Stony Brook Bridge Destroyed

After the main engagement at Princeton was decided, Washington sent troops to destroy the bridge over Stony Brook on the Post Road south of Princeton. This was a critical tactical decision: General Cornwallis, who had been camped at Trenton expecting to attack Washington's army in the morning, would discover the deception and pursue northward. Destroying the bridge delayed Cornwallis's advance and gave Washington's army time to complete its operations in Princeton, gather supplies, and withdraw toward New Brunswick. The demolition of the bridge was one of several rearguard actions that allowed the Americans to escape with their victory intact.