Though many boats were used to cross the American forces to the New Jersey side of the Delaware River on Christmas Night, the Durham boat has become the iconic symbol of this historic event and the determination and courage of General Washington and his men during the bleak wintry days of 1776. Washington had ordered every boat along the Delaware River from Trenton to 70 miles north be commandeered and guarded, making the boats unattainable by the British and a vital resource for the American troops. Captain Daniel Bray, Jacob Gearhart and many other Hunterdon County patriots delivered the boats to McConkey’s Ferry for the crossing on Christmas night.
