George Washington at the Battle of Princeton, January 3rd 1777. [Alonzo Chappel Painting].

CHAPPEL, Alonzo. [George Washington].

Item Number: 123178

Alonzo Chappel’s famed painting of Commander-in-Chief George Washington rallying the Continental Army at the Battle of Princeton; one of Chappel’s most well-known works. Oil on canvas. Signed and dated ’57 by Chappel in the lower right corner. American artist Alonzo Chappel was revered for his paintings depicting the major figures and battles the American Revolution in addition to other events in early 19th-century American history. In addition to George Washington at the Battle of Princeton, his best-known works include The Battle of Tippecanoe, The Battle of Wyoming, The Battle of Long Island, The Boston Massacre, and John Smith saved by Pocahontas. George Washington at the Battle of Princeton, January 3rd 1777 was featured in John Frederick Schroder’s Life and Times of Washington; Containing a Particular Account of National Principles and Events and of the Illustrious Men of the Revolution, published in two volumes in 1857. Housed in an elaborate period frame. The entire piece measures 24 inches by 18 inches. An exceptionally desirable example of early Americana.

American statesman and soldier George Washington served as the first President of the United States from 1789 to 1797 and was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. He served as Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, and later presided over the 1787 convention that drafted the United States Constitution. He is popularly considered the driving force behind the nation's establishment and came to be known as the "father of the country," both during his lifetime and to this day. The Battle of Princeton was fought during the Revolutionary War near Princeton, New Jersey on January 3, 1777 and ended in a small victory for the Colonials. General Lord Cornwallis had left 1,400 British troops under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Charles Mawhood in Princeton. Following a surprise attack at Trenton early in the morning of December 26, 1776, Washington decided to attack the British in New Jersey before entering the winter quarters. On December 30, he crossed the Delaware River back into New Jersey. His troops followed on January 3, 1777. Washington advanced to Princeton by a back road, where he pushed back a smaller British force but had to retreat before Cornwallis arrived with reinforcements. The battles of Trenton and Princeton were a boost to the morale of the patriot cause, leading many recruits to join the Continental Army in the spring. The battle was the last major action of Washington's winter New Jersey campaign.