Washington's Crossing: America's First D-Day

A ragged Continental army has now put an icy river between themselves and the pursing British army. The men in blue and buff uniforms have known nothing but defeat and had once again made a narrow escape while the Congress at Philadelphia reflecting no confidence in their troops prepare to evacuate to Baltimore.

Washington’s besieged men reflect the state of a nation weary of war and a cause on the brink of extinction. They are an army in waiting - waiting for ammunition, blankets and reinforcements. But others, nearly half, are simply waiting for their enlistments to be up on January 1, 1777. Within days Washington would have no men with which to fight and the cause and the dream of independence would be over.

Against this backdrop George Washington decides to go on the offensive.