JULY FOURTH

Each July 4th my thoughts are on the men of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. The Military Channel ran the "Revolutionary War" series narrated by the late, great Charles Kuralt all day long. I was able to catch the few parts I had not previously seen. To me, the Fourth will always be a rememberance of the unbelievable sacrifices of the men of the first American army.

The winter at Valley Forge is well known to most Americans, but that isn't even the tip of the iceberg. One has to remember that this army was a hastily assembled and poorly equipped force composed of volunteers. Comparing them to the opposing force makes them look dismal. The British army was well armed, well supplied, and experienced. They were trained in the formal European style of land warfare that sought regimented and orderly battle formations. The Continental Army was no match for the Brits, at least on paper. The Americans could not even rely on steady supply or pay. Many went a year or longer without being paid, and all the while their wives were begging them to come home. Stories of boiling and eating shoes were not restricted to Valley Forge. On several occasions, the only thing that kept the army together was sheer force of leadership will.

Washington, in addition to the normal military problems faced by a commander, also faced the constant struggle of keeping his band of farmers and merchants in one piece. George deserves credit for more than just his eventual vicotries on the battlefield. It was largely his personal leadership that kept the army from dissolving several times. To me, the single most amazing facet of the war is the army that refused to go away despite every reason to do so.

These man of the Continental Army were indeed special. Their willingness to endure no end of desperate circumstances is most notable. All Americans should recall and appreciate the great sacrifices they made for a new nation that was based not on a king or queen, but on the idea that government belongs to all citizens. Those of us with children should strive to pass the knowledge of what these men did for our nation on to them. Patriotism begins with the first American patriots.

JINGOCON