The Turn: The Battle of Saratoga /// 112

In any poker game, “the turn” is arguably the most important hand. When the fourth card is dealt, most poker players have an idea of how their hand will play out. In just the same way, The Battle of Saratoga was the “turn” of the Revolutionary War. After this battle, the game entered a new… Continue reading The Turn: The Battle of Saratoga /// 112

Victory or Death: The Battle of Trenton /// 111

The Battles of Trenton and Princeton almost single-handedly saved the cause of the American Revolution. For weeks, as Thomas Paine admitted, the Continental army had been driven like cattle before the onrushing British. Reversal followed reversal. Washington knew it; he confided his justified fears to his family members. But nevertheless, he refused to give up.… Continue reading Victory or Death: The Battle of Trenton /// 111

The Skeleton March and the Battle of Quebec /// 109

In the fall of 1775, 1,000 Americans entered the western wilds of Maine and pushed overland to the very edge of modern-day Quebec. The trip was supposed to take three weeks. It took nearly triple that. Then the winter came. The Americans froze. They ate their own shoes. They ate green dog soup. And the… Continue reading The Skeleton March and the Battle of Quebec /// 109