Posted on 08/27/2019 12:22:29 PM PDT by Perseverando
King George III's British army was forced to evacuate Boston.
They headed to New York.
General George Washington responded by moving American troops to Long Island, New York and fortifying Brooklyn Heights.
Enthusiasm was high as Washington's ranks swelled to nearly 20,000.
Before long, hundreds of British ships filled New York's harbor, carrying 32,000 troops.
It was one of the largest invasion forces in history to that date.
The thousands of wooden masts of the British ships were described as looking like a forest of trees.
Washington wrote to his younger brother John Augustine Washington, May 31, 1776:
"We expect a very bloody Summer of it at New York ... We are not either in Men, or Arms, prepared for it ...
If our cause is just, as I do most religiously believe it to be, the same Providence which has in many instances appear'd for us, will still go on to afford its aid."
In Congress, May 1776, General William Livingston made a resolution which passed without dissent:
"We earnestly recommend that Friday, the 17th day of May be observed by the colonies as a day of humiliation, fasting, and prayer,
that we may with united hearts confess and bewail our manifold sins and transgressions ... and by a sincere repentance ... appease God's righteous displeasure,
and through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ obtain His pardon and forgiveness."
In New York, General Washington ordered his troops, May 15, 1776:
"The Continental Congress having ordered Friday the 17th ... to be observed as a Day of Fasting, Humiliation and Prayer,
humbly to supplicate the mercy of Almighty God, that it would please Him to pardon all our manifold sins and transgressions, and to prosper the arms of the
(Excerpt) Read more at myemail.constantcontact.com ...
Washington nearly lost his army and our country. He really was fortunate to save his army.
I saw a TV movie about it and it said Washington was trapped between the Hessians and the Black Watch.
Love the Blessings! Going to get the book for a friend. THANK YOU for this. Revolutionary war ping is needed. :)
the Maryland 400 saved the day.
The fog kept Richard Howe’s armada in Lower NY Bay. The sacrifice of the Maryland 400 kept William Howe’s Hessians and Light Infantry from crashing into Washington’s left and cutting off the escape to Brooklyn Heights. Causing Washington to cry as he watched, “ What brave men I must this day lose!”
Washington should have taken up on Staten Island and Bay Ridge, not on Manhattan. The object being to keep the British bottled up in the lower bay. If things went poorly, an evacuation into NJ. As it was, the British launched their attacks from Staten Island into Brooklyn and also sailed up the Hudson, which worked out well for them.
That was indeed divine providence. Great story, Great man, Great men, momentous times.
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