Washington's crossing of the Delaware River happened on Christmas Day 1776 and if you know nothing about this moment during the Revolutionary War, know this. This one event changed the course and morale of the entire Constitutional Army & the general morale of the who conflict, for the better.
IN short, the men had all but given up. Worn, battered, feeling lost and seeing no hope. The Men fought on, but in essence they were not much better off than the walking dead. Many of the Men had no shoes, suffered frost bite terrible, their arms and ammunition were all but depleted, but they still fought on, they could not surrender.
Washington was cornered and he knew that after the Christmas break in hostilities that his defeat was all but certain, unless he could move his remaining Army away from the British, so Washington decided to make a move, which seemed very fool hardy. He decided to break with tradition and launch a surprise attack, during the Christmas lull. And the surprise attack would occur, under the cover of Night, he would attack the mercenary forces that were hired to fight for the British, hopefully while those mercenaries were still in bed and sleeping off Their Christmas celebrations.
There was just one problem, how to cross a frozen river with his rag tag Army and with out a proper supply of boat and vessels to accomplish this task in a short enough time, so the men could be across the river and ready for battle. This feat was frowned upon by everyone in the Army but Washington.
Now I remind you just a bit about this pivotal moment, not to just remind you of this brilliant move of Washington's, but to emphasize the importance of this maneuver in the frame of the Revolutionary War. This one event was even more important than I emphasize, but that full explanation will come at a later time, all I want You to take away from this retelling is that this one event was of Great importance.
Now if You can grasp the importance of this event, now you will understand, if even at the smallest degree, the reason why so many of Us Patriots point to this event, in the War with so much reverence and admiration for what General Washington accomplished with this move.
Now I add one more thing for you to take a close look at. Look closely at this painting of that event, now look to the right of Washington, look at the man with the row in his hand. Look like a Black Man to You, well it is. This man is Prince Whipple and he is very important to this whole story.
Prince Whipple may not have actually been present at this crossing of the Delaware, but Historians wanted to make sure that Prince Whipple was immortalized and included in this event, becasue Prince Whipple was a trusted friend and an important "missing/hidden" part of the fight for Our Liberty. Prince Whipple had to be remembered for the things he had done for Us and for the fight for Liberty.
Again I will not go into great detail about this man, Prince Whipple, as I have done so in other posts, but I will say that every year, on the 25th of December, I make sure to post a story about this 1 Man and the other Men with General Washington, as my way of making sure I never forget them and the great Sacrifice they made so I can sit in my home, at my computer and write my story, my Thank You to them, free of many oppression They all fought against. And I will never forget them on this cold, frozen night in My December, as they were all but forgotten in Their December by so many. As the time draws near in my time for the crossing They made in their time. I will think of Them, the men this Nation had all but written off as failures and I will, in my own way, in my mind, think fondly of them and Thank Them for what they did for some Guy, at a Computer in a future they knew nothing of and not knowing of me, still didn't stop Them from what They did for Me and for the Rest of million of American that they never knew....
So when the sun comes up on the 26th day of December, wherever you find Yourself, just remember to say Thank You to those men, that tossed caution to the wind and said oh well lets play against the odds and lets "Get Err Done" cause so much is riding on Us and on what We do here.
And Mr. Prince Whipple Thank You for being better than the common Men, for rising above terrible circumstance than would have destroyed other Men. Thank You Sir.
And Thank You, other nameless Patriots for helping this Man, the best You could in such perilous times..
Prince Whipple
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