''The Death of General Mercer at the Battle of Princeton, January 3, 1777'' is the title of an

oil painting Oil painting is the process of painting with pigments with a medium of drying oil as the binder. It has been the most common technique for artistic painting on wood panel or canvas for several centuries, spreading from Europe to the rest ...

by the American artist

John Trumbull John Trumbull (June 6, 1756November 10, 1843) was an American artist of the early independence period, notable for his historical paintings of the American Revolutionary War, of which he was a veteran. He has been called the "Painter of the Re ...

depicting the death of the American General Hugh Mercer at the

Battle of Princeton The Battle of Princeton was a battle of the American Revolutionary War, fought near Princeton, New Jersey on January 3, 1777, and ending in a small victory for the Colonials. General Lord Cornwallis had left 1,400 British troops under the comman ...

on Friday, January 3, 1777, during the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

. The painting was Trumbull’s first depiction of an American victory. It is one of a series of

historical painting History painting is a genre in painting defined by its subject matter rather than any artistic style or specific period. History paintings depict a moment in a narrative story, most often (but not exclusively) Greek and Roman mythology and Bible ...

s on the war, which also includes the ''

Declaration of Independence A declaration of independence or declaration of statehood or proclamation of independence is an assertion by a polity in a defined territory that it is independent and constitutes a state. Such places are usually declared from part or all of th ...

'' and '' The Capture of the Hessians at Trenton, December 26, 1776''. The artist expressed his great admiration for General

George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of ...

in this painting as he wrote in the catalogue for his exhibited works at

Yale University Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the w ...

in 1835: It was a personal favorite of Trumbull himself. When asked by

Benjamin Silliman Benjamin Silliman (August 8, 1779 – November 24, 1864) was an early American chemist and science educator. He was one of the first American professors of science, at Yale College, the first person to use the process of fractional distillation ...

which paintings he would save from destruction in the Trumbull Gallery at Yale, he said this one. Trumbull used the General's son, Hugh Jr., as a model for the painting.

Description

The picture displays several different events of the battle as if they occurred simultaneously. At the center, American General Hugh Mercer, with his dead horse beneath him, is shown mortally wounded. Mercer was commanding the leading division of the

Continental Army The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies (the Thirteen Colonies) in the Revolutionary-era United States. It was formed by the Second Continental Congress after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, and was establis ...

when attacked by British Colonel

Charles Mawhood Lt. Col. Charles Mawhood (23 December 1729 – 29 August 1780) was a British army officer during the 18th century, most noted for his command during the Battle of Princeton. Military career His military service began with purchase of a corn ...

near

Princeton, New Jersey Princeton is a municipality with a borough form of government in Mercer County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It was established on January 1, 2013, through the consolidation of the Borough of Princeton and Princeton Township, both of w ...

. Mercer's horse was killed and he was attacked by two

grenadiers A grenadier ( , ; derived from the word ''grenade'') was originally a specialist soldier who threw hand grenades in battle. The distinct combat function of the grenadier was established in the mid-17th century, when grenadiers were recruited from ...

. The British were in control of the battle at this moment. Mercer would be treated for his wounds by Dr.

Benjamin Rush Benjamin Rush (April 19, 1813) was a Founding Father of the United States who signed the United States Declaration of Independence, and a civic leader in Philadelphia, where he was a physician, politician, social reformer, humanitarian, educa ...

the next day, January 4, but died on January 12 as a result, Dr. Rush believed, of a concussion caused by a musket butt to the head At the left, American Daniel Neil is shown bayoneted against his cannon. Capt. Daniel Neil was the Captain of Artillery and began his service in the Revolutionary War as Captain-Lieutenant in the East New Jersey Artillery in Knox's Battalion March 1st, 1776. He was appointed Capt on May, 9th 1776. Captain Neil died on the battlefield by an excessive number of saber wounds by the British. At the right, British Captain William Leslie is shown mortally wounded. Leslie died during the battle and was put on a wagon by the British that was later taken by the Americans. Rush also learned of his death on January 4. He would be buried at

Pluckemin, New Jersey Pluckemin is an unincorporated community located within Bedminster Township, in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. It was also known historically as Pluckamin. It was the site of several historic events during the American Revolutionary ...

the next day, January 5. In the background, American General

and Dr. Benjamin Rush enter the scene. After Mercer became a casualty, Washington needed to lead the charge to overtake Mawhood's troops and win the battle. On the far left, American General

Thomas Mifflin Thomas Mifflin (January 10, 1744January 20, 1800) was an American merchant, soldier, and politician from Pennsylvania, who is regarded as a Founding Father of the United States for his roles during and after the American Revolution. Mifflin wa ...

is shown leading a cavalry charge. American Colonel John Cadwalader and British Colonel Edmund Eyre are also depicted.

Other versions

Trumbull worked on this painting for many years and created several sketches and final oil paintings. A collection of sketches is located at the

Princeton University Library Princeton University Library is the main library system of Princeton University. With holdings of more than 7 million books, 6 million microforms, and 48,000 linear feet of manuscripts, it is among the largest libraries in the world by number of ...

. A large scale version ( x ), painted in 1831, is owned by the

Wadsworth Atheneum The Wadsworth Atheneum is an art museum in Hartford, Connecticut. The Wadsworth is noted for its collections of European Baroque art, ancient Egyptian and Classical bronzes, French and American Impressionist paintings, Hudson River School lands ...

Hartford, Connecticut Hartford is the capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It was the seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960. It is the core city in the Greater Hartford metropolitan area. Census estimates since t ...

. Owner:

The Yale University Art Gallery also owns an unfinished version titled ''The Death of General Mercer at the Battle of Princeton, 3 January 1777'' and dated –.

Gallery

File:Battle of Princeton - sketch by Trumbull.jpg, Pen and ink wash sketch, 1786 File:John Trumbull - The Death of General Mercer at the Battle of Princeton, 3 January 1777 (unfinished version) - 1832.6.2 - Yale University Art Gallery.jpg, Unfinished version, – File:Hugh Mercer, Jr. (Study for The Death of General Mercer at the Battle of Princeton, January 3, 1777), 1791.jpg, Hugh Mercer, Jr., sketch, 1791

Notes

References

External links

* * Owner:

Yale University Art Gallery The Yale University Art Gallery (YUAG) is the oldest university art museum in the Western Hemisphere. It houses a major encyclopedic collection of art in several interconnected buildings on the campus of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. ...