MM#76--The Christmas Miracle of 1776

Welcome to the theory to action podcast, where we examine the timeless treasures of wisdom from the great books in less time to help you take action immediately, and ultimately to create and lead a flourishing life. Now, here's your host, David Kaiser.

Hello, I'm David and welcome back to another Mojo minute. Just a couple of days ago, we celebrated Christmas one of the highest holy days in all of Christianity. And I hope you had a wonderful time with the people you love. And since most young people are no longer taught American history these days, we thought we would spend this Mojo minute as a little history lesson. Now the date was December 23 1776. And hot off the presses came a written work titled, The American crisis number one. It was written by the same author who co wrote, or rather who wrote common sense, some nine months earlier. The author's name was Thomas Paine. He wrote 12 Other pamphlets just like this one. And was instrumental in the American Revolution. This one, like I said, was just written before Christmas in 1776. Now what was going on in America in 1776, most young people, in fact, most modern Americans would perhaps have no clue begin because again, sadly, they are never taught the pivotal moments of American history. However, this was one such moment. 

The American Revolution had started in 1775. It had been 15 months from the time of the first shots fired at Lexington, and Concord, Massachusetts, to the signing of the Declaration of Independence in July of 1776. And remember, July 1776, is the actual birth date of the United States, not 1619, which some people are trying to persuade us of. But in 1776, when we signed that document to declare our freedom from Great Britain, and by the way, the Declaration of Independence is a pretty important document, it would be great to study it regularly. It's also one of the most rarest documents in the whole world, of constitutions and documents of foundings of countries. 

But let's back up to March 1776. So we understand the context of when Thomas Paine's writing took place. So as we go back to March of 1776, General George Washington, who lead the Continental Army, he is at Dorchester Heights in Boston. And he proceeds to bluff the British commander, how, by placing many cannons and the false silhouettes of cannons on the hillside overlooking Boston Harbor, and how on the British side he gets spooked and evacuate to the harbor for the safety of his troops. So if we're putting up a tally of the wins and losses, and the American Revolution, you can put this one down as a victory for the Americans. It was a bluff, but it worked. Now July of 1776 as we move forward, the same time the Declaration of Independence is being signed in Philadelphia, in New York, Britain, British and American forces are about to face off the British Army abroad over some 40 2000s soldiers and sailors. 

Many claimed at that time, it was the largest force ever to have crossed the Atlantic and by August of 1776, are assembled on Long Island. And there is a battle. Washington gets flanked by how and has to retreat via dangerous nighttime boat crossing, and what many have described as a miraculous fog that drifted in overnight. And before this, there were some minor minor battles. But this was, this was a major battle in Washington and the Americans, you should probably put this down in the tally as either retreating or were defeated. And as we move forward in the summer of we're actually from the summer and the fall of 1776. The Continental Army just suffers a horrific string of defeats from kips Bay to white plains to Fort Washington, and the eventual evacuation of Fort Lee in New Jersey, Washington only has one victory at Harlem heights. The rest of the battles are either retreats or defeats for Washington and the Continental Army. So morale is down and his soldiers are dwindling. Very fast and number. 

Now in the winter of 1776, outside Philadelphia, Washington was facing meager supplies, desertions were up. He knew there was enlistments that were expiring in the Continental Army and he was desperately seeking to find a victory anywhere and everywhere. So leading up to Christmas night he devises a plan to make a surprise attack east of him by 20 miles. And so on Christmas day in 1776. Some 245 years ago, Washington and his Continental Army crossed the Delaware River. 

Like I said, their destination was an isolated garrison of Hessen showed soldiers at Trenton, New Jersey now the Hessians were notoriously known throughout Europe as professional soldiers. They were essentially mercenaries, any country could buy them, purchase them, and they would fight on their side. Now this crossing was later known as Washington's crossing of the Delaware. And there's a famous painting in the Capitol building in the main rotunda room of the crossing of the Delaware by Washington. And most Americans have seen this in textbooks, or actually seen it in person in the rotunda. I'll put a link in the show notes. Now when I worked there. I was in charge for my member of Congress, I was in charge of the large school groups and families that would come to Washington to tour the Capitol building. And this was the very same story I'm telling you. Obviously, I will make it abbreviated. 

But I would love to be able to recount this history for the school groups and for the parents and American families because just many folks didn't know the story existed. So back to Washington back to 1776. And back to Christmas Day. And this dangerous crossing, now Colonel John Glover of the marble head regiment. They had very experienced waterman and they were instrumental in helping to guide the boats across the icy and sometimes frozen and challenging Delaware River. Now the night of the crossing, ironically, a ravaging snowstorm began, started with freezing rain moved to snow, and there was brutal winds by nightfall. The journal from one of Washington's men describes it as a quote, as perfect as a hurricane, unquote. 

The storm lasted the whole night. And by the time of the crossing, it was early December 26 1776. And after the treacherous crossing the army then had to march another several hours to the east to Trenton. In the same storm. Soldiers reported that their muskets were being locked up because of the freezing temperatures. The temperatures that night were recorded in the high 20s. It didn't look good for the likelihood of success, especially with this ravaging storm going on. Obviously, they weren't able to predict that the storm was coming. Some of the officers within Washington's executive team were trying to persuade the general to call off the attack. In addition, the army was well behind schedule after the slow crossing because of the storm because of the challenging river. 

But despite many of the pleadings Washington held firm, and after that horrific night crossing the river and the long march three hours east Washington's troops, Washington's troops surprised attack the Hishon garrison of 1000 men. Now they were not expecting this They knew it was a it was Christmas night. Traditionally, most of the armies at that time did not fight in the winter. They essentially broke camp and kind of stayed in their area. Both sides normally did not want to fight in the winter. That was just the European way of warfare at the time. And there's a lot of speculation that the hedging Garrison, most of the men were drunk.
That was the initial impression. Since then, there's been a lot of further research and many historians are kind of split on that theory. 

Now, nevertheless, what happened was Washington's troops did attacked, it was a hashing garrison of roughly about 1000 men. And after a brief fight, they surrendered. The British suffered 22 killed and 83 wounded, the rest were captured, the Americans suffered only to dead and five wounded. And by a call, by all accounts, it was a miracle. Indeed, it was a miracle. It was the Christmas miracle of 1776. Washington called it quote, a glorious day for our country. And later, he indicated that indeed, divine providence helped in the matter. So imagine yourself in the Continental Army in 1776, under the command of George Washington, and listening to these words from Thomas Paine, as you board the boats, to cross the Delaware River on Christmas night, on your way to Trenton, for this surprise, attack, and most notably for the fight of your life, and for freedom, for your freedom, for your family's freedom, and for all the descendants for all the Americans that will come after you for their freedom, if you were able to survive this battle, able to survive this war. And these are the words from Thomas Paine and the American crisis. 

These are the times that try men's souls, the summer soldier in the sunshine Patriot will, in this crisis shrink from the service of their country. But he that stands by it now deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny like hell is not easily conquered. Yet we have this constellation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtained too cheap, we esteem too lightly. It is dearness only that gives everything its value. Heaven knows how to put a put a proper plate price upon its goods. And it would be strange indeed, if so, celestial and article is freedom should not be highly rated. Britain with an army to enforce her tyranny, has declared that she has a right not only to tax but to bind us in all cases whatsoever, unquote. 

And if being bound in that matter is not slavery, then there is not such a thing as slavery upon Earth. Even the expression is in pious for so unlimited power can only belong to God. Unquote. And again, that's Thomas Paine in the American crisis. Now most students don't know of Washington's crossing. In fact, I would venture to guess, by all my anecdotal information, of asking parents that most students don't know the American Revolution, or hell, the Declaration of Independence for that matter, they've never read it. They never studied it, and that is a shame. 

And it's something we should correct going forward. But as for what happened after this Christmas miracle in 1776, here's what happened. enlistments in the Continental Army skyrocketed after the news of the incredible victory at Trenton against the Hessians. This victory helped with a good deal of equipment and guns and food and supplies, which were badly needed, and it helped the revolution to get back on its feet. This victory proved vital to restoring confidence in the Continental Army and Washington's leadership. 

The battle at Trenton against the Hessian mercenaries was no small feat. And at the time, they were some of the most highly trained and well equipped professional soldiers in the world. And without this victory of Trenton, the American Revolution most likely would have fizzled. The revolutionaries would have been hanged like every other revolutionary that gets caught is and certainly the United States as we know it wouldn't have existed.And the world would find ever be changed by this Christmas miracle of 1776. 

So in today's Mojo minute, let us appreciate our US history, the real history. Let us read that history from the good authors. Not some of the rubbish that is coming out now, but from well researched historians who are professionals and have wet read widely on the subjects because knowing our history will help us to create a better country, for our children and our grad grandchildren to grow up in. And knowing our history will most certainly help us to appreciate more, the Christmas miracle of 1776

Thank you for joining us. We hope you enjoyed this theory to action podcast. Be sure to check out our show page at T Mojo academy.com where we have everything we discussed in this podcast as well as other great resources. Until next time, keep getting your mojo on