eyewitnesses share some of the experiences that you do not get to read in history books. Hear the true stories of the human experience and drama of the Battle of Princeton as the Americans fought to take back New Jersey from the British!

(2:48mins)  Pulitzer Prize winning, military historian, Rick Atkinson, on the Battles of Assunpink Creek and Princeton

(1:07:09mins)  Emerging Revolutionary War talk with authors Larry Kidder, David Price, and Mark Maloy, and Roger S. Williams, coFounder of TenCrucialDays.org

(13:33mins)  From the Washington Crossing Park Association (NJ) this video was made possible in part by the Mercer County Cultural and Heritage Commission through funding from the New Jersey Historical Commission and the Mercer County Board of Chosen Freeholders, as well as NJM Insurance Group, The Swan Historical Foundation, and the generous support of several individuals.