Join the conversation
Log in or create an account to leave a comment
Log In
[reading George Washington's last letter] Thomson:
I can now state, with some certainty, that the eve of battle is upon us. Toward this end, I have ordered the evacuation of Manhattan, and have ordered my men to take up stronger positions along the Brooklyn heights. At this time, my troops consist entirely of Rhode Island militia, and Smallwood's Marylanders, a total of five thousand troops to stand against... twenty-five thousand of the enemy. One personal note to Mr. Lewis Morris, of New York - I must regretfully report that his estates have been totally destroyed, but that I have taken the liberty of transporting Mrs. Morris and eight of the children to Connecticut in safety. The four older boys are now enlisted in the continental army. As I write these words, the enemy is plainly in sight beyond the river, and I begin to notice that many of us are lads under fifteen and old men, none of whom can truly be called soldiers. How it will end, only providence can direct. But dear God, what brave men... I shall lose... before this business... ends. Your humble, and obedient... [drum roll] Thomson:
G. Washington
I can now state, with some certainty, that the eve of battle is upon us. Toward this end, I have ordered the evacuation of Manhattan, and have ordered my men to take up stronger positions along the Brooklyn heights. At this time, my troops consist entirely of Rhode Island militia, and Smallwood's Marylanders, a total of five thousand troops to stand against... twenty-five thousand of the enemy. One personal note to Mr. Lewis Morris, of New York - I must regretfully report that his estates have been totally destroyed, but that I have taken the liberty of transporting Mrs. Morris and eight of the children to Connecticut in safety. The four older boys are now enlisted in the continental army. As I write these words, the enemy is plainly in sight beyond the river, and I begin to notice that many of us are lads under fifteen and old men, none of whom can truly be called soldiers. How it will end, only providence can direct. But dear God, what brave men... I shall lose... before this business... ends. Your humble, and obedient... [drum roll] Thomson:
G. Washington
Full Transcript
00:00:00.662 --> 00:00:02.662
DISPATCH NUMBER 1,209,
00:00:02.073 --> 00:00:05.931
TO THE HONORABLE CONGRESS,
JOHN HANCOCK, PRESIDENT. "DEAR SIR,
00:00:06.000 --> 00:00:08.999
"I CAN NOW REPORT
WITH SOME CERTAINTY...
00:00:08.035 --> 00:00:10.013
"THAT THE EVE OF
BATTLE IS NEAR AT HAND.
00:00:10.001 --> 00:00:14.873
"TOWARD THIS END, I HAVE ORDERED
THE EVACUATION OF MANHATTAN...
00:00:14.942 --> 00:00:19.378
"AND DIRECTED OUR DEFENSES TO TAKE UP
STRONGER POSITIONS ON THE BROOKLYN HEIGHTS.
00:00:19.447 --> 00:00:24.883
"AT THE PRESENT TIME, MY FORCES CONSIST
ENTIRELY OF HASLET'S DELAWARE MILITIA...
00:00:24.952 --> 00:00:26.885
"AND SMALLWOOD'S MARYLANDERS,
00:00:26.954 --> 00:00:30.923
"A TOTAL OF 5,000 TROOPS
TO STAND AGAINST...
00:00:32.096 --> 00:00:35.861
"25,000 OF THE ENEMY.
00:00:35.093 --> 00:00:38.209
"AND I BEGIN TO NOTICE
THAT MANY OF US...
00:00:38.233 --> 00:00:42.268
"ARE LADS UNDER 15 AND OLD MEN,
00:00:42.337 --> 00:00:46.706
"NONE OF WHOM COULD
TRULY BE CALLED SOLDIERS.
00:00:46.774 --> 00:00:50.576
"ONE PERSONAL NOTE TO
MR. LEWIS MORRIS OF NEW YORK.
00:00:50.645 --> 00:00:55.998
"I MUST REGRETFULLY REPORT THAT HIS
ESTATES HAVE BEEN TOTALLY DESTROYED,
00:00:55.149 --> 00:00:58.251
"BUT THAT I HAVE TAKEN THE LIBERTY
OF TRANSPORTING MRS. MORRIS...
00:00:58.319 --> 00:01:01.854
"AND EIGHT OF THE CHILDREN
TO CONNECTICUT AND SAFETY.
00:01:01.922 --> 00:01:06.959
"THE FOUR OLDER BOYS ARE NOW
ENLISTED IN THE CONTINENTAL ARMY.
00:01:07.001 --> 00:01:09.428
"AS I WRITE THESE WORDS,
00:01:09.497 --> 00:01:13.932
"THE ENEMY IS PLAINLY IN
SIGHT BEYOND THE RIVER.
00:01:14.048 --> 00:01:17.001
"HOW IT WILL END, ONLY
PROVIDENCE CAN DIRECT.
00:01:17.999 --> 00:01:21.993
"BUT DEAR GOD, WHAT BRAVE MEN...
00:01:24.545 --> 00:01:28.648
"I SHALL LOSE...
00:01:28.999 --> 00:01:31.001
"BEFORE...
00:01:31.218 --> 00:01:33.152
"THIS BUSINESS...
00:01:35.122 --> 00:01:37.999
"ENDS.
00:01:40.994 --> 00:01:42.127
"YOUR OBEDIENT,
00:01:45.533 --> 00:01:48.834
G. WASHINGTON."
00:02:11.999 --> 00:02:14.013
VERY WELL, GENTLEMEN.
00:02:15.001 --> 00:02:17.001
McNAIR.
00:02:21.001 --> 00:02:23.001
GO RING THE BELL.
00:02:30.909 --> 00:02:33.001
MR. PRESIDENT. MR. MORRIS.
00:02:33.999 --> 00:02:36.001
TO HELL WITH NEW
YORK. I'LL SIGN IT ANYWAY.
00:02:36.999 --> 00:02:38.999
THANK YOU, MR. MORRIS.
00:02:45.001 --> 00:02:48.999
STEPHEN, SIT DOWN.
00:02:48.001 --> 00:02:50.863
NO.
00:02:50.001 --> 00:02:55.601
I WANT TO REMEMBER EACH
MAN'S FACE AS HE SIGNS.
00:02:55.999 --> 00:02:57.001
VERY WELL.
00:02:59.001 --> 00:03:01.607
MR. THOMSON.
00:03:03.001 --> 00:03:08.113
NEW HAMPSHIRE.
DR. JOSIAH BARTLETT.
Want This Clip in HD?
Upgrade for HD/4K downloads and unlimited access. Upgrade now →
Movie Summary
A musical retelling of the American Revolution's political struggle in the Continental Congress to declare independence.
Actors
Caesar Rodney (de)
