Mistakes are made by even the wisest of men. The key is to learn from those mistakes and make adjustments in the future. Washington was able to make the changes necessary for victory after loss. He was persistent and determined to form a strong defense in order to form a solid government for, of and by the people. I look forward to a continuation of this story, Tara.
It's always amazing how we Monday morning quarterback the decisions made. Yes it would have been best to evacuate and live to fight another day, along with taking all those provisions away from the British. But as you said, that winter was on its way with a momentous battle that lives in our hearts. God was definitely leading!!!
It's easy to see now just how Divine Providence played such a dominant role in the Patriots ultimate victory over the far superior British forces. The many narrow escapes from lost battles and the now obviously poor tactics due to inferior strategy should by all rights have been game over for the American forces. But, mistakes didn't seal the fate of the rebellion. It just caused the Americans to regroup and fight again. Without the hand of God I seriously doubt that we could have defeated the British.
God bless the United States of America, the greatest nation this world has ever seen. Maybe, just maybe, we have begun to see another chance of keeping this great nation the greatest ever.
Thank you Tara for bringing history to our doors every day.
Hear Hear, I raise my toast to a most eloquent analysis.
It seems like the current administration is trying to hamstring our new leadership to take over on 1/20/25, but God's hand will help to win the war and lead our great nation once again,
I have wondered why they had so many men and why they didn’t evacuate Fort Washington while they could. Washington showed very strong trust in Colonel Mahan and General Greene. However, it reinforced Washington’s wisdom on not getting his army trapped.
The fog of war is real. Washington's indecision about deserting Forts Washington and Lee set the Continental Army back for months, but victory was on the horizon.
“As I was with the troops at fort Lee, and marched with them to the edge of Pennsylvania, I am well acquainted with many circumstances, which those who live at a distance know but little or nothing of. Our situation there was exceedingly cramped, the place being a narrow neck of land between the North river and the Hackensack. Our force was inconsiderable, being not one fourth so great as Howe could bring against us. We had no army at hand to have relieved the garrison, had we shut ourselves up and stood on the defensive. Our ammunition, light artillery, and the best part of our stores, had been removed upon the apprehension that Howe would endeavor to penetrate the Jerseys, in which case Fort Lee could be of no use to us; for it must occur to every thinking man, whether in the army or not, that these kind of field forts are only for temporary purposes, and last in use no longer than the enemy directs his force against the particular object, which such forts are raised to defend. Such was our situation and condition at Fort Lee on the morning of the 20th of November, when an officer arrived with information, that the enemy with 200 boats had landed about seven or eight miles above: Major General Green, who commanded the garrison, immediately ordered them under arms, and sent express to General Washington at the town of Hackensack, distant by the way of the ferry six miles. Our first object was to secure the bridge over the Hackensack, which laid up the river between the enemy and us, about six miles from us and three from them. General Washington arrived in about three-quarters of an hour, and marched at the head of the troops towards the bridge, which place I expected we should have a brush for; however they did not choose to dispute it with us, and the greatest part of our troops went over the bridge, the rest over the ferry, except some which passed at a mill on a small creek, between the bridge and the ferry, and made their way through some marshy grounds up to the town of Hackensack, and there passed the river. We brought off as much baggage as the wagons could contain, the rest was lost. The simple object was to bring off the garrison, and march them on till they could be strengthened by the Jersey or Pennsylvania militia, so as to be enabled to make a stand. We staid four days at Newark, collected our out-posts with some of the Jersey militia, and marched out twice to meet the enemy, on information of their being advancing, though our numbers were greatly inferior to theirs. Howe, in my little opinion, committed a great error in generalship, in not throwing a body of forces off from Staten-Island through Amboy, by which means he might have seized all our stores at Brunswick, and intercepted our march into Pennsylvania: But, if we believe the power of hell to be limited, we must likewise believe that their agents are under some providential controul.”
Mistakes are made by even the wisest of men. The key is to learn from those mistakes and make adjustments in the future. Washington was able to make the changes necessary for victory after loss. He was persistent and determined to form a strong defense in order to form a solid government for, of and by the people. I look forward to a continuation of this story, Tara.
It's always amazing how we Monday morning quarterback the decisions made. Yes it would have been best to evacuate and live to fight another day, along with taking all those provisions away from the British. But as you said, that winter was on its way with a momentous battle that lives in our hearts. God was definitely leading!!!
It's easy to see now just how Divine Providence played such a dominant role in the Patriots ultimate victory over the far superior British forces. The many narrow escapes from lost battles and the now obviously poor tactics due to inferior strategy should by all rights have been game over for the American forces. But, mistakes didn't seal the fate of the rebellion. It just caused the Americans to regroup and fight again. Without the hand of God I seriously doubt that we could have defeated the British.
God bless the United States of America, the greatest nation this world has ever seen. Maybe, just maybe, we have begun to see another chance of keeping this great nation the greatest ever.
Thank you Tara for bringing history to our doors every day.
Hear Hear, I raise my toast to a most eloquent analysis.
It seems like the current administration is trying to hamstring our new leadership to take over on 1/20/25, but God's hand will help to win the war and lead our great nation once again,
God Bless the USA!!!!!!
My sentiments exactly Wally 💯 👌 👏
It's definitely easier to read of these retreats &/or defeats in battle, knowing the USA would win the war! 🇺🇲🇺🇸🇺🇲🇺🇸
Indeed.
Freedom persevered in the heart's of those Patriots. Something the British just couldn't understand. Thank you Tara for all you do. 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
I have wondered why they had so many men and why they didn’t evacuate Fort Washington while they could. Washington showed very strong trust in Colonel Mahan and General Greene. However, it reinforced Washington’s wisdom on not getting his army trapped.
The fog of war is real. Washington's indecision about deserting Forts Washington and Lee set the Continental Army back for months, but victory was on the horizon.
“As I was with the troops at fort Lee, and marched with them to the edge of Pennsylvania, I am well acquainted with many circumstances, which those who live at a distance know but little or nothing of. Our situation there was exceedingly cramped, the place being a narrow neck of land between the North river and the Hackensack. Our force was inconsiderable, being not one fourth so great as Howe could bring against us. We had no army at hand to have relieved the garrison, had we shut ourselves up and stood on the defensive. Our ammunition, light artillery, and the best part of our stores, had been removed upon the apprehension that Howe would endeavor to penetrate the Jerseys, in which case Fort Lee could be of no use to us; for it must occur to every thinking man, whether in the army or not, that these kind of field forts are only for temporary purposes, and last in use no longer than the enemy directs his force against the particular object, which such forts are raised to defend. Such was our situation and condition at Fort Lee on the morning of the 20th of November, when an officer arrived with information, that the enemy with 200 boats had landed about seven or eight miles above: Major General Green, who commanded the garrison, immediately ordered them under arms, and sent express to General Washington at the town of Hackensack, distant by the way of the ferry six miles. Our first object was to secure the bridge over the Hackensack, which laid up the river between the enemy and us, about six miles from us and three from them. General Washington arrived in about three-quarters of an hour, and marched at the head of the troops towards the bridge, which place I expected we should have a brush for; however they did not choose to dispute it with us, and the greatest part of our troops went over the bridge, the rest over the ferry, except some which passed at a mill on a small creek, between the bridge and the ferry, and made their way through some marshy grounds up to the town of Hackensack, and there passed the river. We brought off as much baggage as the wagons could contain, the rest was lost. The simple object was to bring off the garrison, and march them on till they could be strengthened by the Jersey or Pennsylvania militia, so as to be enabled to make a stand. We staid four days at Newark, collected our out-posts with some of the Jersey militia, and marched out twice to meet the enemy, on information of their being advancing, though our numbers were greatly inferior to theirs. Howe, in my little opinion, committed a great error in generalship, in not throwing a body of forces off from Staten-Island through Amboy, by which means he might have seized all our stores at Brunswick, and intercepted our march into Pennsylvania: But, if we believe the power of hell to be limited, we must likewise believe that their agents are under some providential controul.”
—Thomas Paine: Crisis I, December 27, 1776
🇺🇲 At times, it's truly hard to believe we won the Revolutionary War. Glad our founders were a stubborn and resourceful bunch. 🇺🇸
Thank you, Tara.