American Crisis: 

• General Charles Lee was a leader during the American Revolution. 

• He was second-in-command to General George Washington, and famously believed that he ought to have been given leadership of the army. 

  • Behind Washington’s back, General Charles Lee began writing to Congress, demanding he replace Washington as the head of the army. 

  • He also wrote to other generals, criticizing Washington’s performance. 

  • He delayed in responding to messages from Washington; he procrastinated in moving his troops when called to meet Washington

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  • Aiming to meet Washington in Pennsylvania, Lee moved slowly, stopping for the night and taking his time 

    • He was captured by a British patrol wearing his dressing gown

  • General Charles Lee felt that Washington and Congress weren’t doing enough to free him; he no longer felt that the American people would win the war. 

    • Instead, he submitted a plan to British General Howe in a letter, detailing a way to defeat Washington. 

    • General Washington made the exchange for Lee, and because no one knew of his treason, he returned to his former position in the army.

Across The Delaware. 

• John Honeyman was an American spy and British informant for George Washington

• Although Honeyman had served the British well during the French and Indian War, he was sympathetic to the American cause and promptly presented his services to Washington.

• Washington told Honeyman to use the cover of a Tory (an American still loyal to Britain). 

• The deceptive plan was so believable that a mob of angry American patriots raided Honeyman's house. 

  • Fortunately, his family were saved from certain harm by a signed letter from Washington

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  • Having gathered enough information about the British, he arranged to be captured by the Continental forces, who had been ordered to watch for him and bring him straight to Washington unharmed.

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  • Shortly afterward, a fire broke out in the vicinity providing an opportunity for Honeyman to "escape". 

  • Making his way back to Trenton, he told the Hessian commander of his capture and reported that the Continental Army would not attack Trenton.

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  • Even though the Hessians had been on heightened alert, they believed Honeyman's story and so felt confident enough to relax security on December 26.

  • On the night of December 25–26, 1776, with 2,400 troops, Washington made the well known crossing of the Delaware River. 

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  • The next morning, the Continental forces surprised the Hessians, giving the Americans a much-needed victory at the Battle of Trenton.

American in Paris: 

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  • Smallpox impacted the Continental Army severely during the Revolutionary War, so much so that George Washington mandated inoculation for all Continental soldiers in 1777.

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  • Symptoms of smallpox include fever, nausea, vomiting, body aches, and the characteristic pustules or pox.

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  • With every smallpox outbreak, people observed that those who had survived the infection typically did not get smallpox again. For those who contracted smallpox a second time, the infection was much less severe and usually not fatal. 

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  • These observations led to the creation of inoculation, the process of contracting smallpox on purpose to induce immunity and reduce the risk of death. 

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    • As the year 1776 neared its close, Captain Alexander Hamilton (in his early 20’s) deeply desired military fame, and the Continental Army had a lot of young, ambitious rising stars.  

    • His chance to outshine others came in late December.  By that time, battle deaths and disease had reduced his company by half.  Hamilton himself was sick on Christmas Day, but he rallied to join the Army as they crossed the Delaware River to attack the Hessian garrison at Trenton, New Jersey.  

    • He and his company swarmed into Trenton, surprising the Hessians.  Hamilton was perhaps at his deadliest in this battle.

    • His performances at Trenton gained him the recognition he desired.  

  • Sybil Ludington: 

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    • As a girl of only 16, Sybil Ludington made a valiant ride to spread the word of an impending British attack during the American Revolution.

    • She was the daughter of Henry Ludington, a New York militia officer and later an aide to General George Washington. 

    • On April 26, 1777, a messenger reached the Ludington house with news of Governor William Tryon’s attack on nearby Danbury, Connecticut, where the military weapons, ammunition, equipment, and stores for the militia of the entire region were stored. 

    • Colonel Ludington immediately began to organize the local militia. 

    • The messenger and his horse being exhausted, Sybil volunteered to help

      • Through the night, she rode her horse nearly 40 miles on unfamiliar roads, spreading the alarm. 

      • She covered about twice the distance that Paul Revere did on his famous ride.

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