When the Inestimable Blessing of Liberty was at Stake: Part 1

We've all heard the story of Washington Crossing the Delaware. It's practically a fairy tale for most schoolchildren, of how the Continental Army, in what seems like a pre-destined course of events, crossed a river and changed history. Some of us may have seen the Emanuel Lutze painting in New York, which helps put symbolic faces to that story and show, albeit a bit unrealistically, what the mood must have felt like that night. But I doubt that most people have any idea how difficult it must have been for George Washington in those dark days when the situation was dire, the cause was in doubt, and the Continental Army was about to dissolve. Over the next few posts, I'd like to shed some light on how this amazing story played out when the world held its breath that fateful December day 235 years ago.

In a letter to John Hancock on December 20, 1776, Washington described the distressing predicament and his doubts regarding the militia upon which he was supposed to rely. This is only 6 days before the crossing, and it would seem that the plan to attack Trenton hasn't even begun to form:

“We find Sir, that the Enemy are daily gathering strength from the disaffected; This strength, like a Snowball by rolling, will increase, unless some means can be devised to check effectually, the progress of the Enemy’s Arms: Militia may possibly do it for a little while; but in a little while also, the Militia of those States which have been frequently called upon, will not turn out at all, or if they do, it will be with so much reluctance and sloth as to amount to the same thing [….] could any thing but the River Delaware have saved Philadelphia? can any thing[....] be more destructive to the recruiting service, than giving Ten dollars bounty for Six weeks service of the Militia, who come in, you can not tell how—go, you cannot tell when—and act, you cannot tell where—consume your provisions—exhaust your Stores, and leave you at last at a critical moment. These Sir, are the men, I am to depend upon, Ten days hence. This is the Basis on which your Cause will and must for ever depend, till you get a large standing Army, sufficient of itself to oppose the Enemy....”

As Thomas Paine so eloquently observed, these truly were the times that tried men's souls.