Re-Enactors Pull Off Washington Crossing

ABC News ^ | Dec 25, 2005 | JEFFREY GOLD

[indcons]

WASHINGTON CROSSING, N.J. Dec 25, 2005 — Hundreds of spectators along the Delaware River saw the first complete re-enactment since 2001 of Gen. George Washington's historic crossing.

Unlike the past three attempts, when days of precipitation pushed water levels and speeds above safety levels, this Christmas presented a more placid route from Pennsylvania to New Jersey.

Jim Gibson, portraying Washington in a full uniform replete with sword and peaked cap, and about 60 of his fellow re-enactors made it across in two longboats just as a raw mist became a steady rain.

[cynicom]

Sorry, was Monroe not Madison.

[Pharmboy]

Your observation reminds me of the gulf between RevWar and War Between the States folk. There is no shortage of RevWar reenactors to play Hessians, Brits or Loyalists. Interesting.

[Pharmboy]

Ok then, Monroe did precede The General since he was in the last boat to leave PA along with Gen. Henry Knox.

[cynicom]

We are both right...I checked, both Madison and Monroe were there but Madison did precede both Monroe and Washington...Monroe was a 17 year old, Madison was aide de camp to Washington.

[indcons]

I discovered a whole new perspective of the ACW as a grad. student in the South. The Southern perspective is very interesting and vastly different from the one in the North. Pres. Lincoln is probably the most hated man in the South to this day.

[indcons]

Very interesting...learned something new today. For some reason, I have always been fascinated with the ACW and have never had the chance to read up on the Rev. War. As a foreigner, I haven't had the history lessons either :)

That said, I have always been fascinated with the documents that supported the creation of the United States. Jefferson is one of my favorite figures from that glorious time in your country's history.

IMO, the Bill of Rights is the greatest document ever written by human beings. I used to hand a copy on my wall for years before I even came here.

[anymouse]

My ancestor was Gen. Washington's drummer boy who accompanied him in his famous crossing of the Delaware River to capture the Hessian mercenaries.

It is conceivable that one of my other ancestors, who were from the Hess region of Germany could have been one of those fighting for the British.

My other more direct ancestors were Swiss/German Mennonites in colonial Pennsylvania, pacifists, who were likely conscientious objectors in the Revolutionary War.

So I likely had ancestors on all three sides of the Revolutionary War.

[FlashBack]

I would like to get out there and be able to see this sometime!
I believe that an older Uncle of mine has been out to the area himself doing family research...and as a decendant of the owners of McConkey's Ferry I'd like to see the area and the re-enactment in particular.

[cynicom]

Alexander Hamilton was also there in the fight.

[cynicom]

We are not gonna give you a security clearance.

[indcons]

"So I likely had ancestors on all three sides of the Revolutionary War."

WOW...nice.

[indcons]

Pictures ping:

[Trajan88]

Super-cool, American heroes ping!

[indcons]

Super-cool reenactors bump

[Christopher Dion]

Unlike the past three attempts, when days of precipitation pushed water levels and speeds above safety levels, this Christmas presented a more placid route from Pennsylvania to New Jersey.

Good thing that they weren't doing the real thing. They'd've waited for better weather and met a prepared enemy.

[Plutarch]

Washington’s Crossing is a great book for anyone with interest in this history

[indcons]

Thanks for the recommendation....I was looking for a good introductory text.

[XRdsRev]

"I live about ten minutes from Washington Crossing (which is in Pennsylvania, by the way)"

The village of Washington Crossing is in Pennsylvania but there are two Washington's Crossing State Parks. One is on the Pennsylvania side of the river and the other is on the New Jersey side. Both are very beautiful and sacred ground.

[Right_in_Virginia]

TERRIBLE headline

It's from ABC so it's not surprising.

[Pharmboy]

No--we are not both right, you continue to be wrong and I continue to be right. Perhaps you're just playing a game and think it's cute, but Madison never fought in the Revolution and never was an aide-de-camp to General Washington. Hamilton was an aide-de-camp to Washington and was also at Trenton.

Many of us here take the RevWar seriously, and for you to put up falsehoods about it is neither clever nor funny. In case you have a history of similar behavior I am notifying the admin moderator.