Hundreds gather for Washington's NJ river trek

AP ^ | 12/25/2010 | staff

[Kid Shelleen]

Overcast skies and cold temperatures did not stop George Washington from making his Christmas Day ride across the Delaware River.

The 58th annual re-enactment of Washington's daring Christmas 1776 crossing of the river — the trek that turned the tide of the Revolutionary War — was staged Saturday on the Pennsylvania and New Jersey border.

[ETL]

Washington had made the glaring mistake of splitting his forces and only had about 6,000 to face the entire British & Hessian force there

Seems to me the mighty British made quite a few glaring mistakes themselves throughout the battles in the New York area. They failed to finish Wash off on several occasions, allowing him to escape to fight another day. The first time was at Brooklyn Heights where they had him pinned against the East River. They assumed he would surrender. The second time was in Manhattan when the battle moved there. Again they had him trapped. Another major screw-up was when Brit general Johnny Burgoyne and Brit Admiral Howe failed to meet up along the Hudson when they sought to take control of it. Howe apparently never got the message, or thought otherwise and never bothered to move his forces up from the southern end of the river to meet up with Burgoyne who had started from the northern end. Gaining control of the Hudson may well have sealed a victory for England. There were some other serious blunders made by the British high command but these are the only ones I can recall at the moment.

[21twelve]

“brightened only by the skillful retreats to and across the River.”

I seem to recall that a rare, dense fog prevented the British ships from seeing the escaping boats.

[21twelve]

From a search on the event. Inspirational words that are perhaps even more true today - but sadly are forgotten.:

***************************

On December 25, 1776, as General Washington was preparing to attack Trenton, he had Mr. Paine’s inspirational article read to all his troops:

“These are the times that try men’s souls,” he began. “The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis shrink from the service of his Country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives everything its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated.” (Ketchum, pp.209-21 1)

In spite of the fact that the attack was launched in very inclement weather and many of the troops were half naked and bare footed they attacked and won. They had been inspired by both Thomas Paine’s writings and General Washington’s example. Interestingly the password that evening was “victory or death” which certainly symbolizes the gravity of the situation. Over the next few months over 100,000 copies of Thomas Paine’s article would be published - for which he was never remunerated.

[ETL]

I seem to recall that a rare, dense fog prevented the British ships from seeing the escaping boats.

True, but the Americans also lit fires to make it appear as if they were still there camped.

The following episode from the great 6-episode PBS series "Liberty" covers the Battle of Brooklyn...

Liberty: The American Revolution Episode 3
http://vodpod.com/watch/1363075-liberty-the-american-revolution-episode-3

[ETL]

The part about the escape from Brooklyn Heights begins about 22 mins into the video.

You should be able to download the entire video onto RealPlayer *if* you do it through Internet Explorer. Mozilla FireFox doesn’t seem to allow it. The site has at least some of the other episodes. 1-4 are the best. I think they have all 4. RealPlayer is a free program you can download from Real.com.

[ETL]

You can watch it online. You don’t necessarily have to download it to your computer.

And after checking again, it looks like they only have the first 3 episodes of the 6-episode series. 4 dealt with the failed British attempt to gain control of the Hudson River and the Battle of Saratoga where later turncoat Benedict Arnold was a hero.

[bill1952]

I agree with you that Howe made mistakes & might have stopped Washington cold in this battle.

[bill1952]

> Leading them across the river was the same guy who led the Delaware Crossing.

And he was the last man to step off that boat. A great man!
The figure of 15,000 british troops is correct but doesn’t add in the 5,000 Hessians who also landed.

Those 250 men were the epitome of American Heroism!

[ETL]

There were actually 2 Howes. They were brothers. One was a general, the other an admiral. Both were there during the New York battles. I incorrectly stated earlier that it was Admiral Howe who was supposed to have met up with Johnny Burgoyne. It was General Howe.

Check out the PBS series I linked to. It was a terrific one. They only seem to have the first 3 episodes, but they were great.

[ETL]

There is a monument to them in Prospect Park, Brooklyn.

“The monument to the Maryland Four Hundred in Prospect Park, Brooklyn, New York, commemorates the contribution and sacrifice of the Maryland Line in the Battle of Long Island of the American Revolution. On August 27, 1776, some four hundred Maryland troops led a rear-guard action to check the British advance and allow the retreat of Washington’s greatly outnumbered army. The Marylanders launched six counter attacks at the Cortelyou house; on the last attack Cornwallis’ troops were reinforced and the Marylanders were swept to the Gowanus canal, where 256 were buried on a knoll within the mill ponds. The mass grave, now the southwest corner of Third Avenue between Seventh and Eighth streets, is a few blocks from the park. The marble, granite and bronze monument, designed by Stanford White, was repaired and treated by the Monuments Commission and rededicated on August 27, 1991.”

http://www.mdva.state.md.us/MMMC/md400Monument.html

[bill1952]

>Uhmmmm you forgot someone, in fact you X’d him out.
Merry CHRISTmas.

Yes indeed. A belated Merry Christmas to you!

[ETL]

Maryland 400 monument
after conservation

http://www.mdva.state.md.us/MMMC/md400Monument.html

[elli1]

Thanks, ETL. I’ll be looking for that one.

[ETL]

You’re welcome. The walking tour thing is just a minor part of the book. It’s included in the back I think.

[ETL]

5 of the 6 episodes are available at the link just below. The videos are in high def even in full screen mode. This site has all but the final episode (ep 6):

Liberty: The American Revolution - PBS
http://libertymaven.com/2008/03/23/liberty-the-american-revolution-from-pbs-video/984/
__________________

Episode descriptions from PBS:

LIBERTY! is a six-part series of one-hour documentaries for PBS. It describes how the American Revolution evolved and how a new nation was born in the aftermath of the Revolutionary War, using actors, Revolutionary era scholars, and eyewitness accounts of the time. LIBERTY! is hosted by award winning journalist and ABC news anchor, Forrest Sawyer. Edward Herrmann is the narrator. It was originally broadcast Nov. 23 - 25, 1997.

EPISODE 1: “The Reluctant Revolutionaries” 1763-1774

In 1763, the capitol city of America is London, George Washington is lobbying for a post in the British army, and no one thinks of Boston harbor when they hear talk of tea parties. In a dozen years, the colonies are on the brink of rebellion. What happens to bring this country so quickly near war with England?

EPISODE 2: “Blows Must Decide” 1774-1776

A total break from Great Britain remains hard for Americans to imagine, even after shots are fired at Lexington and Concord. Words push matters “Over the Edge” in 1776. Common Sense argues that it is the natural right of men to govern themselves. The Declaration of Independence declares this same idea a “self-evident” truth. For Americans, there is no looking back. There will be war with England.

EPISODE 3: “The Times That Try Men’s Souls” 1776-1777

Days after the Declaration of Independence is signed, a British force arrives in New York harbor. Washington and his troops are driven to New Jersey. With only a few days of enlistment left for many of his volunteers, a desperate Washington leads his army quietly across the Delaware River on the day after Christmas, 1776, to mount a surprise attack on a sleeping garrison in Trenton.

EPISODE 4: “Oh Fatal Ambition” 1777-1778

The “united” states remain in dire need of funds and military support. Congress dispatches Benjamin Franklin to France in hopes of creating an alliance which will provide both. Meanwhile, a British army marches down the Hudson River trying to cut off New England from the other colonies. The British are crushed by Americans at Saratoga. The French enter the conflict on the American side.

EPISODE 5: “The World Turned Upside Down” 1778-1783

The British hope to exploit the issue of slavery and to enlist the support of loyalists in the south. They fail. After a series of brutal engagements, the British army heads for Virginia, only to be trapped by the miraculous convergence of Washington’s army and the French fleet at Yorktown. The end of the war is at hand.

EPISODE 6: “Are We to Be a Nation? 1783-1788

Peace comes to the United States, but governing the world’s newest republic is no simple task. Congress is ineffectual and individual states act like sovereign nations. By the time the Constitutional Convention convenes in 1787, many wonder if the country can survive. The long ratification process helps define what sort of nation the United States is to be—a process that continues to this day.

Above descriptions come from PBS.org:
http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/liberty_episodes.html