Pushed out of New York by Sir William Howe in the autumn of 1776, George Washington's Continentals Army withdrew across New Jersey to Pennsylvania. Washington struck on Christmas Night and defeated a Hessian garrison at Trenton. Washington returned to New Jersey several days later and confronted Charles, Lord Cornwallis along Assunpink Creek outside Trenton. Washington slipped away and on January 3, 1777 defeated a British force at Princeton. These victories revitalized the Patriot cause.