Reviewed by David Price, Washington Crossing Historic Park Historical Interpreter
Local author William L. “Larry” Kidder has produced a history of Trenton during the Revolutionary War that is meticulously researched, deeply informed, and thoroughly comprehensive in scope.
This is a story that has received scant attention until now and, as such, is a worthy addition to the literature on this tumultuous period.
Kidder’s wide-ranging examination of a locality that was the site of a pivotal moment in young America’s struggle for independence enables the reader to understand how this community and its residents coped with the vicissitudes of late 18th century life generally and the perils of warfare specifically.
He tells the story, in detail and depth such as we have not seen before, of how the common people of a riverside town that became engulfed in armed conflict withstood the challenges that confronted them and emerged as part of a confederation of new states facing an uncertain future.