Archive for December, 2009

As the Gallaghers entertained the clan on Christmas Eve, we had a “free” day on Christmas. After leisurely opening up about half of our gifts, we decided to take a drive to Washington Crossing, Penn. (only about 10 minutes north of us) to watch the 57th reenactment of Washington and the Continental Army’s crossing of the Delaware. This year the event was almost canceled, but locals and businesses came up with the funds to make this reenactment possible.

Many people believe that Washington crossed the Delaware on Christmas Eve, surprising the Hessians, who were paid mercenaries for the British Army, camped at Trenton, N.J., about 10 miles south of the crossing. But actually, Washington crossed at about 4 p.m. on Christmas Day, making the entire crossing in about 10 hours with 2,400 troops and their supplies, including artillery and horses.

It began to sleet, and the Delaware River was so full of ice that General Washington’s supporting troops, led by Colonel John Cadwalader and Brigadier General James Ewing, never completed their crossing.

Cadwalader was to cross at Dunk’s Ferry, near Bristol, Penn., and attack the Hessians in Mount Holly, N.J. Ewing was to cross at Trenton Ferry and wait for Washington’s attack and deal with any retreating Hessians. Cadwalader never crossed due to the weather, and Ewing crossed, then retreated, as he could not cross with his artillery.

Until this time, Washington had suffered miserable defeat after defeat, and most were beginning to lose faith in his ability to command. Cornwallis chased Washington across New Jersey after losing the battle for New York. Washington’s troops crossed the Delaware into Pennsylvania and destroyed or commandeered all the boats for miles up and down the Delaware so that Cornwallis could not follow him into the state. Cornwallis, rather than ending the Revolutionary War, ordered the establishment out, setting up outposts along the Delaware and ordering his troops into winter quarters.

The reenactment takes about an hour, and it is quite a feat to witness the 6,000-pound Durham boat cross the river. They pass a small island at Washington Crossing, and once they pass this shelter, they point the bow of the boat into the stream’s current and almost crab their way across the river. The straight shot would send them down the river and they would miss their landing spot.

The victory at Trenton was the turning point for the Revolutionary War; and the following battle, after New Year’s Day (1/3/1776), the Battle of Princeton, was a defeat and a blow to the British military and Lord Cornwallis.

After the crossing, the Gallagher clan returned home to open gifts and enjoy the remainder of a calm Christmas Day.

I have to comment on the the bombing incident on the Delta/Northwest flight on Christmas Day as it landed in Detroit. Janet Napolitano, the Homeland Security secretary, said in an interview on This Week on ABC, “The system has worked really very, very smoothly over the course of the past several days.”

If she thinks an individual who purchased a ticket for cash and checked no luggage and whose father called the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria warning them that his son was a threat should be allowed to board a plane bound for the U.S. and should not be on the no-fly list, then I am calling for her resignation. This guy had so many radical comments and so many red flags, I cannot believe that we allowed him on a plane, and I cannot believe our government thinks this is okay.

This disaster — and it was a disaster — could have been much worse, and it would have had a ripple effect to our already weak economy and, in particular, to the travel industry.

– Fran Gallagher, publisher and CEO