In addition to being Christmas, the day most Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, Dec. 25 has historical significance as well.

One Dec. 25 more than 200 years ago changed the course of American history, according to an Ohio University Southern history professor.

Dr. Robert Leith said a sneak attack by American troops on the loyalist British forces at Trenton New Jersey was a decisive victory and a change of direction in the American Revolution.

"George Washington and the American forces had been humiliated in 1775 and 1776," Leith said. "They had not won a major battle, just little skirmishes.

It was a time of 'D's': dispiritedness, despair, disease, deprivation and depression. History says the soldiers had what is called 'barrel fever'. That means that things were so bad the men were getting into the medicinal alcohol and drinking it. They were getting drunk and getting into fights."

Making matters worse for General George Washington, many of his men were only weeks away the end of their enlistments. Some had already talked of deserting the army and going back home. They were ill-fed, poor-clothed and outgunned by the British troops.

Some doubted Washington's ability to lead, after all, he had already lost five major battles. But that was about to change. Leith said one fateful decision on Christmas night in 1776 gave Washington the resounding victory that had thus far eluded him, and his men the will to continue to fight.

On the evening of Dec. 25, Washington had convened his war council, Leith said. Washington called for a sneak attack on the enemy by crossing the Delaware River into New Jersey. The attack would not be easy. It would require moving men, weaponry and horses across the icy river in boats, then a nine-mile walk to Trenton, where the British had set up camp with the aid of Scottish Highlander and Hessian (German) soldiers that had been hired to help the British fight the war.

"Washington called his men together and told them to put on their shoes, and if they didn't have shoes, to tie rags around their feet, but some of them didn't even have rags," Leith said.

Only a third of the men were able to cross the river: two groups of soldiers who were supposed to cross upriver and attack Trenton from the south and east didn't make it, leaving Washington with only 2,400 men. And making matters worse, they were 3 hours behind schedule.

Luck - and Christmas mirth - however, were on their side Leith said. The British, Scottish and Hessian troops were far from home. They missed their families. The enemy troops were apparently determined to snatch whatever holiday cheer they could from the colonies. The Hessians, Leith said, who were supposed to be standing guard a half-mile away from Trenton, were distracted.

The roughly 1,500 homesick Europeans had spent their Christmas Day "drinking, singing, decorating Christmas trees and partying with the local women," Leith said. "By the time the American troops attacked it was 7:30 or 8 o'clock in the morning on Dec. 26. There was a Hessian colonel, a man named Johann Rall, who loved to play cards and had gone to bed after a night of card playing. When the Americans attacked, they tried to roust him out of bed and they couldn't."

Leith said Rall, who had never thought the rag tag American troops would attack on a holiday, was mortally wounded. Scores of his troops were taken prisoner in the raid. Only three Americans lost their lives.

"Washington was saved from being fired or replaced," Leith said. And of those soldiers whose enlistments were due to end Dec. 31, 1,300 agreed to stay for $10 Washington promised.

"Up to that time, the Americans were losing," Leith said. "If Washington had not won, we would not be Celebrating Christmas as Americans today."