During the holidays, some people have a tradition of settling down to watch a classic movie like “It’s a Wonderful Life,” “Holiday Affair,” or even “Home Alone.” Let me suggest another one–one that’s a true Christmas miracle. Take a look at The Crossing (2000). With Jeff Daniels as George Washington, Sebastian Roche as John Glover, Steven McCarthy as Alexander Hamilton and John Henry Canavan as General Henry Knox, it’s an extremely accurate portrayal of Washington’s crossing of the Delaware on Christmas 1776. (Along with some very funny moments)Two thousand ragtag Americans attacked the German Hessian mercenaries in what was truly the American’s last stand. All of their enlistments would end in January. Many had already left for home. Those who remained were freezing and famished, marching in rags, many without shoes. They had managed to cross into Pennsylvania barely ahead of the Hessians.

In a last attempt to keep the Americans fighting for their new country, Washington decided to cross back into New Jersey and attack the Hessians who were quartering in Trenton. Colonel John Glover, a mariner from Marblehead, MA, was in charge of rowing all of the American troops, including General Knox’s men, back to New Jersey, where they would attack the Hessians. It was a miserable night with snow, sleet and freezing rain. Everyone moved as quietly as possible, lest the Hessians hear them coming. The battle itself stunned the Germans who almost never fought in the winter, much less on Christmas Day.

I do hope that you’ll take a little time and watch the film. You’ll come away with a very different understanding of what happened that Christmas.

The men in Washington’s inner circle were an interesting group, particularly General John Glover (really, watch the movie!) I just finished a great book, The Indispensables (2021) by Patrick O’Donnell, in which Glover plays a major role. Glover came from Marblehead where, almost 10 years before the start of the Revolution, breaking with Great Britain became a quiet reality. By early 1775, Glover led the Marblehead Regiment, which really became “indispensable.” They fought at Lexington, at Bunker Hill, guarded Washington, brought the Americans across the East River from Brooklyn to Manhattan in what became the first “American Dunkirk,” and on Christmas night, 1776, rowed Washington and his men back across the Delaware, allowing them to take Trenton, and ultimately change the American Revolution.

Besides the book’s quick pace and outstanding details, O’Donnell discusses the truly diverse group of Marbleheaders. Men of all faiths, creeds and colors–whites, Native Americans, black and hispanic, all fought side by side. It was a forgotten page in American history which didn’t fully appear again until 1948. So if you’re not into movies, or if you want to learn more about Washington crossing the Delaware, and the Marbleheaders, this is a great choice.