<P> Hugh Mercer, leading the American advance guard, encountered British soldiers from Princeton under the command of Charles Mawhood . The British troops engaged Mercer and in the ensuing battle, Mercer was mortally wounded . Washington sent reinforcements under General John Cadwalader, which were successful in driving Mawhood and the British from Princeton, with many of them fleeing to Cornwallis in Trenton . The British lost more than one quarter of their force in the battle, and American morale rose with the victory . </P> <P> These unexpected victories drove the British back to the New York City area, and gave a dramatic boost to Revolutionary morale . During the winter, Washington, based in winter quarters at Morristown, loosely coordinated a low - level militia war against British positions in New Jersey, combining the actions of New Jersey and Pennsylvania militia companies with careful use of Continental Army resources to harry and harass the British and German troops quartered in New Jersey . </P> <P> Washington's mixed performance in the 1776 campaigns had not led to significant criticism in Congress . Before fleeing Philadelphia for Baltimore in December, Congress granted Washington powers that have ever since been described as "dictatorial". The successes in New Jersey nearly deified Washington in the eyes of some Congressmen, and the body became much more deferential to him as a result . John Adams complained of the "superstitious veneration" that Washington was receiving . Washington's performance also received international notice: Frederick the Great, one of the greatest military minds, wrote that "the achievements of Washington (at Trenton and Princeton) were the most brilliant of any recorded in the history of military achievements ." The French foreign minister, a strong supporter of the American cause, renewed the delivery of French supplies . </P> <P> In May 1777, uncertain whether General Howe would move north toward Albany or south toward Philadelphia, Washington moved his army to the Middlebrook encampment in New Jersey's Watchung Mountains . When Howe then moved his army southwest from New Brunswick, Washington correctly interpreted this as a move to draw him out of his strong position, and refused to move . Only after Howe apparently retreated back toward the shore did Washington follow, but Howe's attempt to separate him from his mountain defenses was foiled in the Battle of Short Hills in late June . Howe, who had already decided to campaign against Philadelphia, then withdrew from New Jersey, embarked much of his army on ships in late July, and sailed away, leaving Washington mystified as to his destination . </P>

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