The film is a historical fiction of the events leading up to George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River. An official synopsis of the film states: "We all know of Washington's remarkable feat in crossing the Delaware River at Trenton with half of his command, surprising the Hessians and making them his prisoners; but how advance word of helplessness of his enemy reached the great general has ever been a matter of much mystery." There is no historical basis for such a claim as critics would highlight.