Pod Insights American History Tellers American Revolution | The Times That Try Men's Souls | 3 About this episode In July 1776, the British Royal Navy began landing a massive armada in New York Harbor, setting up the biggest battle of the Revolutionary War. In response, General George Washington faced the daunting challenge of preparing his motley army to defend New York and keep the colonists’ hopes alive.
In the months that followed, faith in the cause of independence began to waver, and the Continental Army teetered on the brink of collapse. But on Christmas night, the Patriots made a bold strike against the British Army that began with a daring crossing of the icy Delaware River.
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0:00 Lindsay Graham? Audible subscribers can binge new seasons of American History Tellers early and ad-free right now. Join Audible in the Audible app or by subscribing on Apple Podcasts.
0:17 Lindsay Graham? Imagine it's July 1776 and you're at home in Lower Manhattan, peering out a window as rebel soldiers with the Continental Army march down your street. You jump at the sound of a heavy knock on the front door and push past a servant to open it yourself. A Continental Army officer stands on your doorstep, sweat beating on his forehead beneath his tricorn hat. You straighten your back and meet his gaze. Yes, may I help you? Good afternoon, ma'am. I've come to inform you that your home is being sequestered for the quartering of Continental Army officers. You and your family will remove yourselves at once. A stab of fear runs through you, and your hand twitches on the door handle. Well, my husband is out at the moment. Why don't you gentlemen come back later? He'll be back this evening.
1:02 Lindsay Graham? Actually, ma'am, I'm afraid your husband won't be coming home at all. He's been arrested for aiding and abetting the enemy. What do you mean? Where have you taken him? Ma'am, my orders are to secure this residence. Well, what right do you have to kick me out of my own house? My orders are explicit. Your eldest daughter appears by your side, and the officer flicks his gaze in her direction. Take whatever belongings you can carry, and the rest will be confiscated. Where are we supposed to go? Makes no difference to me. You might as well join the rest of the Tories' scum running off to Staten Island. Fact is, I don't care where you go, but you need to get out of this house. And what if I refuse? That would be unwise. Your daughter grips your arm tightly. You lean down and place your hand on her shoulder.
1:45 Lindsay Graham? All right, go upstairs and start gathering your things. Go now. As your daughter runs off, you turn back to the officer. You men are criminals. The true patriots are those who swear their allegiance to the king and respect the rule of law. Ma'am, stand aside.
2:02 Lindsay Graham? The officer ushers his men through the door, and you stumble back. With your heart hammering in your chest, you hike up your skirt and run upstairs to retrieve your children, sick with the feeling that your home is no longer yours.
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3:24 Lindsay Graham? From Audible Originals, I'm Lindsay Graham, and this is American History Tellers: Our History, Your Story.
3:45 Lindsay Graham? In July 1776, New York City became the strategic battleground of the American Revolution. As Continental Army soldiers poured into the city, hundreds of loyalists were driven from their homes, branded as traitors to the newly independent United States. Just days after Congress declared independence, the new American nation faced an ominous threat to its young existence. Great Britain had dispatched the largest armada to ever cross the Atlantic Ocean, bent on crushing the rebellion with a decisive strike against New York. And as British ships filled New York Harbor, General George Washington faced the impossible challenge of preparing his motley army for the biggest battle of the Revolutionary War.
4:28 Lindsay Graham? And in the months that followed, faith in the cause began to waver, and many wondered if Washington had what it took to lead the Patriots to victory. But he refused to give up until he had pushed his soldiers to their very limits. This is Episode 3: The Times That Try Men's Souls.
4:48 Lindsay Graham? On June 29, 1776, American lookouts stationed on Staten Island spotted white sails on the horizon. Forty-five British warships were sailing toward New York Harbor, heralding the start of a massive invasion. Three days later, just as the Continental Congress approved the Declaration of Independence, British Commander-in-Chief General William Howe began landing soldiers on New York's Staten Island, only a few miles across the harbor from Manhattan. From this Staten Island base, he awaited the arrival of more than 400 ships carrying 32,000 soldiers, 10,000 sailors, and 1,200 cannons. It was the largest attacking force to ever sail from European waters.
5:30 Lindsay Graham? And the sight of this British fleet sparked panic in New York City. Colonel Henry Knox described the scene in a letter to his brother, writing: "My God, you can scarcely conceive of the distress and anxiety, the city in an uproar, the alarm guns firing, the troops repairing to their posts." After evacuating Boston four months earlier, the British had decided to shift their focus to New York because of its vital port and central location. Both sides understood New York's strategic importance. As John Adams explained, "New York was the nexus of the northern and southern colonies, and a kind of key to the whole continent." Whoever controlled New York controlled the Hudson River, the gateway to Canada, and the interior of the continent. The British hoped that if they could seize New York,
6:15 Lindsay Graham? they could cut off New England from the rest of the colonies, isolating what they considered to be the hotbed of the rebellion. They also believed they could accomplish it without much effort. One British officer predicted: "We shall soon be done with these scoundrels, for one only dirties one's fingers by meddling with them." Another official affirmed that American soldiers were raw, undisciplined, cowardly men who would collapse under a simple show of force. The British were also counting on support from New York's large loyalist population. The city was home to a cosmopolitan merchant community and a powerful Anglican church, both closely tied to Britain. But by the summer of 1776, the Revolution had torn the city apart. For several weeks, patriot mobs had flooded the streets.
6:59 Lindsay Graham? Suspected loyalists were beaten, burned, and tarred and feathered, and dozens were hauled off to a makeshift prison in an old Connecticut copper mine, seventy feet below the earth. But despite this chaos and the fact that thousands of loyalists had already fled Manhattan, Staten Island remained a loyalist stronghold, and crowds of supporters cheered the British forces as they stepped ashore. Meanwhile, George Washington faced the problem of defending New York from the British invaders. Since April, his army of nineteen thousand men had worked day and night building defenses in Manhattan and in neighboring Brooklyn Heights. But Washington had no warships to confront the Royal Navy and only a small number of cannons. He knew his army was outmatched, admitting to his brother, "We expect a very bloody
7:44 Lindsay Graham? summer at New York, and I'm sorry to say that we are not either in men or arms prepared for it." Making matters worse, Washington had no idea when or where the British would strike. Both the British and American armies relied on spies and informants to gather intelligence on the enemy, but that summer, Washington struggled to gather reliable reports on General Howe and his brother Admiral Richard Howe, commander of the British fleet. And without good intelligence, he could only rely on rumor and his own intuition. But his questions were finally answered on August 22, 1776, when the British made their move. Under the cover of naval guns, they landed the first of twenty thousand British soldiers and Hessian mercenaries at Gravesend Bay on Long Island, only five miles south of the
8:28 Lindsay Graham? American fortifications at Brooklyn Heights. These Hessian troops, with their towering brass-plated headgear and fearsome reputations, served as a powerful propaganda tool. Some Americans even believed them capable of cannibalism. But Washington urged his troops to fight with courage, declaring, "The hour is fast approaching on which the safety of our bleeding country depends." And suspecting that the landing on Long Island was only a diversion, Washington divided his army. Leaving half of his troops in Manhattan, he posted just 10,000 men on Long Island, on defenses stretching across Gowanus Heights to the south and Brooklyn Heights to the north. But after Washington's trusted general Nathaniel Greene fell ill, command passed to another
9:10 Lindsay Graham? officer, who made the critical mistake of leaving Jamaica Pass on the left edge of Gowanus Heights unguarded. Local loyalists noticed the gap in the American defenses and passed the information to General Howe. So on the night of August 26th, with the help of three loyalist guides, 10,000 British and Hessian troops quietly slipped through Jamaica Pass and positioned themselves at the American rear. The Battle of Long Island began early the following morning, with 4,000 British and Hessian troops attacking the Continental Army head-on. The Americans managed to hold their own, but this frontal attack was only a distraction. Soon the other column of 10,000 British soldiers struck from behind. A sea of redcoats collapsed the Patriot lines and sent the inexperienced Americans fleeing
9:55 Lindsay Graham? for their lives. As the Patriots retreated to their defenses on Brooklyn Heights, roughly 400 Maryland soldiers launched repeated bayonet charges to cover their escape. Most were killed or captured, but their sacrifice helped their comrades reach safety. One German chaplain who witnessed the battle wrote, "The slaughter was horrible. I went over the battlefield among the dead, who mostly had been hacked and shot all to pieces." Washington too watched the fighting from a spyglass on Brooklyn Heights. Wringing his hands, he cried out, "What brave fellows must I lose this day?" And by noon, the bloodbath was over. The largest battle of the Revolutionary War had left 2,000 Americans killed, wounded or captured, compared to only 400 casualties on the British side.
10:40 Lindsay Graham? One British officer called the battle "a cheap and complete victory. All that remained was to finish the job by destroying what was left of Washington's defeated army."
10:53 Lindsay Graham? Imagine it's the night of August 27th, 1776, on Long Island. You are a British Army officer, and you're walking through a hallway in the home serving as General William Howe's headquarters. You knock softly on the open door of Howe's study, where he sits alone in a high-backed chair, a glass of wine in his hand. Good evening, General. May I speak freely? Howe looks up with an expression of mild surprise. Uh, what is it? You take a seat in the chair opposite him by the fire. Well, to start, I must congratulate you on today's victory. Howe raises his glass in gratitude. Thankfully, he was not too dearly bought. That's just it, sir. We're so close to accomplishing our goals, we have the Americans surrounded with the East River to their backs. They're crowded inside their defenses with nowhere to go.
11:38 Lindsay Graham? I believe it's time we press our advantage. Let's storm the American lines on Brooklyn Heights and be done with it. No. No, I won't sacrifice any more of my men than absolutely necessary. I won't subject this army to another bunker hill. What do you mean, sir? Do you suggest we sit back? Give them time to rebuild their strength? I simply don't see any reason to hurry, given how well today went. You shake your head. Howe almost never sees reason to hurry. I'm afraid I don't understand. Patience. I have Washington right where I want him. All we must do now is wait for my brother to move his warships behind their position to prevent their escape across the river. We'll wear them down with a siege, not slaughter. But, sir, we are losing the chance to demolish the rebels in one final stroke. No.
12:22 Lindsay Graham? If I cause unnecessary bloodshed in the American ranks, the rebellious colonies will never accept the authority of the Crown. Don't you see? We will lose them forever. But, sir, if we don't finish the job, our men who died today will have died in vain. Howe drains his wine glass. You feel the heat of his steely gaze. I will not initiate a massacre if I don't have to. Besides, any day now, the Americans will see their error and begin to negotiate. They'll realize they can't go on like this. You rise from your chair, working hard to contain your frustration. Very well, sir. I will take my leave. You step back into the hall, furious with Howe for refusing to end this war now.
13:04 Lindsay Graham? Your mind drifts to the American camps, and the thought that every moment that Howe hesitates, victory slips further from your grasp.
13:15 Lindsay Graham? After the Battle of Long Island, the Patriots were trapped on Brooklyn Heights with their backs to the East River, which separated Brooklyn from Manhattan. But General William Howe, remembering the cost of the victory at Bunker Hill, failed to press the attack. One Continental Army officer declared, “General Howe is either our friend or no general. He had our whole army in his power.” Instead, Howe stood down, just as a storm blew in on August 28th, and kept the British fleet from entering the East River. The drenching rain gave Washington time to orchestrate a daring evacuation. The following night, under the cover of thick fog, boats crewed by a regiment of fishermen, smugglers, and seamen from Marblehead, Massachusetts, began ferrying 9,000 soldiers across the East River to Manhattan.
14:00 Lindsay Graham? Washington himself was the last to leave. And when dawn broke, the British discovered that the Americans had vanished. Despite their crushing defeat, Washington had pulled off a miraculous retreat, and his army lived to fight another day. The next two weeks brought a lull in the fighting, during which General Howe hoped the Americans would come to their senses and negotiate a peace. To that end, on September 11th, his brother Admiral Richard Howe invited Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and South Carolina’s Edward Rutledge to meet with him at the home of a Staten Island loyalist. Over a meal of mutton, ham, and wine, the admiral offered a truce, insisting, “If America should fail, I should feel and lament it like the loss of a brother.”
14:42 Lindsay Graham? With a wry grin, Franklin replied, “We will do our utmost endeavors to save your lordship that mortification.” The talks broke down when the Americans insisted on a full recognition of United States sovereignty. Howe’s secretary summarized the day by writing, “They met, they talked, they parted, and now nothing remains but to fight it out.” Then, four days after this fruitless meeting, the British renewed their offensive, landing thousands of troops at Kipps Bay on Manhattan Island. As the British seized control, panic spread through the Continental Army. Entire regiments threw down their muskets in the face of the British invaders. Washington tried and failed to get his troops to make a stand, even swatting at passing soldiers with his sword, a futile attempt to stop them from fleeing.
15:27 Lindsay Graham? He cried out, “Good God, have I got such troops as these?” But facing this chaotic retreat, Washington withdrew his army north to Harlem Heights, where his soldiers rallied and drove back a British detachment, a minor clash, but a badly needed morale boost. Meanwhile, as the British took over New York City, patriots fled and loyalists poured back in from the surrounding countryside. Soon, hundreds of loyalists signed oaths affirming their allegiance to the king. And for the rest of the war, New York became Britain’s primary stronghold in America. But just days after the British occupation, a massive nighttime fire destroyed a quarter of the city. No one knew the cause, but British officials suspected rebel arsonists. Soldiers captured and executed suspects on the spot
16:12 Lindsay Graham? as thousands of residents fled the burning city. And those who remained faced a devastating housing and food crisis. But for now, the main theater of the war shifted away from New York as the British chased Washington’s battered army across the Hudson to New Jersey. And after Washington’s poor showing in Manhattan, a new rival emerged to challenge the general’s leadership, promising to rescue the Continental Army from the jaws of defeat.
16:42 Lindsay Graham? By 1779, Benedict Arnold had sacrificed more for the Revolution than almost any other man in America. One of George Washington’s most effective commanders, he had nearly lost a leg in the Second Battle of Saratoga. But in return, Arnold believed he had been humiliated by Congress and cheated of his glory by lesser men. So he decided to make them pay. Hi, I’m Lindsay Graham, the host of the podcast American Scandal. We bring to life some of the biggest controversies in U.S. history: presidential lies, environmental disasters, corporate fraud. In our latest series, Benedict Arnold turns his back on his comrades in the Continental Army and secretly defects to the British. With the help of his wife, he plots to hand over the most important colonial fortress
17:26 Lindsay Graham? to the enemy and doom the revolution he once served. Follow American Scandal wherever you get your podcasts. Audible subscribers can binge all episodes of American Scandal early and ad-free right now. Join Audible in the Audible app or by subscribing on Apple Podcasts.
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18:48 Lindsay Graham? In the summer of 1776, while most of the Continental Army was facing the British in New York City, Benedict Arnold was upstate, tasked with building the first United States naval fleet. Following their disastrous loss in Quebec the previous winter, Arnold's men retreated to Fort Ticonderoga on the southern end of Lake Champlain. This lake, stretching 120 miles down from the Canadian border toward the Hudson River, was a strategic route between British-held Canada and America. Knowing that a British advance down the lake was all but inevitable, Arnold would have to transform the tiny American fleet, then just four ships, into a force capable of challenging the British Royal Navy. Arnold, now a brigadier general, was still limping
19:31 Lindsay Graham? from a leg wound suffered in Quebec. Smallpox and other diseases had ravaged Ticonderoga, so that only half of the 11,000 Americans manning the fort were fit for duty. And Arnold faced severe shortages of iron, guns, skilled shipbuilders, and experienced sailors. He complained, "We have a wretched, motley crew in the fleet. The Marines are the refuse of every regiment, and the seamen, few of them ever wet with saltwater." But somehow Arnold overcame these obstacles and managed to have sixteen ships ready by October, when a much larger British fleet sailed down Lake Champlain from the Canadian border. And on October 11th, the British found Arnold's fleet lurking in the waters behind Valcour Island, and a fierce cannon battle began.
20:15 Lindsay Graham? By nightfall, several American ships were crippled or sinking, but the rest managed to slip away under the cover of darkness. But as they retreated over the next two days, a British pursuit forced Arnold's sailors to burn nearly all their remaining ships, rather than let them fall into British hands. Americans managed to escape overland, but were forced to leave Lake Champlain under British control. But despite this loss, the American resistance disrupted the British advance from Canada. British leaders decided to delay plans to seize control of the Hudson River Valley until the following spring, buying the Continental Army much-needed time to gather strength. Meanwhile, 200 miles to the south, George Washington was facing questions about his
20:58 Lindsay Graham? leadership after his army's catastrophic defeat on Long Island. Misjudging his enemy's intentions, Washington had divided his already outnumbered forces between Manhattan and Brooklyn, a move contrary to conventional military wisdom. And he had failed to secure Jamaica Pass, allowing the British to march to his rear. John Adams, leader of the Congressional Committee in Charge of War Operations, put it succinctly: "In general, our generals were outgeneraled." And then at the end of October 1776, Washington suffered another defeat at White Plains, New York, when the British forced the Americans to retreat across the Hudson River to New Jersey. But Washington refused to abandon Fort Washington, the last American stronghold on Manhattan Island.
21:42 Lindsay Graham? He ordered General Nathaniel Greene to hold the fort for as long as he could, but on November 16th, 8,000 British and Hessian troops overwhelmed Greene's 3,000 defenders. It was the final loss of Washington's disastrous New York campaign. He confessed his feelings of despair in a letter to his brother, writing: "This has given me great mortification. I'm wearied almost to death with the retrograde motion of things." Washington's poor performance had earned him many critics, and the loudest was also his new second-in-command, General Charles Lee, a rough-mannered veteran of the French and Indian War. He was known for his long, hooked nose and his hot temper, so much so that Mohawk Indians named him "boiling water."
22:24 Lindsay Graham? He had gained praise for defending Charleston, South Carolina, after British forces tried to attack the city in June 1776, and he resented that Congress had passed him over for leadership of the Continental Army in favor of the less experienced Washington. So that fall, when Lee learned about the loss of Fort Washington, he reportedly became so angry that he tore out some of his own hair. In a letter to a member of Congress and fellow critic of Washington, Lee angled for command of the army himself, writing, "I must entreat that you will keep what I say to yourself, but I foresaw, predicted, all that has happened. Had I the powers, I could do you much good." But while patriot leaders fought amongst themselves, the British crossed the Hudson
23:06 Lindsay Graham? River into New Jersey and began marching six miles south towards their next target, Fort Lee, named after Charles Lee himself. Nathaniel Greene organized a hasty evacuation, surrendering the fort without a fight, so his troops could not be trapped by the superior British force. The next day, Washington wrote to General Lee, urging him to bring his troops to New Jersey so they could join forces to stop the British advance, but Lee ignored the request. So the retreat continued, but soldiers were not the only ones caught in the chaos. As Washington's army fled across New Jersey, the women who kept it functioning were swept up in the danger as well. During the American Revolution, thousands of women, mostly soldiers' wives, kept the
23:47 Lindsay Graham? army functioning by handling essential tasks such as cooking, cleaning, mending clothes, and caring for the sick and wounded in the camps. Washington often resented the burden of feeding camp followers, calling them a "clog" in the army's efficiency, especially when they were pregnant or traveling with children. But he also recognized their vital contributions to morale. And boosting morale was more critical than ever in the fall of 1776. Between August and November, consecutive defeats and widespread desertion had depleted the Continental Army, reducing Washington's command from 19,000 soldiers to roughly 3,500. So to fill the ranks, he issued calls for militia reinforcements from New Jersey and Pennsylvania, but his appeals were met with silence.
24:31 Lindsay Graham? Washington and his officers complained that the part-time volunteers were unreliable, with General Green declaring, "Militiamen who come and go every month retain all the tender feelings of domestic life and are thus not sufficiently fortified to stand the shocking scenes of war." Washington hoped turned the tide with another major battle, but with his army rapidly dwindling, General Howe saw no reason to engage him. One British officer gloated, "Their army is broken all to pieces, and the spirit of their leaders and their abettors is all broken. One may venture to pronounce that it is well nigh over with them." And at the end of November, the British capitalized on the near collapse of the Continental Army by taking steps to restore the Crown's rule in New Jersey.
25:14 Lindsay Graham? They offered residents a free and general pardon if they swore allegiance to the King within 60 days. More than 3,000 New Jersey residents took the oath, and hundreds joined loyalist forces to fight alongside the British. And as the British tightened their grip on New Jersey, the patriot government there fled the state. In their wake, British troops harassed and terrorized civilians, plundering homes for food and supplies, and sexually assaulting local women. Patriot militias fought back with violence of their own, prompting a Hessian officer to write, "The rascal peasants meet our men and shoot them in the head, and quickly hide their rifles and pretend they know nothing." Meanwhile, Washington's troops continued to melt away, and Charles Lee continued ignoring repeated requests for aid.
25:58 Lindsay Graham? To save his diminishing army and escape the pursuing British, on December 8, Washington led the battered remnants of his army across the Delaware River into Pennsylvania. Aware that the British would follow, he ordered his soldiers to round up all boats on the New Jersey side, attempting to cut off their pursuit. And with the British drawing closer to Pennsylvania, Congress decided to flee Philadelphia for Baltimore. It was not until the second week of December that General Charles Lee finally began leading his force across New Jersey to join up with Washington. Despite the frustrating delay, Washington was deeply relieved by the news, writing, "General Lee is on his march to join me. If he can affect this junction, our army will again make a respectable appearance and disappoint the enemy in their plan on Philadelphia."
26:43 Lindsay Graham? Washington was counting on Lee to come through, but Lee was in no mood to rush and chose to spend the night of December 12th at an isolated tavern away from his troops, a decision he would soon regret.
26:58 Lindsay Graham? Imagine it's the morning of December 13th, 1776, in the upstairs room of a tavern near Veal Town, New Jersey. You're an aide to General Charles Lee, and you're busy packing his trunk while he lingers over breakfast in his old blue dressing gown and slippers. For the last half hour, he's been writing a letter to a fellow officer about George Washington. He holds it up to read aloud. How does this sound? "A certain great man is damnably difficult. In short, unless something changes, we are lost." You look up from folding socks and nod. Quite right, sir. Everyone can see that Washington is to blame for our troubles. But at the sound of horses outside, you move to the window and catch sight of a company of British Dragoons in green uniforms approaching. Oh, General, you better come and look.
27:43 Lindsay Graham? The Dragoons reach the front of the tavern, and their commanding officer waves his saber in the air. You jerk back from the window, dropping out of sight. Sir, the British cavalry are here. But Lee's attention is still fixed on his letter. He signs his name with a flourish. I'm sorry, what was that? Sir, the cavalry are here, and they have us surrounded. You peer back over the windowsill, just as one of the Dragoons raises his saber and hacks through the arm of Lee's guard standing at the entrance to the tavern. The commanding officer scans the windows as several of his men raise their rifles. Sir, they must know you are here. They've got their rifles aimed right at us. Lee looks at you in panic. What am I to do? You glance out the window and are horrified by what you see. My God, they're readying torches.
28:28 Lindsay Graham? Sir, they mean to set fire to the building. You turn to Lee, and you've never seen him so scared. Surely, they won't go through with it. Do you really want to take the chance? I think you'd better give yourself up, sir. There's no way out. Ah, damn it. Very well. I won't be shot at like a rat in a corner. You nod and return to the window, your knees shaking as you open it. Hold your fire! The general's coming out.
28:54 Lindsay Graham? You turn to face Lee, who stands in a corner, pale and rigid. Even as you offer him a grim nod of encouragement, you're terrified about what will become of you now that your fate rests in the hands of the British.
29:09 Lindsay Graham? On the morning of December 13th, 1776, General Charles Lee was in a New Jersey tavern, finishing a letter criticizing Washington as damnably deficient, when he heard musket balls striking the building. A local loyalist had discovered Lee's location and tipped off the British cavalry. With no means of escape, Lee went outside and surrendered, while still in his dress and gown and slippers. The British were elated. They considered Lee to be America's best general and an unforgivable traitor to the Crown. His capture sparked raucous celebrations in the British camps, and Washington called the loss of Lee a severe blow. Still privately, he expressed frustrations at Lee for being foolish enough to spend the night away from his army, alone and vulnerable. But what was worse,
29:54 Lindsay Graham? without Lee's reinforcements, who remained on the march in New Jersey, Washington was left with only 3,000 men under his command. Congress was on the run, and confidence in the patriot cause was dwindling. With the Continental Army on the verge of disintegration, Washington knew that his next move could decide whether the revolution lived or died.
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31:16 Lindsay Graham? As the year 1776 drew to a close, the Continental Army teetered on the brink of collapse. George Washington's ragged troops camped along the western banks of the Delaware River in threadbare uniforms. In a letter to his cousin, Washington confessed, "Your imagination can scarce extend to a situation more distressing than mine." Most pressing of all, Washington's army was set to dissolve in a matter of days. His best-trained soldiers belonged to Continental regiments from New England, who'd signed up for one-year enlistments the previous January. Once their terms expired on New Year's Eve, Washington expected they would follow the pattern of other regiments and return home, leaving him with just 1,200 men. The previous month,
31:59 Lindsay Graham? Washington had sent out appeals for more men, but there had been little response. Then, slowly, scattered soldiers and militiamen began arriving from as far away as Fort Ticonderoga, as did 2,000 troops who had served under the captured Charles Lee. As these surprise reinforcements trickled into the camps, they raised the number of men fit for duty to 6,000. Another critical boost came from Thomas Paine, author of the bestselling pamphlet, Common Sense. Paine had joined the Continental Army as a volunteer civilian aide to General Nathaniel Greene, and the pair bonded over their shared love of literature and political philosophy. So every night, as the army retreated across New Jersey, Paine worked on a new essay titled,
32:41 Lindsay Graham? "The American Crisis." It began, "These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country. But he that stands it now deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered. Yet we have this consolation with us: the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph." In the days leading up to Christmas, copies of "The American Crisis" were printed and distributed throughout the ranks. Officers read it aloud to harden their soldiers' resolve and remind them what they were fighting for. But despite Paine's powerful words, Washington knew that patriotic appeals alone would not be
33:22 Lindsay Graham? enough to encourage troops to re-enlist. He needed a victory on the field of battle, so he planned a bold gamble: a surprise attack on an enemy garrison in Trenton, New Jersey, manned by 1,500 Hessian soldiers. By this time in late December, with the weather getting colder and Congress in flight, British Commander General Howe had decided to follow the common 18th-century practice of retiring until spring to avoid the hardships of winter campaigning. Confident he could finish off Washington's weakened army the following year, Howe retired most of his army in New York, but he had left Hessian mercenaries to guard a string of garrisons across New Jersey to hold the ground they'd gained, including this one in Trenton. So to take it, Washington planned
34:06 Lindsay Graham? three simultaneous crossings of the icy Delaware River on Christmas night. Two smaller columns would cross downriver, while Washington himself would lead the main attacking force of 2,400 men. After arriving in New Jersey, Washington would then march them nine miles to surprise the Hessians at Trenton at dawn. His goal with this bold attack was not to regain territory, but to restore faith in the cause of independence by proving that his army could still win a fight. So that Christmas night in 1776, Washington's soldiers prepared to cross the ice-clogged Delaware River. Even though the point of crossing was only 300 yards wide, the army faced a daunting challenge. Colonel Henry Knox, who had brought the Tyconderoga cannons to Boston the previous
34:50 Lindsay Graham? year, oversaw logistics, while the same Massachusetts sailors and fishermen who had rescued the army after the Battle of Long Island were tasked with navigating the treacherous icy waters. Snow, freezing rain, and fierce winds lashed the soldiers as they dodged chunks of floating ice. Washington planned to complete the crossing by midnight, but it wasn't until 3:00 a.m. that all 2,400 soldiers managed to reach the Eastern Bank, along with 100 horses and 18 cannons. Although a handful of soldiers fell into the icy waters, not a single man had died, but the troops were freezing and exhausted, and Trenton was still nine miles away.
35:31 Lindsay Graham? Imagine it's 3 o'clock in the morning on the eastern banks of the Delaware River in New Jersey. You're the chief artillery officer in the Continental Army, and falling sleet clouds your vision as you trudge through the snow to speak with General George Washington. He sits on a crate beside a small campfire, pulling his coat tight across his chest. You crouch beside him, hoping the fire will warm you. Well, we've made it, sir. Not a single man lost. They're bringing the last cannon across the river now, but I'm afraid we're running three hours behind schedule. Washington nods, his mouth set in a grim line. It's not surprising, given the conditions. I've never seen such a violent storm. Who could have predicted this? Yes, and I must admit, sir, I'm worried about our chances.
36:14 Lindsay Graham? By the time we get going, it's going to be nearly 4:00 in the morning, far too late to surprise the Hessians with a predawn attack. Our plans hinge on the element of surprise. Would it not be safer to call it off and withdraw? Withdraw? How can we? A retreat would be too dangerous. If the Hessians catch the troops mid-river, they'll be easy targets for the marksmen on the banks. Yes, but if we continue, these men, they face nine miles of marching on roads slick with ice and snow. The Hessians will surely see us coming. Their sentries would have to be blind to miss more than 2,000 of us approaching Trenton in broad daylight. The last thing we want is a fight on the open road. That may be true, but I can't put the troops through another river crossing, not now, not after the night they've just been through. I won't risk any more damage to their morale.
36:59 Lindsay Graham? No, we will not be turning back. We will have to fight in the daylight. You open your mouth to protest, then think better of it. Ah, yes, sir. I'll ready the forces. But remember, we must maintain absolute silence, and I won't permit any stragglers. No man falls behind. Yes, sir. And may God have mercy on our souls. You raise your hand in trembling salute, then turn to walk back to the cannons. Although you admire Washington's resolve, privately you fear that no matter whether the Army attacks or retreats, this plan is doomed to fail.
37:38 Lindsay Graham? At four o'clock in the morning on December 26, 1776, George Washington began leading his men on the march to Trenton. They were four hours behind schedule, the storm was getting worse, and only Washington's own column had made it across, giving him only half the force he anticipated. Downstream, the freezing weather had prevented the other two columns from crossing at all. The nine-mile march claimed the lives of two men who succumbed to the cold and had to be left behind. But the rest arrived at the Hessian garrison in Trenton just at daybreak. Washington feared that they had lost the element of surprise, but the winter storm had caused the Hessians to lower their guard. They neglected to send out patrols that morning, assuming the Americans would never attempt an attack in this severe weather.
38:23 Lindsay Graham? So upon arrival, Washington divided his forces, with one attacking from the north and the other from the south. The assault lasted only forty-five minutes. When it was over, twenty-two Hessians lay dead or dying, eighty-three more were wounded, and nine hundred were captured. The Americans counted only five wounded. In the days that followed, newspapers celebrated the Patriots' stealthy night march and overwhelming victory. Washington's amateur army had finally won respect, but enlistments for his best soldiers were still due to expire in only five days. So on New Year's Eve, Washington gathered the soldiers in Trenton and pleaded with them to stay, but not a single man volunteered. So he tried again.
39:05 Lindsay Graham? Wheeling his horse around and riding out to the front of the men, he declared, "My brave fellows, you have done all I asked you to do and more than can reasonably be expected, but your country is at stake, your wives, your houses, and all that you hold dear. The present is emphatically the crisis which is to decide our destiny." And this time, one by one, the soldiers stepped forward, until more than half of the New England troops agreed to stay on for another six weeks. With faith in their cause restored, three days later, the soldiers left their campfires in Trenton burning as a ruse, and slipped away in the night to attack a smaller British detachment in Princeton, New Jersey. Washington himself rode into the fray on his white horse, risking gunfire to break the British line.
39:50 Lindsay Graham? Galloping after the retreating enemy, he shouted, "It's a fine fox chase, my boys." And when the battle was over, red blood stained the snow-covered field. But the Americans had suffered only seventy casualties, compared to four hundred fifty on the British side. Afterwards, Washington's army settled into winter camp in the village of Morristown, New Jersey. Now that the Patriots had the upper hand in New Jersey, the British pulled back, abandoning local loyalists, and patriot militias set out to punish those who had sworn loyalty to the king. The victories at Trenton and Princeton restored the Patriots' morale, disrupted the British advance toward Philadelphia, and proved that George Washington had what it took to lead the Continental Army.
40:32 Lindsay Graham? At last, there was a glimmer of hope that the Patriots might actually achieve the impossible and win America's independence. From Audible Originals, this is episode three of our six-part series on the American Revolution for American history tellers. In the next episode, Benjamin Franklin travels to France in pursuit of a military alliance, a mission that hinged on America's success on the battlefield. And in the spring of 1777, the British plot a grand scheme to crush the rebellion, culminating in the pivotal Battle of Saratoga. American History Tellers is only possible because of listeners like you, so thank you. And don't miss an episode.
41:13 Lindsay Graham? Be sure to follow American History Tellers on Audible or wherever you get your podcasts. Audible subscribers can binge new seasons of American History Tellers early and ad-free right now. Join Audible in the Audible app or by subscribing on Apple Podcasts. And to find out more about me, including my other podcasts, my live show, the history tours I'm arranging, and all sorts of other things, go to historyishuman.com. That's historyishuman.com. American History Tellers is hosted, edited, and produced by me, Lindsay Graham, for Airship. This episode is written by Ellie Stanton, edited by Dorian Marina, senior producers Alida Rozansky and Andy Herman, managing producer Desi Blalock, audio editing by
41:57 Lindsay Graham? Mohamed Chazib, music by Thrun, sound design by Molly Bach, executive producer for Audible, Jenny Lauer-Beckman, head of creative development at Audible, Kate Nevin, head of Audible Originals North America, Marshall Louis, chief content officer, Rachel Giatze. Copyright 2026 by Audible Originals LLC. Sound recording copyright 2026 by Audible Originals LLC.
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