Lee’s Capture in Basking Ridge was a Blessing
Charles Lee’s capture on December 13, 1776, at Widow Whites Tavern in Basking Ridge removed a major internal obstacle at a critical moment. Lee commanded roughly 3,000 men on paper, but once he was taken prisoner, John Sullivan quickly assembled about 2,000 effectives and marched them directly to Washington without delay.

Those men arrived just in time to rebuild Washington’s collapsing army and help enable the Delaware crossing, which involved about 2400 troops in the main strike. While Lee sat in British captivity, convinced the war was lost, his former men helped deliver the victory at Trenton. Ultimately, what happened at Widow White's Tavern in Basking Ridge did not weaken the American cause. It helped save it. A new Mr. Local History Series - https://www.mrlocalhistory.org/the-capture-or-general-lee-paper/