What If He Had Quit?

Today is the birthday of George Washington. As I pause to reflect on the courage and wisdom of this great American, I would ask that you take just a moment to travel back in time with me.

The date is December 25, 1776. A ragtag group of soldiers, some shoeless, stood by the Pennsylvania shoreline of the Delaware River, awaiting orders from the Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army, General George Washington. Morale was at a low point. British successes on the battlefield left any hope for an American victory hanging by a thread. In six days most of the men would be free to return home, the terms of their enlistment having been fulfilled. The weather had taken a turn for the worse. Sleet, snow, and rain, driven by a fierce wind, tore through their tattered clothing.

Washington had every reason to turn back. No doubt he had been advised to give up and let his haggard troops go home now while they still had the strength to make it. His plan to cross the Delaware River, march to Trenton, NJ, and defeat a Hessian Garrison sounded ludicrous. Some today would have questioned his sanity. They would have tried to stop him through Congressional action, and if that didn't work, legal steps would most certainly have been taken. After all, he was about to embark on a mission that was doomed before it even started!

But no - George Washington gave the orders that Christmas evening to load up the boats and head across that treacherous, ice-laden river. It was 3:00 in the morning before the total contingency of about 2,400 troops made it across. Other forces attempted the crossing as well, but had to turn back. The subsequent march by Washington's troops to Trenton seemed impossible, but they made it. In spite of extreme delays, General Washington's army was able to take the Hessians by surprise, thus successfully completing that phase of their mission.

Historians have pointed to that victory as a turning point in the American Revolution. As news of the Hessian defeat spread throughout the colonies, morale was boosted, hope was renewed, and the rest is...well,...history!

The ending could have been quite different of course. What if Washington had recognized all of the odds against him and decided to quit - to just give up? Take a moment to ponder that question sometime today, and to give thanks for a leader who saw beyond the probable, and took a leap of faith.

Louise

(References included "Eye Witness to History" and "Wikipedia")