August 7, 2025 • 10 mins
On this episode of Our American Stories, the first American Christmas came just months after the Declaration of Independence. But by December, the mood across the colonies was anything but triumphant. Washington’s forces had been pushed back again and again. The army was cold, outnumbered, and on the brink of collapse. What happened on Christmas night turned the tide. With no guarantee of success, Washington led a quiet crossing of the Delaware and launched a surprise assault on Trenton. The victory didn’t end the war, but it gave people something they hadn’t had in weeks: hope. Historian Brian Benjamin shares a poem that tells the story behind one of the most important days in the fight for independence.
Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
And we continue with our American stories. It's called the
First American Christmas because the Declaration of Independence was created
the previous summer, essentially divorcing America from England and declaring
our country as an independent nation. Here is the story
of Christmas seventeen seventy six.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
My name is Brian Benjamin. I recently wrote a children's
book entitled Christmas seventeen seventy six that I'll be reading
for you today. It covers the Revolutionary War and follows
George Washington and the Continental Army in the late months
of seventeen seventy six as they were fighting and mostly
losing to the British for American independence. It of course
(00:59):
culminates in the famous crossing of the Delaware River on
Christmas Night seventeen seventy six. This book, I was actually
reading a biography of George Washington, and I got to
the part where the Continental Army is in Pennsylvania, Christmas
(01:19):
is approaching and the war is looking really bleak, and
you know they planned the crossing of the Delaware River.
The two things that struck me were one, I didn't
realize how bleak the picture was for the Americans at
this point during the war, we were really getting kicked
around by the British, and heading into that winter of
(01:40):
seventeen seventy six, the cause of American independence did not
look well. And the other thing that struck me was
how history really turned on a dime with this attack.
But this really saved America's cause, And so I tried
to put that in the book. You know, it is
a children's books, but to get across both the America
(02:02):
was an underdog and was it was not looking good,
and also that contingency of things could have gone different
in their cases where America doesn't come through this. But
with the brave actions of these men, led by George Washington,
they saved American independence. Starting on Christmas night, so without
further ado, Christmas seventeen seventy six, the year was seventeen
(02:27):
seventy six, America faced a crisis to fix British taxation
without representation angered Americans of every station. They sought the
freedom to make their own laws, the right to liberty
their sacred cause. American patriots took up their arms. They
left their homes, their shops, their farms. These farm boys
(02:51):
had grit, but little training, the experience they lacked, they
would soon be gaining. General George Washington would lead them
to fight Britain's oppressive imperial might. George Washington was an
American born and bred, taller than most men by a head.
With six brothers three sisters, he grew up strong. The
(03:13):
start of his adventures did not take long. He fought
in the French and Indian War, and by the end
he'd entered American War. When the Revolutionary War broke out,
America needed a leader no one could doubt. They turned
to their only living legend. Barely another name was mentioned.
(03:34):
George Washington would lead them in this war to take
on all the British had in store. They'd face British regulars,
skillfully taught, perfectly disciplined. Before they fought, the Brits had
a few other friends. They'd brought some German soldiers whose
support they'd bought, and all these troops would cross the
(03:54):
sea aboard the world's best navy. General Washington and his
new army prepared to defend New York City. This coveted
crown jewel of the colonies stood especially vulnerable to attack
by sea. The Americans worked to fortify their shore before
(04:14):
the Brits arrived to kick off the war. The British
came with one hundred ships or more and three times
the men, or maybe four. The Americans tried to stand
their ground, but the British showed up and beat them
sound from Long Island. They were displaced from Manhattan. They
were quickly chased from the banks of the Hudson. They
(04:36):
were erased and into New Jersey. They ran, disgraced to
the Delaware River. They anxiously fled. They crossed to safety,
but were filled with dread. The war was less than
two years old and the Americans were stranded in the cold.
Their greatest city conquered, lost their treasury, white doubt by
(05:00):
the cost, many Americans began to doubt and feared they
faced a certain route. The Brits pursued all the way
to the river, then looked across and saw their enemies shiver.
With winter coming December. Here, the Redcoats felt they'd had
a good year. They retreated to conquered NYC, to warm
(05:22):
beds and Tory hospitality. They left behind their German dogs
of war to guard the Delawares Jersey shore. With American
hopes plainly fading and British troops relaxing celebrating. Washington knew
he must take bold action for the revolution to regain
(05:42):
some traction. He gathered his men to plan and plot
how to grab the victory they so desperately sought. They
decided on a holy night to begin their brave and
noble fight. On Christmas night, they would embark and cross
the river in the dark, then march ten miles to
(06:06):
surprise their foes, and arrived to attack just as the
sun rose. Awaiting their final orders, the men held their breath.
George Washington stated gravely, victory or death. With the plan
all set, now just to wait. They must keep the
plan a secret and their heads on straight. They braved
(06:30):
a tense Christmas eve and mourn, then approached the ships
on which they'd be borne. In a light rain. General
Washington crossed first. The river was choppy with ice interspersed.
When the sun fell on that Christmas day, the weather
turned and their plan gave way in an army with
(06:53):
men of every station, twas the fishermen that rose to
this occasion, These expert sailors guided boat after boat across
nature's deadly makeshift mote. The rain had shifted to snow
and hail, but these brave men refused to fail. They
moved twenty four hundred men across and not a single
(07:16):
soul was lost. But the vicious weather had another cost.
Three hours against the plan were lost. Finally, by four am,
their march began, and they braved the elements to a man.
They marched ten miles in hail and snow to meet
their skilled and rested foe. They arrived well after the
(07:39):
morning sun, not sure if by their lateness they'd been undone.
These brave men charged from the woods at a run,
and the German mercenaries were simply stunned. How could an
army arrive ready to fight after the terrible weather of
the previous night. General Washington led from the front on
horseback and rebuffed every German counterattack. American cannons fired with precision,
(08:08):
guided by Alexander Hamilton, they raced through the town, took
prisoners galore. They shocked the mercenaries pressing for more. The
Germans lost almost one thousand men, the Americans lost less
than ten. After battling the weather all through the night,
it took less than an hour to finish the fight.
(08:31):
The next ten days were a complete whirlwind. They crossed
the river back and again, first to deposit their prisoners
in booty, then returning to continue their tour of duty.
They stimied a British assault at Trenton, then launched a
surprise attack at Princeton. At Princeton the fame British regulars
(08:51):
were beat and the world was astounded by this colonial feat.
In the space of ten days, they'd secured two victories.
In the space of ten days, they'd changed the course
of history. On Christmas Eve, the American cause had been dead,
but now Britain was back on its heels Instead. The
(09:12):
morale of the troops and colonists soared. They again believed
in what they were marching toward, towards life, liberty, and
the pursuit of happiness, to secure their rights and to
crush British haughtiness. America's birth was never a certainty, but
it was filled with men that would fight for it fervently.
(09:34):
These brave men volunteered to fight and die, not knowing
what their sacrifices might buy. But we know the eventual
success of their plan and the day America's future began.
The day their deeds left the world transfixed Christmas seventeen
seventy six.
Speaker 1 (09:55):
And a terrific job on the production and editing by
our own Craig Hangler, and a special thanks to Brian Benjamin.
Is beautifully illustrated book Christmas seventeen seventy six is available
wherever you buy your books, head over to Amazon or
the usual suspects. And what a story he tells, and
(10:15):
what a great way to share it with a child
or a grandchild. And we try to tell every kind
of story but also in every kind of way, and
my goodness to hear the Battle of Christmas seventeen seventy
six reduced to rhyming poem, while it's just spectacular The
story of Christmas seventeen seventy six as told in rhyming
(10:38):
verse by Brian Benjamin. Here on our American Stories
And we continue with our American stories. It's called the
First American Christmas because the Declaration of Independence was created
the previous summer, essentially divorcing America from England and declaring
our country as an independent nation. Here is the story
of Christmas seventeen seventy six.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
My name is Brian Benjamin. I recently wrote a children's
book entitled Christmas seventeen seventy six that I'll be reading
for you today. It covers the Revolutionary War and follows
George Washington and the Continental Army in the late months
of seventeen seventy six as they were fighting and mostly
losing to the British for American independence. It of course
(00:59):
culminates in the famous crossing of the Delaware River on
Christmas Night seventeen seventy six. This book, I was actually
reading a biography of George Washington, and I got to
the part where the Continental Army is in Pennsylvania, Christmas
(01:19):
is approaching and the war is looking really bleak, and
you know they planned the crossing of the Delaware River.
The two things that struck me were one, I didn't
realize how bleak the picture was for the Americans at
this point during the war, we were really getting kicked
around by the British, and heading into that winter of
(01:40):
seventeen seventy six, the cause of American independence did not
look well. And the other thing that struck me was
how history really turned on a dime with this attack.
But this really saved America's cause, And so I tried
to put that in the book. You know, it is
a children's books, but to get across both the America
(02:02):
was an underdog and was it was not looking good,
and also that contingency of things could have gone different
in their cases where America doesn't come through this. But
with the brave actions of these men, led by George Washington,
they saved American independence. Starting on Christmas night, so without
further ado, Christmas seventeen seventy six, the year was seventeen
(02:27):
seventy six, America faced a crisis to fix British taxation
without representation angered Americans of every station. They sought the
freedom to make their own laws, the right to liberty
their sacred cause. American patriots took up their arms. They
left their homes, their shops, their farms. These farm boys
(02:51):
had grit, but little training, the experience they lacked, they
would soon be gaining. General George Washington would lead them
to fight Britain's oppressive imperial might. George Washington was an
American born and bred, taller than most men by a head.
With six brothers three sisters, he grew up strong. The
(03:13):
start of his adventures did not take long. He fought
in the French and Indian War, and by the end
he'd entered American War. When the Revolutionary War broke out,
America needed a leader no one could doubt. They turned
to their only living legend. Barely another name was mentioned.
(03:34):
George Washington would lead them in this war to take
on all the British had in store. They'd face British regulars,
skillfully taught, perfectly disciplined. Before they fought, the Brits had
a few other friends. They'd brought some German soldiers whose
support they'd bought, and all these troops would cross the
(03:54):
sea aboard the world's best navy. General Washington and his
new army prepared to defend New York City. This coveted
crown jewel of the colonies stood especially vulnerable to attack
by sea. The Americans worked to fortify their shore before
(04:14):
the Brits arrived to kick off the war. The British
came with one hundred ships or more and three times
the men, or maybe four. The Americans tried to stand
their ground, but the British showed up and beat them
sound from Long Island. They were displaced from Manhattan. They
were quickly chased from the banks of the Hudson. They
(04:36):
were erased and into New Jersey. They ran, disgraced to
the Delaware River. They anxiously fled. They crossed to safety,
but were filled with dread. The war was less than
two years old and the Americans were stranded in the cold.
Their greatest city conquered, lost their treasury, white doubt by
(05:00):
the cost, many Americans began to doubt and feared they
faced a certain route. The Brits pursued all the way
to the river, then looked across and saw their enemies shiver.
With winter coming December. Here, the Redcoats felt they'd had
a good year. They retreated to conquered NYC, to warm
(05:22):
beds and Tory hospitality. They left behind their German dogs
of war to guard the Delawares Jersey shore. With American
hopes plainly fading and British troops relaxing celebrating. Washington knew
he must take bold action for the revolution to regain
(05:42):
some traction. He gathered his men to plan and plot
how to grab the victory they so desperately sought. They
decided on a holy night to begin their brave and
noble fight. On Christmas night, they would embark and cross
the river in the dark, then march ten miles to
(06:06):
surprise their foes, and arrived to attack just as the
sun rose. Awaiting their final orders, the men held their breath.
George Washington stated gravely, victory or death. With the plan
all set, now just to wait. They must keep the
plan a secret and their heads on straight. They braved
(06:30):
a tense Christmas eve and mourn, then approached the ships
on which they'd be borne. In a light rain. General
Washington crossed first. The river was choppy with ice interspersed.
When the sun fell on that Christmas day, the weather
turned and their plan gave way in an army with
(06:53):
men of every station, twas the fishermen that rose to
this occasion, These expert sailors guided boat after boat across
nature's deadly makeshift mote. The rain had shifted to snow
and hail, but these brave men refused to fail. They
moved twenty four hundred men across and not a single
(07:16):
soul was lost. But the vicious weather had another cost.
Three hours against the plan were lost. Finally, by four am,
their march began, and they braved the elements to a man.
They marched ten miles in hail and snow to meet
their skilled and rested foe. They arrived well after the
(07:39):
morning sun, not sure if by their lateness they'd been undone.
These brave men charged from the woods at a run,
and the German mercenaries were simply stunned. How could an
army arrive ready to fight after the terrible weather of
the previous night. General Washington led from the front on
horseback and rebuffed every German counterattack. American cannons fired with precision,
(08:08):
guided by Alexander Hamilton, they raced through the town, took
prisoners galore. They shocked the mercenaries pressing for more. The
Germans lost almost one thousand men, the Americans lost less
than ten. After battling the weather all through the night,
it took less than an hour to finish the fight.
(08:31):
The next ten days were a complete whirlwind. They crossed
the river back and again, first to deposit their prisoners
in booty, then returning to continue their tour of duty.
They stimied a British assault at Trenton, then launched a
surprise attack at Princeton. At Princeton the fame British regulars
(08:51):
were beat and the world was astounded by this colonial feat.
In the space of ten days, they'd secured two victories.
In the space of ten days, they'd changed the course
of history. On Christmas Eve, the American cause had been dead,
but now Britain was back on its heels Instead. The
(09:12):
morale of the troops and colonists soared. They again believed
in what they were marching toward, towards life, liberty, and
the pursuit of happiness, to secure their rights and to
crush British haughtiness. America's birth was never a certainty, but
it was filled with men that would fight for it fervently.
(09:34):
These brave men volunteered to fight and die, not knowing
what their sacrifices might buy. But we know the eventual
success of their plan and the day America's future began.
The day their deeds left the world transfixed Christmas seventeen
seventy six.
Speaker 1 (09:55):
And a terrific job on the production and editing by
our own Craig Hangler, and a special thanks to Brian Benjamin.
Is beautifully illustrated book Christmas seventeen seventy six is available
wherever you buy your books, head over to Amazon or
the usual suspects. And what a story he tells, and
(10:15):
what a great way to share it with a child
or a grandchild. And we try to tell every kind
of story but also in every kind of way, and
my goodness to hear the Battle of Christmas seventeen seventy
six reduced to rhyming poem, while it's just spectacular The
story of Christmas seventeen seventy six as told in rhyming
(10:38):
verse by Brian Benjamin. Here on our American Stories
Host
Lee Habeeb
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Special Summer Offer: Exclusively on Apple Podcasts, try our Dateline Premium subscription completely free for one month! With Dateline Premium, you get every episode ad-free plus exclusive bonus content.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.