The Crossing
- TV Movie
- 2000
- 1h 29m
A dramatization of George Washington's perilous gamble of crossing the Delaware River and attacking the Hessian forces at Trenton.A dramatization of George Washington's perilous gamble of crossing the Delaware River and attacking the Hessian forces at Trenton.A dramatization of George Washington's perilous gamble of crossing the Delaware River and attacking the Hessian forces at Trenton.
- Nominated for 1 Primetime Emmy
- 2 wins & 1 nomination total
Photos
- Capt. Heineman
- (as Kristen Holden-Ried)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe friction between General Washington and General Gates portrayed in the film was very real. In fact, Gates was allegedly involved in a conspiracy known as The Conway Cabal, a plot to oust George Washington as Commander-in-Chief in 1778 and replace him with himself. Gates' name surfaced again in the Newburgh Conspiracy, another plot to oust Washington in 1783.
- GoofsThe weather, as portrayed, does not match the severe conditions during the actual battle. When the attack on Trenton began, it was a near whiteout blizzard - a factor which allowed the Revolutionaries to approach the town unobserved.
- Quotes
Gen. Horatio Gates: Surrender. This revolution is over.
Gen. George Washington: So we surrender. We weigh the pros and cons and reason prevails. But you see, sir, I am an unreasonable man as well as a poor soldier. But you are right. My men are not soldiers. They are lads. Sixteen, seventeen, eighteen. They run away. They fear the Hessians as they fear death. All this is true. Yet they have put their trust in me. They could have deserted. Thousands have. But these lads have not. They remain with me. And I, not you, General Gates, *I* command this army, and if I, a bumbling Virginia farmer, should decide to lead them into Hell, they will follow me into Hell.
While properly trained, none of these soldiers were mercenaries. They were mostly the sons of peasants and artisans that were pressed into service and sent overseas to fight for a foreign king in a hostile country. With the exception of a few high ranking officers who spoke french or English they were mostly unable to communicate with the locals. Later on however, as the hessians eventually got a better understanding of the conflict, more than a third of them deserted their regiments, joined the American forces and stayed after the end of the war. Also part of the American force that won the final victory over the British in Yorktown was an all-volunteer German regiment under the command of General von Steuben.
- hisredrighthand
- Jun 9, 2014