Untold Stories: ‘Battle of Princeton’ by William Mercer, America’s First Deaf Artist

Today I want to look specifically at a painting by America’s first deaf artist, William Mercer, called ‘The Battle of Princeton’. Mercer was not only popular and famous in his own right, however—his father was Brig. Gen. Hugh Mercer, friend and fellow Revolutionary officer of George Washington.

Hugh Mercer’s death is the background of the painting of the battle, with the sky’s light pointing straight to him as if marking him out as a hero, and George Washington, about to turn the tide of battle in the Americans’ favor, dominates the foreground.  

William Mercer’s painting is a reminder not only that war brings death and tragedy, but also glory and victory. William did not paint an image of defeated disaster, focusing on his father’s death, but of conquerors turning the tide. Like William Mercer, we should focus not just on the tragedy of Hugh Mercer’s death at Princeton, but also everything that Hugh Mercer, George Washington, and their fellow Patriots dared and achieved in the cause of liberty.