 The Americans would have an army at the start of 1777. Now, as you can imagine, the British were a bit annoyed at the Hessians' defeat. A quick response, they felt, was needed to wipe out any newfound hope for the Patriots. So Lieutenant General Charles Cornwallis and his force marched down to teach Washington a lesson. They first arrived at Princeton and left 1,400 men under the command of one Lieutenant Colonel Charles Mahood,