the Battle of Yorktown—Victory that forced British surrender
SACRIFICE AND RISK: PROFILES IN COURAGE
Soldiers face great risk each day in war, as they enter harm’s way. Part of their training and commitment is to prepare for the “ultimate sacrifice” of laying down their lives for their country. Washington’s heroic and martial spirit shone from his earliest military days in his extraordinary survival of enemy fire. But it was also seen in his letters as he grieved over the suffering civilians that he sought to protect with woefully inadequate forces in the aftermath of Braddock’s defeat. Writing to Robert Dinwiddie on April 22, 1756, he openly poured out his distressed heart:
George Washington in military regalia
Your Honor may see to what unhappy straits the distressed inhabitants as well as I, am reduced. I am too little acquainted, Sir, with pathetic language, to attempt a description of the people’s distresses, though I have a generous soul, sensible of wrongs, and swelling for redress. But what can I do? If bleeding, dying! would glut their insatiate revenge, I would be a willing offering to savage fury, and die by inches to save a people! I see their situation, know their danger, and participate in their sufferings, without having it in my power to give them further relief, than uncertain promises. In short, I see inevitable destruction in so clear a light, that, unless vigorous measures are taken by the Assembly, and speedy assistance sent from below, the poor inhabitants that are now in forts, must unavoidably fall, while the remainder of the country are flying before the barbarous foe. In fine, the melancholy situation of the people, the little prospect of assistance, the gross and scandalous abuses cast upon the officers in general, which is reflecting upon me in particular, for suffering misconducts of such extraordinary kinds, and the distant prospects, if any, that I can see, of gaining honor and reputation in the service, are motives which cause me to lament the hour, that gave me a commission, and would induce me, at any other time than this of imminent danger, to resign without one hesitating moment, a command, which I never expect to reap either honor or benefit from; but, on the contrary, have almost an absolute certainty of incurring displeasure below, while the murder of poor innocent babes and helpless families may be laid to my account here!
The supplicating tears of the women, and moving petitions from the men, melt me into such deadly sorrow, that I solemnly declare, if I know my own mind, I could offer myself a willing sacrifice to the butchering enemy, provided that would contribute to the people’s ease.29
As a young soldier, he had been ready to lay down his life, if necessary. This was true of the commander in chief of the Revolutionary Army as well. Again and again he risked his life, whether in the face of attempted assassination30 or of deadly fire, as he openly exposed himself to the enemy to rally his men to stand their ground. Referring to the Battle of Germantown, George Washington Parke Custis wrote, “...the exposure of his person became so imminent, that his officers, after affectionately remonstrating with him in vain, seized the bridle of his horse.” General Sullivan said, “I saw our brave commander-in-chief...exposing himself to the hottest fire of the enemy in such a manner, that regard for my country obliged me to ride to him and beg him to retire. He, to gratify me and some others, withdrew to a small distance, but his anxiety for the fate of the day soon brought him up again where he remained till our troops had retreated.”31 The same fearlessness was seen at Trenton and Princeton.32 In the battle for New York, where he was almost captured as his troops were in a panicked retreat, his willingness to expose himself to the enemy may have even had an element of anger or despair.33 But perhaps the most picturesque example of his seeming immunity to enemy fire occurred at Monmouth,34 which prompted a reminder from Dr. Craik of the Indian Prophecy. George Washington Parke Custis, writes,
...Heedless of the remonstrances and entreaties of his officers, the commander-in chief exposed his person to every danger throughout the action of the twenty-eighth of June. The night before the battle of Monmouth, a party of the general officers assembled, and resolved upon a memorial to the chief, praying that he would not expose his person in the approaching conflict.
In other words, Washington’s men attempted to formally compel their general to not put himself in harm’s way. Custis continues,
His high and chivalric daring and contempt for danger at the battle of Princeton, and again at Germantown, where his officers seized the bridle of his horse, made his friends the more anxious for the preservation of a life so dear to all, and so truly important to the success of the common cause. It was determined that the memorial should be presented by Doctor Craik, the companion-inarms of Colonel Washington in the war of 1755; but Craik at once assured the memorialists that, while their petition would be received as a proof of their affectionate regard for their general’s safety, it would not weigh a feather in preventing the exposure of his person, should the day go against them, and the presence of the chief become important at the post of danger.
Doctor Craik then related the romantic and imposing incident of the old Indian’s prophecy, as it occurred on the banks of the Ohio in 1770, observing that, bred, as he himself was, in the rigid discipline of the Kirk of Scotland, he possessed as little superstition as any one, but that really there was a something in the air and manner of an old savage chief delivering his oracle amid the depths of the forest, that time or circumstance would never erase from his memory, and that he believed with the tawny prophet of the wilderness, that their beloved Washington was the spirit-protected being described by the savage, that the enemy could not kill him, and that while he lived the glorious cause of American Independence would never die. “Gentlemen,” he Craik] said to some of the officers, “recollect what I have often told you, of the old Indian’s prophecy. Yes, I do believe, a Great Spirit protects that man—and that one day or other, honored and beloved, he will be the chief of our nation, as he is now our general, our father, and our friend. Never mind the enemy, they can not kill him, and while he lives, our cause will never die.” During the engagement on the following day,...a cannon ball struck just at his horse’s feet, throwing the dirt in his face, and over his clothes, the general continued giving his orders, without noticing the derangement of his toilette. The officers present, several of whom were of the party the preceding evening, looked at each other with anxiety. The chief of the medical staff [Dr. James Craik], pleased with the proof of his prediction, and in reminiscence of what had passed the night before, pointed toward heaven, which was noticed by the others, with a gratifying smile of acknowledgment.35
“THE GAME IS PRETTY NEAR UP”
But even with the seeming personal invincibility of Washington, the ultimate success of the American Army was not a certainty for Washington in the early days of the War. Writing to his nephew Lund Washington on December 10, 1776, he disclosed how close the American Army was to having to say “the game” was “pretty well up.”
In short, your imagination can scarce extend to a situation more distressing than mine. Our only dependence now is upon the speedy enlistment of a new army. If this fails, I think the game will be pretty well up, as, from disaffection and want of spirit and fortitude, the inhabitants, instead of resistance, are offering submission.36
Similarly, writing just a week later to his brother John Augustine Washington on December 18, 1776, he said
In a word my dear Sir, if every nerve is not strain’d to recruit the New Army with all possible expedition, I think the game is pretty near up, owing, in a great measure, to the insidious Arts of the Enemy, and disaffection of the Colonies before mentioned, but principally to the accursed policy of short Inlistments, and placing too great a dependence on the Militia the Evil consequences of which were foretold 15 Months ago with a spirit almost Prophetick.... You can form no Idea of the perplexity of my Situation. No Man, I believe, ever had a greater choice of difficulties and less means to extricate himself from them. However under a full persuasion of the justice of our Cause I cannot but think the prospect will brighten, although for a wise purpose it is, at present hid under a cloud; [I cannot] entertain an Idea that it will finally sink tho’ it may remain for some time under a Cloud.37 (emphasis in the original)
But only a few days later at Christmas, Washington pulled off one of the greatest surprise victories in the history of military strategy—The Christmas Day crossing of the Delaware that resulted in the victory at Trenton, and then at Princeton. Military historian, Larkin Spivey explains the events and significance of the Battle of Trenton:
I think the critical moment in the Revolutionary War came in December 1776. At that time, the revolution was about to be over. Washington and what was left of his army had been defeated on Long Island, and Manhattan and White Plains and had retreated all the way across New Jersey and were more or less huddled on the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware River, waiting to see what was going to happen next. And they were utterly defeated at that point. And the Congress had evacuated Philadelphia and ... the entire cause was on the verge of collapsing.
And at that moment, on Christmas Day 1776, I think Washington took a pure gamble to take what was left of his army back across the Delaware River and strike the garrison at Trenton, which was, manned by Hessian mercenary forces. And it was just a roll of a dice. And for that little attack to have come out as a success took a lot of amazing things to happen, ...the little miracles that enabled Washington to be successful on that day, to defeat this Hessian garrison at Trenton and to totally change the character of that war. That was the spark and it kept the war alive, for another day.
For Washington to be successful, he had to have surprise when he attacked Trenton. He crossed the river at night and his plan was to attack early the next morning. Well, the Hessians at Trenton knew he was coming. They were daily getting reports from across the river from Tory sympathizers and deserters and other people that knew what was coming. And so they knew Washington, this attack, was coming on Christmas Day and they were all ready for it, and, lo and behold, late that afternoon on Christmas Day while Washington was crossing the river, some group of people who have not really been identified to this day, some small band of colonials attacked the garrison at Trenton, and there was a small battle there and there were some causalities; and then these people disappeared in to the woods and then Colonel Rawl, the Hessian commander, said “Well, that’s it. That’s the big attack. We were awaiting it, and what a pitiful attack it was.” And so they went back to celebrating Christmas and stood down, the troops went in the barracks and everybody had a big hangover the next morning when George Washington appeared with what was left of his army.
The skirmish occurred—this was the night before on Christmas Evening, by this roving band—different historians have different ideas about who these people were—but it’s not definitely been determined. But this little attack gave the Hessian garrison at Trenton the false belief that it was over and so they went back to barracks and celebrated Christmas, and history was made the next morning when Washington appeared with his army and attacked the town. And during that attack the Hessians were defeated and surrendered and this was the first real victory of the war.
And after that, everything changed. The Continental Congress came back to Philadelphia; they were able to raise troops, money, the resources to continue the war, based on one little victory. And it was a very small military event. There were only a few casualties, but they had lasting implications for the war.38
A few days later, the Americans outwitted the British by secretly moving their forces for a surprise attack on Princeton, as the British moved their troops to attack Washington at Trenton. Washington kept the campfires raging by a small band of soldiers all night, while the rest of the army secretly took a back road to Princeton and executed their attack, yielding another major victory, at least in terms of American morale.39
Several months after Trenton, Washington began to reveal some glimmers of hope shining through the “cloud” in regard to “the game.” He wrote to Robert Morris on May 25, 1778, at the end of the difficult Valley Forge encampment:
Dear Sir: ...I rejoice most sincerely with you, on the glorious change in our prospects, Calmness and serenity, seems likely to succeed in some measure, those dark and tempestuous clouds which at times appeared ready to overwhelm us, The game, whether well or ill played hitherto, seems now to be verging fast to a favourable issue, and cannot I think be lost, unless we throw it away by too much supineness on the one hand, or impetuosity on the other, God for bid that either of these should happen at a time when we seem to be upon the point of reaping the fruits of our toil and labour, A stroke, and reverse, under such circumstances, would be doubly distressing.40
And finally, with Yorktown behind him, Washington wrote to the President of Congress on May 10, 1782: “The British Nation appear to me to be staggered and almost ready to sink beneath the accumulated weight of Debt and Misfortune; if we follow the blow with vigour and energy I think the game is our own.”41
What kept Washington in the “game” throughout the long years of war was his constant source of hope found in God’s divine care. In 1776, he wrote,
I have often thought how much happier I should have been, if, instead of accepting of a command under such circumstances, I had taken my musket on my shoulder and entered the ranks, or, if I could have justified the measure to posterity and my own conscience, had retired to the back country, and lived in a wigwam. If I shall be able to rise superior to these and many other difficulties, which might be enumerated, I shall most religiously believe, that the finger of Providence is in it, to blind the eyes of our enemies;42
In 1778, he affirmed: “Providence has heretofore taken us up when all other means and hope seemed to be departing from us, in this I will confide.”43 In 1780, he declared,
...providence, to whom we are infinitely more indebted than we are to our own wisdom, or our own exertions, has always displayed its power and goodness, when clouds and thick darkness seemed ready to overwhelm us. The hour is now come when we stand much in need of another manifestation of its bounty however little we deserve it.44
Other “manifestations” of the bounty of Providence seemed to appear for the American Army in various remarkable ways.
GENERAL WASHINGTON’S DEPENDENCE ON THE GOD OF ARMIES AND LORD OF VICTORY
When Washington looked back over the long war that resulted in the American victory and independence, he said the story that historians would tell would be considered fiction. The reason was the sheer advantage the British had over the beleaguered American forces. Washington wrote to Maj. Gen. Nathanael Greene from Newburgh on February 6, 1783:
If Historiographers should be hardy enough to fill the page of History with the advantages that have been gained with unequal numbers [on the part of America] in the course of this contest, and attempt to relate the distressing circumstances under which they have been obtained, it is more than probable that Posterity will bestow on their labors the epithet and marks of fiction; for it will not be believed that such a force as Great Britain has employed for eight years in this Country could be baffled in their plan of Subjugating it by numbers infinitely less, composed of Men oftentimes half starved; always in Rags, without pay, and experiencing, at times, every species of distress which human nature is capable of undergoing.45
There were different times when the hand of God seemed to protect the new nation during the American war for independence. For example, during one of the battles in 1776, Washington and his men were trapped in Brooklyn Heights, Long Island. If the British had wanted to, they could have easily crushed the American army. In fact, they planned to do this the next day. This could have spelled the end of the war and would have been a disastrous end to the conflict. But Washington engaged in a very bold move. Under cover of fog, he risked evacuating all the troops in the night. He used every ship available, from fishing vessels to rowboats. When morning came, it is reported that the fog remained, much longer than normal—just long enough to help the Americans cross the river to safety. It was events like these that caused Washington to point to God’s Providence as favoring the American cause.46
Ironically, in 1783, General Cornwallis tried the same type of escape at Yorktown. Not only was there no fog to help him, but a squall blew up on the Atlantic Ocean, rendering their escape futile and dangerous. The next day he surrendered. He tried to “pull a Washington,” if you will. And he failed. Instead, Washington saw God’s “astonishing interpositions of providence” at work at Yorktown as well.47 Other seemingly “miraculous” Providences occurred the same year as the victory at Yorktown, as, for example, the Battle of Cowpens on January 17, 1781,
...where American General Daniel Morgan had a line of militia fire into British General Cornwallis’ and Colonel Tarleton’s dragoons, regulars, Highlanders and loyalists. When the Americans retreated, the British pursued, only to be surprised by American Continentals waiting over the hill. In the confusion, the Americans killed 110 British and captured 830. Cornwallis regrouped and chased the Americans, arriving at the Catawba River just two hours after the Americans had crossed, but a storm made the river impassable. He nearly overtook them again as they were getting out of the Yadkin River, but a torrential rain flooded the river. This happened a third time at the Dan River. British Commander Henry Clinton wrote: “Here the royal army was again stopped by a sudden rise of the waters, which had only just fallen (almost miraculously) to let the enemy over.” In March of 1781, General Washington wrote to William Gordon: “We have, as you very justly observe, abundant reason to thank Providence for its many favorable interpositions in our behalf. It has at times been my only dependence, for all other resources seemed to have failed us.”48
No wonder from the beginning to the end of the War, Washington prayed to the “God of Armies”! In 1777, for example, he prayed:
