Posted on 12/22/2014 5:07:24 PM PST by Kaslin
Early in the morning, two hundred thirty eight years ago, George Washington and the Continental Army reached the outskirts of Trenton, New Jersey. Much like today, no-one really wanted to go to New Jersey, but they were forced by circumstances to make the arduous trek. Washington’s force of 2,400 men surprised, and ultimately defeated, the 1,400 Hessian mercenaries who were fighting on behalf of the British Crown. A much needed win was tallied under the Patriot’s side of the scoreboard, emboldening the Continental Army and our quest for freedom.
Washington had lead his men through the icy waters of the Delaware and into an unforgiving snow storm on the evening of Christmas in 1776. (Kinda makes your upcoming family Christmas look like a picnic, right?) The Hessians, who had greatly underestimated the Continental Army’s capabilities, were unaware and still groggy from an evening of Christmas festivities. (Way to go George: Sneak up on those crafty Germans when they’re hung-over… Churchill, take note.)
By the end of the battle at Trenton, four Americans had lost their lives. Over a thousand Hessians were captured. And while Washington was unable to hold onto the town (he had no artillery), the victory bore tremendous significance for the freedom of the colonies. In New Jersey, on December 26th in the year 1776, George Washington and his men cemented the concept of American dedication to freedom.
This historical event is worth a few minutes of recollection as we trudge toward 2014 with an increasingly apparent devolution of freedom in America. After all, in the days of our founding, a simple tax on our breakfast beverage resulted in massive protests in Boston Harbor – and ultimately a few gunshots. Our founders were tired of being ruled by a body of “representatives” in a parliament half way around the world. They were fed up with the dictatorial nature of King George’s executive action, and his disregard for individual property rights.
Imagine living in a land where one man in the executive branch could unilaterally alter law… It’s not that hard to imagine, is it? Sure, King George never shoved universal healthcare down the throats of our Patriot founders; but he did enact taxes, regulation, and tariffs, with little more than a stroke of a pen.
And while many things have changed since 1776 (although the government’s inability to build a website has clearly remained unchanged in 200 plus years) there are many similarities in political and societal concerns. The latter half of the 18th century saw some incredible shifts in how the world functioned, and how commerce commenced within the new world. As much as anything else, it was the changing times that propelled American patriots to a victory over the powerful British Empire.
The lesson should not be lost on ardent supporters of freedom in the 21st century. Freedom, and the cause of Liberty, will never be extinguished entirely, as is evidenced by Washington’s under-dog victory against a group of drunken mercenaries in New Jersey. And while freedoms may seem in jeopardy on a regular basis today, the sacrifices and tenacity of Washington and his men have allowed us to live in a world where freedom is no longer a farfetched concept. In fact, thanks to the ragged farmers and laborers who overthrew a sizeable force of Hessian mercenaries, we now live in a world where freedom and liberty are still experienced in relative abundance.
The bad news, on this anniversary of the battle of Trenton, is that many of us are still regulated and taxed by unaccountable officials a world away from where we live. Having bureaucrats in DC decide to regulate or tax based on other bureaucrat’s recommendations, after all, is not that different than the British Crown implementing law without the consent of the governed.
There is good news, however: Americans still seem largely inclined toward rejecting centralized power, dictatorial governance, and ruling-class-elitism. Citizens of our great nation, for example, almost universally despise congress. Even liberals consider the label “congressman” to be a pejorative in most cases. While much of Obama’s recent drop in public polls can be attributed to his outright lies on Obamacare, his penchant for race-baiting, and his overall ignorant foreign policy, a sizeable portion of his PR problem is likely tied to his elitist (and unconstitutional) decision to unilaterally tinker with laws. (After all, what confidence can the American people place in government, when one man is capable of altering law without the consent of the governed?)
Now… If we could just remind those folks in DC what that whole skirmish in 1776 was all about, we might be able to start making some progress for the cause of liberty in the 21st Century.
Unfortunately, this needs a caveat:
"Like almost all Americans, I hate your congressmen and senators. Your people are corrupt, and evil and stupid. On the other hand, of course, my politicians are pretty fine people, and I'll likely vote to return them to office."
NOTE: I'm in Mass., so unlike a lot of people, I actually know that I am ruled over by politicians who are just as bad as the rest of the bunch. But look at McCain and Graham and Boehner and all the rest -- they get re-elected because their constituents like them. The voters just think people in other states are the problem.
“And while Washington was unable to hold onto the town (he had no artillery),”
The above is a false statement. Alexander Hamilton was in command of one of the artillery sections which were used to fire upon the Hessians in the Battle of Trenton. Artillery units participating in the Battle of Trenton included:
New York Company of Continental Artillery
Massachusetts Company of Continental Artillery
New York State Company of Artillery
Eastern Company, New Jersey State Artillery
Western Company, New Jersey State Artillery
2nd Company, Pennsylvania State Artillery
Washington didn’t hold Trenton because he went on to attack Princeton.
the reality of how we view him...
Everyone at Free Republic - Have a Merry Christmas!!! We are getting closer to not having this moron in office as we draw closer to the end of 2016!!!
The story of the American Revolution never ceases to amaze me.
If you’ve ever stood in the wind at Valley Forge on a blustery February day, even healthy and well-dressed and -fed, it’s hard to understand how they carried on to victory.
Great Post.
-JT
I live in NYistan and have the detestable Louise Slaughter as my congresscritter, and Schmuck Schumer and Chubby Gillibrand are my senators...I detest them all and THEY ARE THE PROBLEM.
We are blessed to have the revolutionaries and founding fathers as our history. Many sacrificed so much for Freedom. Let’s us not fail in carrying forth that incredible legacy. Have a Merry Christmas!
Picture #1?
Remember to end of el douche?
Not pretty.
I have never understood that if people disobeyed - and companies - the EPA, and other non-elected groups, how it would stand up to SCOTUS...when will a precedent be set?
“Washington didn’t hold Trenton because he went on to attack Princeton.”
No, Washington canceled the plan for an immediate advance against Princeton and retreated behind the Delaware River to take a defensive position in Pennsylvania.
“Washington soon learned however that Cadwalader and Ewing had been unable to complete their crossing, leaving his worn-out army of 2,400 men isolated.[67] Without their 2,600 men, Washington realized he did not have the forces to attack Princeton and New Brunswick.[67]”
Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Trenton
Days later Washington reoccupied a defensive position at Trenton resulting in the Battle of the Assunpink Creek. Only following that battle did Washington move his forces at night around Cornwallis and attack the British in the Battle of Princeton.
“On the night of December 25–26, 1776, George Washington, Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army crossed the Delaware River with his army, and attacked the Hessian garrison at Trenton on the morning of December 26.[8] The Hessian garrison was surrounded and quickly defeated. Washington crossed the river again and returned to his camp in Pennsylvania that afternoon.[9] On December 30, Washington moved his army back to Trenton and stationed his men on the south side of the Assunpink Creek.[10]”
Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Assunpink_Creek
“On the night of January 2, 1777 George Washington, Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army, repulsed a British attack at the Battle of the Assunpink Creek in Trenton. That night, he evacuated his position, circled around General Lord Cornwallis’ army, and went to attack the British garrison at Princeton.”
Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Princeton
Americans still do... perhaps. But there are so many anti-Americans here now that I'm not sure it matters.
“Americans still do...perhaps. But there are so many anti-Americans here now that I’m not sure it matters.”
Absolutely spot on.
Witness a bunch of Americans cheering when this president proposed a “national security force that’s just as well-organized, just as well-funded as the military”.
One wonders if they want black shirts or brown shirts with that.
IMHO
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