The Great Christsmas Night Raid: 1776

Steady Habits ^ | Dec 24, 2008 | SteadyJohn

[SteadyJohn]

“My brave fellows, you have done all I asked you to do, and more than could be reasonably expected, but your country is at stake … The present is emphatically the crisis which is to decide our destiny.” Gen. George Washington in an appeal to his troops following the surprise attack on the Hessians at Trenton, December 26, 1776....

[SteadyJohn]

This is the story of what W. Thomas Smith, Jr.called the “special operation" that changed the course of history and turned the war in favor of the continentals 232 years ago. Readers here are invited to listen to a dramatic excerpt about the Battle of Trenton from David McCullough's "1776" read by the author.

[pgkdan]

bump.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

[ReeseBN38416]

Hardcore Special Op’s - Old school. Sua Sponte.

Hoo-ah Gen. Washington, and a Merry Christmas to you. We all owe you everthing.

[Congressman Billybob]

There is one, slight error in McCullough's account. Thomas Paine's magnificent words were not read BY Washington's troops, they were read TO the troops, since two-thirds of them were illiterate.

By order of Washington, these words were read to the troops before they crossed the Delaware:

"These are the times that try men's souls. The sunshine patriot and the summer soldier may shrink from the service of his nation, but he that stands it now deserves the love and thanks of man and woman...."

Congressman Billybob

Latest article, "Come Back to 1600, Johnny Dean, Johnny Dean"

The Declaration, the Constitution, parts of the Federalist, and America's Owner's Manual, here.

[Gaffer]

.....Thomas Paine's magnificent words were not read BY Washington's troops, they were read TO the troops, since two-thirds of them were illiterate.

Alas, it seems we have come full circle. However, the difference being our young are the ones that are illiterate and the 'troops' are the ones that can read. Irony for a dead country.