Comments on one nod to history in today's Inaugural

While today's Inaugural Address delivered by President Obama will certainly be subject to future analysis on several levels, least of which the historical -- and even that task will prove laborious for historians given the layers upon layers of historical import of today's events -- I felt compelled to illuminate just a bit of the direct historical quotation with which the President closed. He said:

At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:
"Let it be told to the future world...that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it]."

The moment to which Obama refers was late December, 1776. George Washington, in command of the bedraggled Continental Army, squarely faced a situation which offered few prospects for hope. Morale among the Continental troops was low -- several had already deserted; and the optimism of the days of the Battle of Bunker (or Breed's) Hill had begun to wane among the patriots. New York was lost. The army had fled through New Jersey. The situation was made more dire by the fact that, across the Delaware River from where Washington had bivouacked in Pennsylvania, were 1,400 well-trained Hessian soldiers in Trenton (N.J.). Washington's force outnumbered the enemy by several hundred, if not more, but only until January 1,1777, when the terms of service for those who had volunteered would expire and they would no longer be required to stay and fight. The Army would be left with only 1,200 "regulars" after the new year. Furthermore, Washington was aware that if the river froze hard enough, the enemy could very well cross it on foot and attack the Continental camp.

Observing this situation, Thomas Paine, who had followed the Continental Army to Pennsylvania, wrote on December 19, 1776 what is known in his collected works as "The American Crisis I," which President Obama quoted in part today. [Go deeper: To read this essay as Washington would have seen it, click here. The passage in question appears at the top of the third column, with the paragraph beginning "Quitting..." Credit: Library of Congress.] In this work, which Paine famously began "These are the times that try men's souls," the author struck a theme of unity in an attempt to rally the patriots:

"I call not upon a few, but upon all; not on THIS State or THAT State, but on EVERY State; up and help us; lay your shoulders to the wheel; better have too much force than too little, when so great an object is at stake. Let it be told to the future world, that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive, that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet and to repulse it. Say not, that thousands are gone, turn out your tens of thousands; throw not the burthen of the day upon Providence, but "shew your faith by your works," that GOD may bless you."

And show by their work the patriots did -- the Hessians were routed in Trenton on December 26, 1776.

Comments

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