Victory or Death–A Desperate Plan that Changed the Course of the Revolution – IOTW Report

Victory or Death–A Desperate Plan that Changed the Course of the Revolution

Monday, 24 December 2018, 21:00 MJA Uncategorized 24

Breitbart:

This Christmas marks the 242nd anniversary of a battle that changed the course of history.

You think America has problems in 2018? Try living as a Patriot during the winter of 1776. Washington’s army had lost one battle after another. The economy had tanked. And the paper money the United States printed seemed worthless. Americans were abandoning the cause in droves.

During the Fall of 1776, the British issued an amnesty proclamation that offered pardon and protection to rebels who signed an oath of loyalty to the king within sixty days. Thousands of Americans, including several members of Congress, clamored to sign the oath. One disgusted American Patriot recalled, “To the disgrace of the country and human nature, great numbers flocked to confess their political sins to the representative of Majesty, and to obtain pardon. It was observed, that these consisted of the very rich and the very poor, while the middling class held their constancy.” Making matters worse, the enlistments for the Continental Army expired in December and January 1, 1777. Washington knew he needed to make a bold attack or the United States might fail.

I told the story of this desperate time in American history in my best-selling book Washington’s Immortals: The Untold Story of an Elite Regiment Who Changed the Course of the Revolution. It chronicles the efforts of the elite troops of Maryland. This unique book is the first Band of Brothers treatment of the American Revolution, detailing the most important elements of nearly every significant battle of The War of Independence, including the watershed victory at Trenton on Christmas night.

On the eve of the battle, General George Washington sat in his tent on the banks of the Delaware River and methodically wrote the same three words over and over on several small pieces of paper. He had decided on a daring plan: crossing the ice-choked Delaware River and mounting a surprise attack on the Hessian garrison there. Knowing that the assault could not hope to succeed if word of the plan reached the enemy, he detailed a Virginia brigade to serve as sentries around the Patriot camp. The general himself selected the password for the night, and that was what he was writing on scraps of paper for distribution to the unit commanders.

While the surgeon general of the Continental Army was visiting Washington, one of the slips happened to fall to the floor. “I was struck with the inscription on it,” the physician wrote. “It was ‘Victory or Death.’”

Contrary to the myth perpetuated by many children’s books, the Hessians in Trenton were neither drunk nor idle. Their experienced commander, Colonel Johann Rall, the hero of White Plains Chatterton’s Hill and the breakthrough at Fort Washington, kept his men in constant readiness and on patrol. A series of raids by the local militia in the prior days had put them on edge, and the men slept dressed and armed.

Rall realized the precarious nature of the Trenton outpost and frequently demanded reinforcements—to no avail. In exasperation, he complained, “Scheiszer bey Scheisz! [shit on shit] Let them come. . . . We will go at them with the bayonet.” British spies had warned of an impending attack on Trenton, but no one knew the exact day and time. The intelligence, combined with the raids, put Rall and his men in a perpetual state of alert and began to fray their nerves.

Washington settled on a complicated plan to envelop Rall’s garrison. The main force, which included the elite troops from Maryland, would cross at McConkey’s Ferry. The unflappable John Glover and his Marblehead Mariners led the amphibious operation to cross the river at the ferry. Asked if the plan was doable, he confidently reassured Washington “not to be troubled about that as his boys could manage it.”  MORE

24 Comments on Victory or Death–A Desperate Plan that Changed the Course of the Revolution

  1. We do not do those heroes justice by our sorry lack of commitment. Donating to a miserable gofundme sack of shit for a border wall is not the commitment that will win us our country back.

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  3. Several years ago, I read “To Try Men’s Souls: A Novel of George Washington and the Fight for American Freedom” by Newt Gingrich. It was about this battle and I never imagined (even though I knew from history) just how brutal it was. I would recommend that book to anyone.

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  5. When George and my great grandfather used to make the morning rounds at Valley Forge, George used to remark how he loved the smell of the soldiers roasting their coffee beans.
    It reminded him of…
    Victory

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  7. I have a photo in my man cave from a nearby estate of an engraved piece of stone. It says…

    By signing the Declaration of Independence the fifty six Americans pledged their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor.

    It was no idle pledge——

    Nine signers died of wounds during the Revolutionary war. Five were captured or imprisoned.

    Wives and children were killed, jailed, mistreated or left penniless.

    Twelve signers houses were burned to the ground.

    Seventeen lost everything they owned.

    No signer defected – their honor, like their nation, remained intact.

    …..

    If you want a copy of this photo for your man cave or she shed I think iotw can hook us up. Just guessing.

    It’s a good daily reminder of what’s at stake.

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  8. “These are the times that try men’s souls!”

    I worked today and took the occasional time out for a Twitter battle amongst so called conservatives on whether it was alright to wage a preemptive strike on Antifa if you spotted them gathering.
    The overwhelming response was hell no. Apparently the so called proud boys did just that. Now they’re being labeled a terrorist regime. Too funny actually.
    Killem when you see them. Marry Christmas.

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  9. Less than 10% of the populace were behind freedom from the crown at this time in history. It only took a handful of brave men to cast off the shackles and tell George we choose freedom. Look at us now.
    Merry Christmas all.

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  10. I’m watching an old western on TV, and the cable company sees fit to remind me every fifteen minutes with a text box down in the corner:

    “The Dow plunged on Christmas Eve to the lowest level since 1931, in the depths of the Great Depression.”

    Merry Christmas from Comcast. The full-court press is on. Victory or death.

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  12. ” without the experienced guidance of Glover and the Marbleheaders, the icy conditions made the river impassable.” It was more like IMPOSSIBLE.

    Victory or Death was actually a ‘pass word’.

    The Massachusetts 14th was one of the greatest fighting land and amphibious units in US history. PERIOD and it was an HONOR to serve with them.

    What many people do not realize is that we had to go back up river, cross back this time with POWS, to keep safe from Cornwallis. THEN we went BACK into New Jersey to cross a THIRD time to fight in the Second Battle of Trenton.

    Col. Glover was promoted to Brigadier General after Trenton, but even with the decisive win, the 14th was tired from fighting and disbanded days later.

    We originally mustered for the Siege of Boston. That was several hundred miles and participated in three major battles ago…Brooklyn, Kips Bay, Pels Point and White Plains, a year and a half in the field away from our families.

    And a btw factoid ‘Washingtons Fleet, (first Navy of its type) was comprised of two of Glovers ships.

    @ Bad_Brad – check the movie ‘The Crossing’, perfect for tonight or tomorrow! GREAT depiction with all the characters involved.

    Merry Christmas!

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  13. There is much at stake. Dealing with internal mainstreamed commies, supported, Hell, promoted by our ‘free press’, is more crucial than dealing with the overbearing crown.

    Now our crown is the FBI and IRS. Etc.

    Leftists must be destroyed, their fields salted.
    We are no longer allowed in the debate of ideas.

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  19. Moe, definitely not trying to minimize the intent of contributing. My point is that for all intents and purposes it has ultimately no effect. Where does that money go? Think it will get to a billion dollars? In my mind, keep in mind I’m a high school graduate, so I know my shit, it’s a sideshow to make us think we are making a difference. Until 3% of us are ready to commit we are spinning our wheels. And that is exactly what the swamp knows and wants.

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  20. I lived nearby to Washington’s Crossing for several years, on the Jersey side. Attended the reenactment twice from the Penn. side. They do a great job and use replicas of the original pig iron boats. Not easy even in good weather. The crowd it great and for many an annual Christmas tradition.
    I learned that some of the captured Hessian soldiers (non officers) were taken in by the Amish.
    The history of that area of Pennsylvania and New Jersey is facinating and one can sometimes feel the fire of our American founders.

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