Picture a Christmas

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Every year at Christmas I think about historical Christmases and feel inclined to compare. While you and I may believe that we’ve experienced odd Christmases, I ask you to consider a Christmas day 232 years ago on the banks of the Delaware River in northern Pennsylvania.

On Christmas Day 1776 after having received orders to keep their blankets close and carry three days’ worth of rations, General Washington’s troops assembled at the ferry landing and were given the password for the day, “Victory or Death”. Under cover of a hail and sleet storm alternating with snow, the men arrived by 3PM and waited on the bank for boats to arrive in the ice-choked river, beginning the crossing at nightfall. Washington and a party of Virginia troops crossed over first to secure a landing site. Delays in crossing due to weather put Washington 3 hours behind his goal of establishing an order of battle by midnight in New Jersey, and both Generals Ewing and Cadwalader remained in Pennsylvania, leaving Washington bereft of all artillery support and without an entire brigade of continentals for the attack.

As soon as the army was ready, Washington ordered it split into two columns, one under the command of himself and General Greene, the second under General Sullivan. In that two pronged attack, they surprised the Hessian mercenaries despite alarms from the pickets. Only three Americans were killed and six wounded, while 22 Hessians were killed with 98 wounded. The Americans were able to capture 1,000 prisoners and seize muskets, powder, and artillery.

Whatever else I say about Christmases of the past in my life, I realize that I have never spent such a solemnly holy day in like manner. After months of privations under adverse weather conditions, starvation and unbroken defeat thus far in the revolution, Washington’s men moved out and went to battle on the day we celebrate the birth of our Savior. Three Americans slept forever because of the duties of that day. It was not a silent night, or even a holy night in and of itself, but Washington gave us a great gift that day- courage and a different kind of Faith.

I bought myself a present this year because I’ve wanted to own this for years but never had the money to do so until now, which is highly ironic given the “economic crisis”. Years ago, I actually met the people who own the original and saw it with my own eyes, and I have never forgotten it.

“May God grant us an early peace and victory found in injustice and instill in the hearts and minds of men everywhere a firm purpose to live in peace with goodwill toward all.” –Bing Crosby

In this time of our great need, may God gift us another paragon to show us the way to peace through Christ like he did Christmas Day 1776.