Podcasts about lord cornwallis

Voici l'histoire de James Armistead Lafayette, esclave afro-américain né en 1748, qui a servi l'armée continentale pendant la guerre d'indépendance américaine sous le marquis de Lafayette. En tant qu'agent double, il était chargé de rapporter les activités de Benedict Arnold après qu'il eut rejoint les Britanniques, et de Lord Cornwallis au cours de la phase préparatoire jusqu'à la bataille de Yorktown. Il fournit aux Britanniques de fausses informations tout en divulguant des rapports très précis et détaillés aux Américains...

Voici l'histoire de James Armistead Lafayette, esclave afro-américain né en 1748, qui a servi l'armée continentale pendant la guerre d'indépendance américaine sous le marquis de Lafayette. En tant qu'agent double, il était chargé de rapporter les activités de Benedict Arnold après qu'il eut rejoint les Britanniques, et de Lord Cornwallis au cours de la phase préparatoire jusqu'à la bataille de Yorktown. Il fournit aux Britanniques de fausses informations tout en divulguant des rapports très précis et détaillés aux Américains...A mesure que les semaines passent, James Armistead gagne la confiance des Anglais. Leur méfiance s'estompe peu à peu en constatant sa redoutable efficacité. James leur glisse des informations sur la topographie de la région. Il aide les troupes à se déplacer discrètement, à éviter les pièges du terrain. Petit à petit, il entre dans les tentes des hauts gradés sans attirer l'attention. Là, derrière des cartes éparpillées, il enregistre de nouvelles données, cruciales pour le camp adverse. Ironie du sort, James se voit missionner afin d'infiltrer dans le rang des révolutionnaires. Armistead devient un agent double. Une aubaine, puisque cela facilite ses connexions avec l'armée continentale.

Voici l'histoire de James Armistead Lafayette, esclave afro-américain né en 1748, qui a servi l'armée continentale pendant la guerre d'indépendance américaine sous le marquis de Lafayette. En tant qu'agent double, il était chargé de rapporter les activités de Benedict Arnold après qu'il eut rejoint les Britanniques, et de Lord Cornwallis au cours de la phase préparatoire jusqu'à la bataille de Yorktown. Il fournit aux Britanniques de fausses informations tout en divulguant des rapports très précis et détaillés aux Américains...Nous sommes en 1824. Il y a quarante ans, les États-Unis ont arraché leur indépendance à l'Empire britannique. Gilbert du Motier, le marquis de La Fayette, n'était pas revenu sur le sol américain depuis la guerre d'indépendance, dont il fut l'une des principales figures libératrices. Le général arrive tout droit de France, où il s'est illustré durant la Révolution, puis comme homme politique central des dernières décennies. En retrait de la vie publique française, il souhaite à nouveau parcourir les plaines américaines.

In this episode of the Anglotopia podcast, host Jonathan Thomas interviews military historian John Maass about his book "From Trenton to Yorktown: The Five Decisive Turning Points of the American Revolution." Maass, who works at the National Army Museum, discusses why he selected these specific turning points and how they altered the trajectory of the war. The conversation explores Washington's desperate gamble at Trenton when his army was at its lowest point, the truth behind the Valley Forge mythology, the critical importance of the Saratoga victory in securing French support, and how British strategic errors and logistical failures contributed to their ultimate defeat. Maass provides fresh insights into how these key moments secured American independence while highlighting the shared British-American history before the revolution. Links "From Trenton to Yorktown" book (Osprey Publishing) - Amazon "From Trenton to Yorktown" book (Osprey Publishing) - Bookshop.org National Museum of the US Army website and programs National Army Museum Events Join the Friends of Anglotopia Club to Get Early Podcast Access Key Takeaways Maass defines turning points as "battles, campaigns, seizures, and other military events that are decisive and result in significant change that alters the trajectory of the conflict toward the war's outcome." Washington's victories at Trenton and Princeton, though involving relatively small forces, were crucial when the Continental Army was at its lowest point and restored morale. Valley Forge wasn't just about Baron von Steuben's training—it was where Washington solidified his political position, improved relations with Congress, and created a more disciplined army. The Saratoga campaign's British failure resulted from divided command structures and severe logistical challenges in North American terrain. The French alliance after Saratoga was essential for American victory, particularly the French Navy's contribution which culminated in the Battle of the Capes before Yorktown. British strategic mistakes included dividing their forces, underestimating American resolve, and prioritizing the West Indies over the American colonies after French involvement. Sound Bites "I wanted to do something interpretive that kind of pulled together a lot of existing scholarship… and that was, I intended it to be provocative in that I wanted to literally provoke discussion." "When Washington decided a few days before Christmas that he was going to cross the Delaware River with his army… he was arguably at the lowest point in the war, professionally himself, but also militarily." "Washington knew that his army was the embodiment of the cause of independence. It wasn't Congress. It wasn't some mythical 'the people.' It wasn't the spirit of '76, but the revolution really was alive, not well, in his army." "Up until Valley Forge, he was definitely the general. And I think after that, he was also the commander in chief." "I don't think the outcome would have been favorable if there was no French intervention at all, period, end of story." "Really the most important moment in the entire Yorktown campaign… was the British and French naval battle off the coast of the mouth of the Chesapeake called the Battle of the Capes… the most important naval battle in early American history. And not a single American was involved in it." Chapters 00:00 Diverging Histories: The American and British Connection 01:42 The Role of the National Army Museum 03:57 Inspiration Behind the Book 08:06 Defining Turning Points in the Revolutionary War 10:37 The Significance of Trenton and Princeton 19:13 Myths of Valley Forge: Reality vs. Narrative 28:08 The Political Maneuvering at Valley Forge 32:04 British Strategic Mistakes in the War 35:42 Logistics and Supply Issues in Key Battles 40:22 The Crucial Role of the French Navy 46:00 British Strategic Errors and Missed Opportunities 53:00 anglotopia-podcast-outro.mp4

"The British officers in general behaved like boys who had been whipped at school.” This is the story of the beginning of the Revolution's end. Following Lord Cornwallis' vow to take the fight to Virginia, infamous Lieutenant Colonel Tarleton raids Charlottesville, takes a few legislators captive, and forces Governor Thomas Jefferson to flee. Tom only escapes because of the brave ride of the “Paul Revere of the South,” Jack Jouett. Our French friend Lafayette is also on the run, always just a couple of cheeky steps ahead of Lord Cornwallis' armies.  Meanwhile, George Washington is facing down a mutiny in the north. The grievances that led to this insubordination are piling up, and though the mutiny is quickly suppressed, the challenges of feeding, clothing, and paying the army remain. However, the situation is about to improve drastically; George is about to receive the resources he needs, but not from Congress. From France. French allies, including new friends like General Rochambeau and Vice Admiral de Grasse, are ready to give George some serious support... enough support that the Americans just might turn the world upside down. ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and go deep into episode bibliographies and book recommendations join discussions in our Facebook community get news and discounts from The HTDS Gazette  come see a live show get HTDS merch or become an HTDS premium member for bonus episodes and other perks. HTDS is part of Audacy media network. Interested in advertising on the History That Doesn't Suck? Contact Audacyinc.com To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

"Arnold has betrayed us! Whom can we trust now?" This isn't a story of betrayal; this is THE story of betrayal.  After half a decade of giving his all for the Patriot cause, Benedict Arnold becomes America's Judas Iscariot. He betrays his brothers-in-arms for a commission in the British army and cold hard cash (a lot more than thirty pieces of silver).  Meanwhile, after General Horatio Gates' shameful showing at the Battle of Camden, American forces in the South are scattered and demoralized. Though a few determined local militiamen are operating guerilla-style, Lord Cornwallis seems to have Georgia and South Carolina well in hand. Now his sights are set on North Carolina and maybe even Virginia! Can anyone stop him? When all else fails… send the Quaker. Welcome to the South, Nathanael Greene. ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and go deep into episode bibliographies and book recommendations join discussions in our Facebook community get news and discounts from The HTDS Gazette  come see a live show get HTDS merch or become an HTDS premium member for bonus episodes and other perks. HTDS is part of the Airwave Media Network.  Interested in advertising on the History That Doesn't Suck? Email us at advertising@airwavemedia.com To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This is the final episodes in a series which details colonization and subjection of the Indian subcontinent by the British East India Company.  Napoleon's march on Cairo looms large.  With the Frenchmen threatening to cut India off from England, the EIC presses on to finish its conquest of the Indian subcontinent. This episode details the company's final transformation as its directorship changes hands from Lord Cornwallis to the Wellesley Brothers.  Join us to find out about the last stand of Tipu and Mysore Empire, the machinations that resulted in Shah Allam turning on the Marathas Confederacy, and whether or not the relatives of Sir Lancelot complete the conquest. Contact the show at resourcesbylowery@gmail.com  If you would like to financially support the show, please use the following paypal link. Or remit PayPal payment to @Lowery80.  And here is a link for Venmo users. Any support is greatly appreciated and will be used to make future episodes of the show even better.   Expect new shows to drop on Wednesday mornings from September to January. Music is licensed through Epidemic Sound  

This is the fifth of six episodes in a series which details colonization and subjection of the Indian subcontinent by the British East India Company.  This show's focus is upon the directorship of Warren Hastings and then subsequently Lord Cornwallis.  Special attention is paid towards Hastings' dual as well as his impeachment hearing.  We will also check in on Shah Allam's blinding as well as the beginning of the end for the Mysore and Marathas confederacy.   Contact the show at resourcesbylowery@gmail.com  If you would like to financially support the show, please use the following paypal link. Or remit PayPal payment to @Lowery80.  And here is a link for Venmo users. Any support is greatly appreciated and will be used to make future episodes of the show even better.   Expect new shows to drop on Wednesday mornings from September to January. Music is licensed through Epidemic Sound  

This week our guest is JAR contributor Douglas R. Dorney, Jr. Lord Cornwallis has been viewed by many as the general that lost the American Revolution, but his commitment to his own personal values made him a valuable asset to the larger British Empire. For more information visit www.allthingsliberty.com. 

Did my compatriot really try to bed the Russian empress?

The Legion of Liberty must use all of their guile to lure British forces into traps and slow the advance of Lord Cornwallis. Featuring Frankie, Jung Soo, Brendan, and Bob of the Foundry Monsters.

Few British officers names from the American Revolution come to mind as readily as Charles, First Marquis of Cornwallis  (1738–1805).  What happened to him after his surrender at Yorktown?   Richard Middleton, author of the new biography  Cornwallis:  Soldier and Statesman in a Revolutionary World joins us to discuss Lord Cornwallis's career after Yorktown, the lessons learned in America which he applied to India and to Ireland, and Cornwallis's role in British politics and the military.   

The Sound of Ignorance. In our ten minutes together today, our “Take Ten” with Will Luden, we are focusing on the jarring sound of ignorance in political, economic and other discussions in our country. From the very top with the most powerful political leaders and cultural influencers to the anonymous cowards on Twitter. This raging ignorance has taken the form of warring cliches substituting for knowledge and reasoning. This, not the alleged election fraud from both sides, is indeed a threat to our democracy. Let's start with an example that is much in the news: CRT–Critical Race Theory. One side claims that if you don't teach CRT that you are distorting history. The other side says that if you do teach CRT, that you are distorting history. But very few on either side have sufficient knowledge of history to even begin having an intelligent discussion. Even fewer take the time to put the facts, should they have any, into a useful, coherent argument. Think back to any time that you heard either CRT or the 1619 Project being discussed in the media–pro or con–with anything more than cliches and claims, laced with partial truths, being thrown back and forth. “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” George Santayana, noted writer and philosopher. “Those who do not know history, are condemned to stand by as their country is destroyed by those who make it up for their benefit.” Will Luden, podcaster. That’s what’s going on in our country today. This 10 minute episode will help us in our lives, and help us to think through the issues surrounding us.  N.B. This is a complete blog, also acting as a signpost, pointing you to this episode on both the new Revolution 2.0™https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCw5CDliD-PRQE_8bO4Eg98Q ( YouTube) channel, and where you enjoy your podcasts, e.g.,https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/revolution-2-0/id1353135552 ( Apple),https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9yZXZvbHV0aW9uMi0wLm9yZy9mZWVkL3BvZGNhc3Qv ( Google) andhttps://open.spotify.com/show/6rr6fi3AMW0GoAfYQ64lf9 ( Spotify).     Continuing: The Sound of Ignorance. With apologies to Simon and Garfunkle and their mega hit “Sounds of Silence.” Paul Simon wrote the song quietly referring to the social isolation people were feeling–even 60 years ago. Today’s version, The Sounds of Ignorance, loudly refers to us and our country becoming more and more ignorant of history, of the core facts pertaining to any key issue; unwilling to listen or learn, and unable to reason. Along with the 1619 Project, CRT loudly and often makes the claim that race and oppression, with whites being the oppressors and POCs being the oppressed, was a desired goal of the Founders, and played a vital part in the creation of wealth and power in America, and is still with us, preserved in our culture, legal, political and business systems, and that America must be torn down and radically reconstructed if we are to be rid of scourge of racism and oppression. One of our responsibilities as citizens is to understand enough of American and world history to make sense of the many political statements and claims that are tossed at us every day. To start, let's go back to the Constitutional Convention of 1787.  Wait, Will, didn't the Revolution end with Lord Cornwallis’ defeat in 1781? Why wait six years before having a constitution? We did have an original constitution, The Articles of Confederation, enacted in 1781. These Articles provided only the loosest form of confederation, with little or no central power. It was often correctly called a “league of friendship.” No central military, no central taxing authority. Simply the 13 states calling themselves friends. Pause for a quick question. What percentage of voters could tell you which year the Declaration of Independence was signed? Going furtner, what percentage of voters could tell you which country we fought to gain our...

"I'd rather hear the muskets speak than you." For reply he took a folded paper from his pocket and spread and held it so that I might read. It was a letter from my Lord Cornwallis, directing Captain Falconnet to send his prisoner, Captain John Ireton, sometime lieutenant in the Royal Scots Blues, under guard to his Lordship's headquarters in South Carolina.   This short story is sponsored by our friends at 5amily.com

Thank you to the Harris Family for sponsoring today's show featuring Ben Martin, patriot, historian, West Point graduate and former Army Ranger.  Ben discusses the Southern Campaign of America's Revolutionary War. Emphasis is on Continental Army Major General Nathanael Greene who was referred to as the “Savior of the South” and “The Fighting Quaker.”  Kim remarks that the Usurpations noted in our Declaration of Independence, or complaints, are parallel to what is happening today as PBIs (Politicians, Bureaucrats and Interest Parties) act like Kings intent on controlling our lives.  Kim cites details from news articles regarding Polis administration scandals.  Polis had rewarded his friends and close business associates with lucrative no-bid contracts that included double dipping by one state employee and the invasion of our privacy by another.  Plus remember that Polis paid zero federal taxes for three years. Guest Ben Martin agrees that Polis has violated our rights under the Fourth Amendment which protects us from unreasonable search and seizures.  People must stand up for their rights:  Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness as the Patriots did during the Revolutionary War.  Life is bigger than just what we see today.  Think how the Continental Army never gave up under the command of General George Washington.  Last month Ben left off with the Battle of Philadelphia.  The British now had their eyes on the south.  Washington looked to Greene as the commander in the south but Congress initially chose someone else. Lord Cornwallis and General Greene battled many times in the south.  Greene's favored commander to assist him was Daniel Morgan, a man of great tactical skills, and the one who defeated Colonel Banastre “Bloody” Tarleton in the Battle of Cowpens and thus acquired the vengeance of Cornwallis.   Greene went further into North Carolina with his troops. Ben explains the “Race to the Dan” which refers to the Dan River.  It was a crucial water barrier and Greene, using his superior foresight, realized the significance of the river.  Ben concludes with the major battle at the Guilford Courthouse, which the British won but with extremely high casualties. Kimberlee Bell, owner of Kunjani Coffee, entices Kim with one of her holiday specials, Eggnog Latte.  Also, hours have changed from 7am-5pm so that Kunjani is available for private parties in the evening during the holidays.  Make a special note that Kunjani Coffee is in Douglas County with no restrictions.  Give Kimberlee a shout if you're interested in reserving an evening or Saturday night for your special event.

Understand about his contribution in India

Early on the morning of October 17, 1781, Lieutenant General Charles, Lord Cornwallis, found himself hunkered down in a cave near the southern shoreline of the York River. Above him was the disintegrating town of Yorktown, Virginia, now being systematically bombarded into rubble by American and French cannon fire. Cornwallis understood that imminent surrender was the certain fate of his entrapped military force, an army that consisted of about 8,000 British, Hessian, and loyalist soldiers, in addition to their wives and even children. An attempted breakout had failed just hours before. A sudden storm disrupted an effort to move his army northward across the York River to Gloucester Point—and possible escape. Now with the ground continually shaking all around him, Cornwallis prepared to order a white flag hoisted above his battered entrenchments. The weather most certainly did not determine the entire outcome of the battle, but it hastened the British defeat. This was not the first time that the weather impacted the Revolution and almost each time in favor of the rebels. From the sudden fog that provided cover and allowed Washington and his troops to evade capture after the battle of Long Island, to the victories in the snow at Trenton and the mud of Saratoga. By the afternoon of October 19, the British officers and soldiers laid down their arms. Their drummers and fifers, with black ribbons attached to their instruments, played various tunes. Legend has persisted that one was the mournful melody “The World Turned Upside Down.” Whether true or not, Yorktown turned the world upside down for the colonists' former masters and, as such, represented a defining moment of triumph in the American experience. The war continued in the West Indies and other parts of the globe into 1783, but Yorktown set in motion a train of diplomatic events that resulted in Britain's official recognition of American independence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On October 7, 1780, a band of American backwoodsmen slowly encircled British loyalists. The loyalists had the numbers, the training, and the high ground, but on this day the traditional rules of war would not work out for them. The entire force would disintegrate and force Lord Cornwallis to withdraw from his Southern campaign and escape to Yorktown, where he eventually surrendered to Washington, effectively ending the war. In terms of the battle's relative importance, King's Mountain is arguably the most pivotal battle in the entire American Revolution, but it doesn't get the airtime other battles fought in the Northern theater of the war receive. http://battlerattlepodcast.com/

On January 17, 1781, at Cowpens, South Carolina, the notorious British cavalry officer Banastre Tarleton and his legion were destroyed along with the cream of Lord Cornwallis’s troops. The man who planned and executed this stunning American victory was Daniel Morgan. Once a barely literate backcountry laborer, Morgan now stood at the pinnacle of American martial success.

Five minutes of civilised calm, recorded in East London, as the capital starts to wake up. Sign up at https://marcsalmanac.substack.com With a poem by Rudyard Kipling, The Way Through The Woods. "They shut the road through the woods Seventy years ago..." From the show: Proverbs 17:17 Boswell's Life of Johnson On this day: 19th October, 1781, Lord Cornwallis surrenders to George Washington at Yorktown, ending the American Revolutionary War On this day: 19th October, 1889, Arthur Satherley, country music pioneer, was born in Bedminster Music to wake you up – Living in a Ghost Town by The Rolling Stones Sign up to receive email alerts and show notes with links when a new episode goes live at https://marcsalmanac.substack.com Please share this with anyone who might need a touch of calm, and please keep sending in your messages and requests. You can leave a voice message at https://anchor.fm/marc-sidwell/message. If you like Marc's Almanac please do leave a review on Apple podcasts. It really helps new listeners to find me. Have a lovely day. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/marc-sidwell/message

Early on the morning of October 17, 1781, Lieutenant General Charles, Lord Cornwallis, found himself hunkered down in a cave near the southern shoreline of the York River. Above him was the disintegrating hamlet of Yorktown, Virginia, now being systematically bombarded into rubble by American and French cannon fire. Cornwallis understood that imminent surrender was the certain fate of his entrapped military force, an army that consisted of about 8,000 British, Hessian, and loyalist soldiers, in addition to wives and even children. An attempted breakout had failed just hours before. A sudden storm disrupted an effort to move his army northward across the York River to Gloucester Point—and possible escape. Now with the ground continually shaking all around him, Cornwallis prepared to order a white flag hoisted above his battered entrenchments. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode describes the events leading to the final days of of Tipu Sultan Outline ● The Missile Man ● Third Anglo-Mysore War ● ● ● ● ● References: 1. Waqai-i manazil-i Rum: Tipu Sultan's mission to Constantinople - Mohibbul Hasan 2. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/the-1791-war-against-tipu-sultan-changed-bengalurus-destiny/articleshow/57552187.cms?from=mdr 3. Ibid., p.912 4. Letter of Malet to Lord Cornwallis, dated, September 18, Op.Cit. 5. https://military.wikia.org/wiki 6. Bowring, Lewin (1899). Haidar Alí and Tipú Sultán, and the Struggle with the Musalmán Powers of the South. Oxford: Clarendon Press. 7. Colonel G. B. Malleson: The Decisive Battles of India from 1746 to 1849 8. History of India 9. History of Mysore (3 vols., 1810-1817; 2d ed., 2 vols., 1869) 10. A History of the Military Transactions of the British Nation in Indostan (2 vols., 1763-1778; vol. 1, rev. ed., 1799) Episode Length: 0:20:33 Thanks so much for tuning in. Join us again on February 20, 2020 for another episode! ● Contact Us ● leave us a comment! ● Visit us and give us a ‘like' on our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/The-Revolution-Untold-Story-of-Indian-Freedom-Struggle-111694233709330/ ● Follow us on Twitter @ksproductionsus Credits: “The Revolution - Untold Story of Indian Freedom Struggle” is produced by KS Productions, Inc. in collaboration with Pastel Entertainment. Our Executive Producers are Kaushik Mazumdar and Susmita Mazumdar from KS Productions, INC and Shanoli Majumdar from Pastel Entertainment Our researcher is Dipanjan Maiti Content developed by Dipanjan Maiti, Bratati Chakraborty & Kaushik Mazumdar Sound designed & original music composed by Satyajit Sen

This episode describes the events leading to the Third Anglo-Mysore war and rise of Tipu Sultan Outline ● Treaty of Mangalore ● Conflict with Marathas ● Treaty of Gajendragad ● Tipu Sultan's global diplomacy ● Attack on Travancore ● British alliances with Marathas and Nizam of Hyderabad ● Battle for Bangalore References: 1. Waqai-i manazil-i Rum: Tipu Sultan's mission to Constantinople - Mohibbul Hasan 2. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/the-1791-war-against-tipu-sultan-changed-bengalurus-destiny/articleshow/57552187.cms?from=mdr 3. Ibid., p.912 4. Letter of Malet to Lord Cornwallis, dated, September 18, Op.Cit. 5. https://military.wikia.org/wiki 6. Bowring, Lewin (1899). Haidar Alí and Tipú Sultán, and the Struggle with the Musalmán Powers of the South. Oxford: Clarendon Press. 7. Colonel G. B. Malleson: The Decisive Battles of India from 1746 to 1849 8. History of India 9. History of Mysore (3 vols., 1810-1817; 2d ed., 2 vols., 1869) 10. A History of the Military Transactions of the British Nation in Indostan (2 vols., 1763-1778; vol. 1, rev. ed., 1799) Episode Length: 0:21:46 Thanks so much for tuning in. Join us again on February 20, 2020 for another episode! ● Contact Us ● leave us a comment! ● Visit us and give us a ‘like' on our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/The-Revolution-Untold-Story-of-Indian-Freedom-Struggle-111694233709330/ ● Follow us on Twitter @ksproductionsus Credits: “The Revolution - Untold Story of Indian Freedom Struggle” is produced by KS Productions, Inc. in collaboration with Pastel Entertainment. Our Executive Producers are Kaushik Mazumdar and Susmita Mazumdar from KS Productions, INC and Shanoli Majumdar from Pastel Entertainment Our researcher is Dipanjan Maiti Content developed by Dipanjan Maiti, Bratati Chakraborty & Kaushik Mazumdar Sound designed & original music composed by Satyajit Sen

This week we go back to the Revolutionary War and look at the events that led to the Battle of Guilford Courthouse and with author John Maas.  Around the North Carolina village of Guilford Courthouse in the late winter of 1781, two weary armies clashed on a cold, wet afternoon. American forces under Nathanael Greene engaged Lord Cornwallis’s British army in a bitter two-hour battle of the Revolutionary War. The frightful contest at Guilford was a severe conflict in which troops made repeated use of their flintlock muskets, steel bayonets and dragoon swords in hand-to-hand fighting that killed and wounded about eight hundred men. Historian John R. Maass recounts the bloody battle and the grueling campaign in the South that led up to it, a crucial event on the road to American independence.

A large British force attacks General Lincoln at Bound Brook New Jersey.  Lord Cornwallis hopes to capture the relatively isolated Continental force that is posted to defend Washington's southern flank.  The British scatter the surprised Americans who mostly flee the scene.  Washington sends a column under General Greene to retake Bound Brook and harass the British column as it returns to its base that same day. Visit my site at https://blog.AmRevPodcast.com for more text, pictures, maps, and sources on this topic. Book Recommendation of the Week: War of the Revolution, by Christopher Ward Online Recommendation of the Week: Cockpit of the Revolution: The War for Independence in New Jersey, by Leonard Lundin: https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.86569

A large British force attacks General Lincoln at Bound Brook New Jersey.  Lord Cornwallis hopes to capture the relatively isolated Continental force that is posted to defend Washington's southern flank.  The British scatter the surprised Americans who mostly flee the scene.  Washington sends a column under General Greene to retake Bound Brook and harass the British column as it returns to its base that same day. Visit my site at https://blog.AmRevPodcast.com for more text, pictures, maps, and sources on this topic. Book Recommendation of the Week: War of the Revolution, by Christopher Ward Online Recommendation of the Week: Cockpit of the Revolution: The War for Independence in New Jersey, by Leonard Lundin: https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.86569

September 18, 2019 - Mr. Rick Atkinson In mid-January 1777, Lord Cornwallis of the invincible British Army retreated from the New Jersey countryside after two years of epic struggle against up-start American rebels. From the bloodshed on Lexington Common to the defeats at Trenton and Princeton, the American Revolution raged throughout the new United States. On Wednesday, September 18, 2019 at 7:15PM, the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center welcomed Historian and Pulitzer Prize Winner Mr. Rick Atkinson to present the General of the Army Omar Nelson Bradley Memorial Lecture. He discussed the first book in his Revolution Trilogy, entitled The British Are Coming. Atkinson combines personal stories with the savage narrative of the first twenty-one brutal months of the Revolutionary War to give a new perspective on the fight for independence. For video of the USHAEC's podcasts, or to learn more about the USAHEC, find education support for teachers, researchers, and soldiers, or to find more programs at the USAHEC, please visit our website at www.usahec.org.

A British and Hessian force led by Lord Cornwallis storms Fort Lee in New Jersey, forcing the Continental Army led by George Washington to flee further south.  The two armies spend days moving through cold rain and muddy roads.  The Continentals continue to retreat back toward Philadelphia as the British take Newark. Visit my site at https://blog.AmRevPodcast.com for more text, pictures, maps, and sources on this topic. Book Recommendation of the Week: The Day is Ours by William Dwyer Online Recommendation of the Week: Revolutionary War New Jersey, https://RevolutionaryWarNewJersey  

A British and Hessian force led by Lord Cornwallis storms Fort Lee in New Jersey, forcing the Continental Army led by George Washington to flee further south.  The two armies spend days moving through cold rain and muddy roads.  The Continentals continue to retreat back toward Philadelphia as the British take Newark. Visit my site at https://blog.AmRevPodcast.com for more text, pictures, maps, and sources on this topic. Book Recommendation of the Week: The Day is Ours by William Dwyer Online Recommendation of the Week: Revolutionary War New Jersey, https://RevolutionaryWarNewJersey  

Introduction There those who believe that our admittedly deeply flawed nation is the best, most prosperous and freest and nation on earth. Capable, as it often has, of rescuing other nations--other continents--from war and financial ruin. Martin Luther King was one of those believers. As am I. And there are those who believe that America has been flawed to the point of being evil ever since 1619, the beginning of slavery in the US. Not 1607 with the founding of the first settlement. Not 1775 with the beginning of the Rebellion. 1619. And they believe that America is irredeemable, and must be ripped down, and rebuilt from the ground up. That’s the subject of today’s 10 minute episode.  Continuing One of our responsibilities as citizens it to understand enough of American and world history to make sense of the many political statements and claims being that are tossed at us every day. To start, let’s go back to the Constitutional Convention of 1787.  Wait, Will, didn’t the Revolution end with Lord Cornwallis' defeat in 1781? Why wait six years before having a constitution? We did have an original constitution, The Articles of Confederation, enacted in 1781. These Articles provided only the loosest form of confederation, with little or no central power. It was often correctly called a “league of friendship. No central military, no central taxing authority. Simply the 13 states calling themselves friends. It soon became apparent that this loose confederation would not work; a tighter bond was needed. Rocked by the resulting economic difficulties and radical political movements under the powerless Articles, a Constitutional Convention was held in 1787, with the new Constitution being signed in September of that year. This is the same constitution that governs us today, along with its 27 amendments. Yes, the very same constitution that allowed for the continuation of slavery and the disenfranchisment of women and uppropertied men. The purpose of the new Constitution is found in the preamble: "We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."  Today’s key point. There would have been no union if the abolitionists of the day and those supporting women’s suffrage had insisted on abolishing slavery and enfranchising women. Any number of the 11 slaveholding states, and likely all of them, would have simply blocked it on the slavery issue alone. And with no union, there would have been no centralized political, financial or military entity. What force, what political, financial and military force would have squared off against the slaveholding states? The 11 Southern states would not have needed to secede from the Union; there would have been no Union from which to secede in the first place. They could have just kept right on owning slaves. What entity would have opposed them? The ignorant irony of those who believe that America was--and is--evil because our Constituion origially allowed slavery, is that it was the creation of the Union in the Constitution they detest that was key to ending the horror of some humans owning others. The only way to end slavery was to have an opposing force so powerful that it could utterly destroy the financial and military might of the 11 states which were willing to fight to the death to preserve the terrible fiction that blacks were sub-human, and therefore subject to being bought and sold. Of the 620 thousand deaths in the Civil War, 360 thousand deaths were North soldiers. Only a very tight union would have been willing to suffer staggering loss of blood and treasure like that for any purpose. And that very union could not have been formed without initially allowing slavery.  In January of 1865,

In the twenty-first century, India and the United States are two closely connected states. Some of this is economic, and with it comes a concern that jobs in the United States are being outsourced to India. The two countries also face concerns over terrorism, engage in cultural dialogue with each other, and lay claim to being two of the largest and most powerful democracies in the world. However, while many people might be aware of that status for the contemporary world, they are less aware of the long history between the two countries. Dr. Nico Slate’sLord Cornwallis is Dead: The Struggle for Democracy in the United States and India (Harvard University Press, 2019) draws attention to this long and storied history. Drawing from early mercantile ties, the spiritual and philosophical inspirations that thinkers have drawn from in both countries, cultural connections, criticism of race and caste, and the political engagement that exists between both countries, Slate paints a picture of the two countries as learning perpetually from each other. This can even be elucidated through a close study of language, and in one fascinating chapter Slate traces the complicated history, appropriation, and counter-appropriation of the word “thug.” Ultimately, it all connects to the different struggles for democracy in both countries, and Slate suggests that reformers in both countries have much to learn from their earlier U.S. and Indian counterparts. Zeb Larson is a PhD Candidate in History at The Ohio State University. His research is about the anti-apartheid movement in the United States. To suggest a recent title or to contact him, please send an e-mail to zeb.larson@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the twenty-first century, India and the United States are two closely connected states. Some of this is economic, and with it comes a concern that jobs in the United States are being outsourced to India. The two countries also face concerns over terrorism, engage in cultural dialogue with each other, and lay claim to being two of the largest and most powerful democracies in the world. However, while many people might be aware of that status for the contemporary world, they are less aware of the long history between the two countries. Dr. Nico Slate’sLord Cornwallis is Dead: The Struggle for Democracy in the United States and India (Harvard University Press, 2019) draws attention to this long and storied history. Drawing from early mercantile ties, the spiritual and philosophical inspirations that thinkers have drawn from in both countries, cultural connections, criticism of race and caste, and the political engagement that exists between both countries, Slate paints a picture of the two countries as learning perpetually from each other. This can even be elucidated through a close study of language, and in one fascinating chapter Slate traces the complicated history, appropriation, and counter-appropriation of the word “thug.” Ultimately, it all connects to the different struggles for democracy in both countries, and Slate suggests that reformers in both countries have much to learn from their earlier U.S. and Indian counterparts. Zeb Larson is a PhD Candidate in History at The Ohio State University. His research is about the anti-apartheid movement in the United States. To suggest a recent title or to contact him, please send an e-mail to zeb.larson@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the twenty-first century, India and the United States are two closely connected states. Some of this is economic, and with it comes a concern that jobs in the United States are being outsourced to India. The two countries also face concerns over terrorism, engage in cultural dialogue with each other, and lay claim to being two of the largest and most powerful democracies in the world. However, while many people might be aware of that status for the contemporary world, they are less aware of the long history between the two countries. Dr. Nico Slate’sLord Cornwallis is Dead: The Struggle for Democracy in the United States and India (Harvard University Press, 2019) draws attention to this long and storied history. Drawing from early mercantile ties, the spiritual and philosophical inspirations that thinkers have drawn from in both countries, cultural connections, criticism of race and caste, and the political engagement that exists between both countries, Slate paints a picture of the two countries as learning perpetually from each other. This can even be elucidated through a close study of language, and in one fascinating chapter Slate traces the complicated history, appropriation, and counter-appropriation of the word “thug.” Ultimately, it all connects to the different struggles for democracy in both countries, and Slate suggests that reformers in both countries have much to learn from their earlier U.S. and Indian counterparts. Zeb Larson is a PhD Candidate in History at The Ohio State University. His research is about the anti-apartheid movement in the United States. To suggest a recent title or to contact him, please send an e-mail to zeb.larson@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the twenty-first century, India and the United States are two closely connected states. Some of this is economic, and with it comes a concern that jobs in the United States are being outsourced to India. The two countries also face concerns over terrorism, engage in cultural dialogue with each other, and lay claim to being two of the largest and most powerful democracies in the world. However, while many people might be aware of that status for the contemporary world, they are less aware of the long history between the two countries. Dr. Nico Slate’sLord Cornwallis is Dead: The Struggle for Democracy in the United States and India (Harvard University Press, 2019) draws attention to this long and storied history. Drawing from early mercantile ties, the spiritual and philosophical inspirations that thinkers have drawn from in both countries, cultural connections, criticism of race and caste, and the political engagement that exists between both countries, Slate paints a picture of the two countries as learning perpetually from each other. This can even be elucidated through a close study of language, and in one fascinating chapter Slate traces the complicated history, appropriation, and counter-appropriation of the word “thug.” Ultimately, it all connects to the different struggles for democracy in both countries, and Slate suggests that reformers in both countries have much to learn from their earlier U.S. and Indian counterparts. Zeb Larson is a PhD Candidate in History at The Ohio State University. His research is about the anti-apartheid movement in the United States. To suggest a recent title or to contact him, please send an e-mail to zeb.larson@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the twenty-first century, India and the United States are two closely connected states. Some of this is economic, and with it comes a concern that jobs in the United States are being outsourced to India. The two countries also face concerns over terrorism, engage in cultural dialogue with each other, and lay claim to being two of the largest and most powerful democracies in the world. However, while many people might be aware of that status for the contemporary world, they are less aware of the long history between the two countries. Dr. Nico Slate’sLord Cornwallis is Dead: The Struggle for Democracy in the United States and India (Harvard University Press, 2019) draws attention to this long and storied history. Drawing from early mercantile ties, the spiritual and philosophical inspirations that thinkers have drawn from in both countries, cultural connections, criticism of race and caste, and the political engagement that exists between both countries, Slate paints a picture of the two countries as learning perpetually from each other. This can even be elucidated through a close study of language, and in one fascinating chapter Slate traces the complicated history, appropriation, and counter-appropriation of the word “thug.” Ultimately, it all connects to the different struggles for democracy in both countries, and Slate suggests that reformers in both countries have much to learn from their earlier U.S. and Indian counterparts. Zeb Larson is a PhD Candidate in History at The Ohio State University. His research is about the anti-apartheid movement in the United States. To suggest a recent title or to contact him, please send an e-mail to zeb.larson@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the twenty-first century, India and the United States are two closely connected states. Some of this is economic, and with it comes a concern that jobs in the United States are being outsourced to India. The two countries also face concerns over terrorism, engage in cultural dialogue with each other, and lay claim to being two of the largest and most powerful democracies in the world. However, while many people might be aware of that status for the contemporary world, they are less aware of the long history between the two countries. Dr. Nico Slate’sLord Cornwallis is Dead: The Struggle for Democracy in the United States and India (Harvard University Press, 2019) draws attention to this long and storied history. Drawing from early mercantile ties, the spiritual and philosophical inspirations that thinkers have drawn from in both countries, cultural connections, criticism of race and caste, and the political engagement that exists between both countries, Slate paints a picture of the two countries as learning perpetually from each other. This can even be elucidated through a close study of language, and in one fascinating chapter Slate traces the complicated history, appropriation, and counter-appropriation of the word “thug.” Ultimately, it all connects to the different struggles for democracy in both countries, and Slate suggests that reformers in both countries have much to learn from their earlier U.S. and Indian counterparts. Zeb Larson is a PhD Candidate in History at The Ohio State University. His research is about the anti-apartheid movement in the United States. To suggest a recent title or to contact him, please send an e-mail to zeb.larson@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Six months after the Declaration of Independence, the American Revolution was all but lost. A powerful British force had routed the Americans at New York, occupied three colonies, and advanced within sight of Philadelphia. Yet, as David Hackett Fischer recounts in this riveting history, George Washington--and many other Americans--refused to let the Revolution die. On Christmas night, as a howling nor'easter struck the Delaware Valley, he led his men across the river and attacked the exhausted Hessian garrison at Trenton, killing or capturing nearly a thousand men. A second battle of Trenton followed within days. The Americans held off a counterattack by Lord Cornwallis's best troops, then were almost trapped by the British force. Under cover of night, Washington's men stole behind the enemy and struck them again, defeating a brigade at Princeton. The British were badly shaken. In twelve weeks of winter fighting, their army suffered severe damage, their hold on New Jersey was broken, and their strategy was ruined. Fischer's richly textured narrative reveals the crucial role of contingency in these events. We see how the campaign unfolded in a sequence of difficult choices by many actors, from generals to civilians, on both sides. While British and German forces remained rigid and hierarchical, Americans evolved an open and flexible system that was fundamental to their success. The startling success of Washington and his compatriots not only saved the faltering American Revolution, but helped to give it new meaning. Description courtesy of Amazon

''One of America's foremost practitioners of narrative nonfiction'' (The Wall Street Journal), Nathaniel Philbrick is the author of the National Book Award-winning In The Heart of the Sea, an account of the nearly mythic 19th-century maritime disaster that inspired Herman Melville's Moby-Dick. His many other books include Mayflower, a Pulitzer Prize finalist; The Last Stand, a chronicle of the clash at Little Bighorn; Bunker Hill, a fresh take on the first major battle of the Revolutionary War; and Valiant Ambition, an account of the tragic relationship between George Washington and Benedict Arnold. In his latest book, Philbrick narrates the epic year leading to Washington's decisive land and naval victory over Lord Cornwallis's forces in Yorktown. Watch the video here. Ellis Wachs Endowed Lecture (recorded 10/25/2018)

December 3, 2018 at the Boston Athenæum. In the fall of 1780, after five frustrating years of war, George Washington had come to realize that the only way to defeat the British Empire was with the help of the French navy. But as he had learned after two years of trying, coordinating his army’s movements with those of a fleet of warships based thousands of miles away was next to impossible. And then, on September 5, 1781, the impossible happened. Recognized today as one of the most important naval engagements in the history of the world, the Battle of the Chesapeake–fought without a single American ship–made the subsequent victory of the Americans at Yorktown a virtual inevitability. In a narrative that moves from Washington’s headquarters on the Hudson River, to the wooded hillside in North Carolina where Nathanael Greene fought Lord Cornwallis to a vicious draw, to Lafayette’s brilliant series of maneuvers across Tidewater Virginia, New York Times bestselling author Nathaniel Philbrick details the epic and suspenseful year through to its triumphant conclusion. A riveting and wide-ranging story, full of dramatic, unexpected turns, In the Hurricane’s Eye reveals that the fate of the American Revolution depended, in the end, on Washington and the sea.

“The British officers in general behaved like boys who had been whipped at school.” This is the story of the beginning of the Revolution’s end. Lord Cornwallis swears the British need to take the fight to Virginia. He’s got Thomas Jefferson and Lafayette on the run. But at the same time, French General Rochambeau and Admiral de Grasse are ready to give George Washington some serious support ... enough support that the Americans just might turn the world upside down. ​

“Arnold has betrayed us! Whom can we trust now?” This isn’t a story of betrayal; this is the story of betrayal. After half a decade of giving his all for the Patriot cause, Benedict Arnold becomes America’s Judas Iscariot. He betrays his brothers in arms for a commission in the British army and cold hard cash (even more than 30 pieces of silver). Meanwhile, Lord Cornwallis has Georgia and South Carolina well in hand. Now his sights are set on North Carolina and maybe even Virginia! Can anyone stop him? When all else fails … send the Quaker. Welcome to the South, Nathanael Greene.

It had only been four years since Brigadier-General Daniel Morgan had been returned in an exchange, having been taken prisoner by the British following defeat at the Battle of Quebec. Ever defiant, the man who once took a bullet to the back of the neck, knocking out teeth, and had received 499 lashes from a British whip for knocking out a British Lieutenant who struck him with the flat end of his sword, bragging they still owed him one more, he had surrendered his sword to a French-Canadian Priest rather than offer it to the Colony’s Governor, General Guy Carleton. Even as his 500 handpicked riflemen had help secure victory at the Battle of Saratoga, it was clear to General Washington that the trade had paid off. Now, he and his troops had been sent South to assist General Nathanael Greene in his under gunned and under manned efforts in South Carolina. Greene’s plans were simple, he would use the highly-trained riflemen in guerilla warfare, knowing that though they were outnumbered they could plunge a knife in the heart of the British with the right tactics. In response, Lord Cornwallis would unleash the fury of the Green Dragoon, Bloody Ban Tarleton, in an attempt to counter. It would be in that effort that on January 17th, 1781 Colonel Tarleton would form his line, having chased Morgan through the hills and fields of South Carolina, to strike at Cowpens. Yet Morgan not only counted on that, he had hoped for it, knowing the British officer’s tendency to strike first and strike hard. Knowing how notoriously unreliable the militia was, how it would abandon a battle at the first sign of hardship, he set his troops in two separate position that made fleeing the battle impossible if the army was routed. This would not be another Battle of Camden, and though his regulars were better trained, with better, more accurate weaponry than muskets, they would be soon cut down without support. Even as Tarleton hit there would be no place to go if they let him push too hard and too far, it would be fight and win, or die. They were to fire twice, and flee quickly behind the regulars who were harder and more determined in battle. Yet, the truth was that these were not ordinary Militia. Many of them were battle hardened at Kings Mountain. They had faced the British Bayonets and had survived to take the day. In the hills sharpshooters would be positioned under the command of Major John Cunningham of Georgia and Colonel Joseph McDowell of North Carolina. The British hadn’t counted on it and even as they pushed forward, moving into first strike position they would play right into Morgan’s hands. As the British advanced Morgan would repeat the famous line, "Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes!" The soldiers would cheer as the British charged, and charged again amidst the rising fog of musket fire and the clashing thunder of the hooves shook the ground. “They give us the British Hallo, boys. Give them the Indian Hallo, by God!” Morgan would cry out to his troops. They would push back even as the British ordered the second charge. This would force the Continental Army back from their position, and play into the arrogance of Colonel Tarleton. For him the battle was won, he just needed to take to the field and pluck it from the smoke and the ashes. He would order a general charge. It would be a mistake. As the British moved forward with their full force, Colonel William Washington would lead his Calvary down from the right as the militia pushed forward from the left as they quickly overwhelmed the Bloody Ban’s forces. It wouldn’t be bad enough for the British that Morgan had roundly defeated them, but by capturing the majority of the British Forces, 700 to 900 troops in all, he took from Lord Cornwallis some of his best and bravest, some of England’s best trained, and most experienced troops now marched off as prisoners of war. Even as Colonel Washington charged Tarleton would barely escape capture as his horse was shot out from under him when one of the surgeons from 71st Highlanders would give him his own.  Morgan would leave the Wizard Owl, Colonel Andrew Pickens to tend to the wounded, bury the dead and care for the prisoners under a white flag as he quickly fled with his troops to North Carolina, knowing Cornwallis would soon be coming for him and the troops he claimed. It wouldn’t matter. South Carolina had reached the edge and Cowpens had pushed it over. The end was coming for the British as General Greene prepared now to take back the state. It was only now a matter of time. It would be the beginning of the end of the British engagement in South Carolina.  

As Lord Charles Cornwallis confidently marched his 9,000 troops towards Trenton he believed that he had him. He would overwhelm the exhausted Continental Army 5,000 troops strong, and push them back. Even as he ordered his soldiers back for the evening he would arrogantly proclaim, “We've got the old fox safe now. We'll go over and bag him in the morning.” He would capture General Washington and deliver a deathblow to the colonial rebellion that had dared to proclaim its independence from the Empire not even half a year prior.  Yes, he knew that the crafty American General would be too wise to face a force of regulars that outnumbered his forces almost 2 to 1, especially worn and weary from battle, and would more than likely seek to flee. Yet General Cornwallis would not be denied his victory or that swift end to hostilities. He would send soldiers to guard the Delaware, believing that Washington would once more cross where he had initially launched his winter campaign on the evening of the 25th/morning of the 26th. Yet the 44-year-old Virginian would not be so easily caught, and he had grander designs. Leaving the tents up and the campfires burning he muffled the sound of the wheels of the wagons, and took his troops North to Princeton where the odds were more in his favor. Running behind schedule on January 3rd, 1777, Washington had planned to attack the garrison under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Charles Mawhood before dawn. Yet the city remained in the distance even as the sun broke. It wouldn’t be long before Lord Cornwallis charged on his camp to find it empty. Once he had, and not having received word that the Colonials marched in retreat at the Delaware he might begin to put two and two together. To prevent, or at least hinder Cornwallis from following, Washington would order Brigadier-General Hugh Mercer to take 350 men to destroy the bridge over the Stoney Brook stream. Had Washington remained on schedule they would have met little to no resistance as Cornwallis had ordered Mawhood’s troops to Trenton to meet him. But they would spot the American Forces. Knowing time was limited and that the British would charge on their position, Washington would order Mercer to confront the force before it had the chance to attack the main army. It would be on that field that the man who fled to America a fugitive from his home in Scotland after having served in the army of Bonnie Prince Charlie, the veteran of the Battle of Culloden, would fall, stabbed repetitively by bayonets by the British soldiers who surrounded him for refusing to surrender. Nine days later, despite the care received by Dr. Benjamin Rush, he would die. Still, it would not be enough, nor would the inexperience of the roughly 1,000 Pennsylvania troops under General John Cadwalader. “Parade with us my brave fellows! There is but a handful of the enemy and we shall have them directly!" Washington would cry out as a small band of fresh troops from Rhode Island arrived under the command of Colonel Daniel Hitchcock. It would be the last battle of the brave commander of the 2nd Rhode Island Regiment who had led his troops since the Siege of Boston in 1775.  Within ten days he would be dead of tuberculous. Mawhood would still try. Moving out of the range of the American artillery they would attempt to break the American line. Lieutenant Colonel John Fitzgerald, the Irish Catholic who served as Washington’s Secretary, would cover his eyes with his hat, sure that as the smoke of battle overtook them, that General Washington had fallen. He could not bear to see it if he had. Yet as it settled, there Washington sat atop his horse, unscathed, unflinching in the face of fire or the threat of death. The Continental Army would force the British from the field. Some would flee, others would retreat, while others yet would take refuge in Nassau Hall, what is now considered the oldest building at Princeton University, at that point though only 20 years old and the largest academic building in the Colonies. The Americans would push. Alexander Hamilton would set up the artillery and fire on the hall as the troops charged, forcing the British surrender. Washington would order the pursuit of fleeing soldiers. There wouldn’t even be enough time to save the Artillery as the Militia pursued. Even the Dragoons ordered to buy the British time to flee were pushed back. Despite claims by Loyalist Papers that greatly exaggerated the Revolutionary losses, Washington would report 31 to 37 dead on the field, while British Commander William Howe would report almost 20 dead, 58 wounded and 200 captured, though the numbers were more than likely higher, with some putting the British deaths at 375. General Henry Knox, a man so trusted by Washington he would serve as the first Secretary of War, and General Nathaniel Greene, who began the Revolution enlisted as a private and quickly rose through the ranks, a gifted strategist, would talk the Commander-in-Chief from attacking New Brunswick, New Jersey. Yet it would mark the end of the New Jersey Winter Campaign that began with the crossing of the Delaware. Howe would abandon the state, the Hessian mercenaries would be forced out, and the Loyalists would be sent into exile.

A new short segment I am hoping to begin for Fragile Freedom called A Moment in our History. ----- Having been for so many of those defining moments of the new nation, a constant guide, sacrificing tirelessly of himself as a member of the First and Second Continental Congress, Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army, delegate and president of the Constitutional Convention, the first President of these United States, there perhaps had to be a thought by many that even as George Washington retired, even as he once more removed himself public life he would always be there, ready to return when the struggling nation needed him, much like he had when the Articles of Confederation did not prove enough for the Republic. Yet within two years of leaving the Presidency he was gone. At dawn on December 26th, 1799 sixteen cannons would begin their bursts in Philadelphia, the national capital. They would volley every half an hour after as the Republic laid this giant of a man to rest. At noon soldiers began firing minute guns, they would continue for an hour. A mounted Trumpeter led the processional as two Marines wearing black scarves would escort an empty casket drawn by a horse with no rider. Two troops of horses would carry flags of mourning as they, with senior officers of the Infantry, Calvary and Artillery would follow. There had been a simpler funeral, one perhaps more reflective of Washington’s humbler nature, at his beloved Mount Vernon on the 18th of December. Here his body was laid to its final rest. But now the nation, that nation he gave so much of himself to, that nation that he had dedicated so much of his life in service to, needed to mourn the loss of its greatest hero, taken at 67 years of age.  The bells tolled and the guns fired as fifes, wind instruments and muffled drums haunted the “Solemn and August Pageantry” with George Fredrick Handel’s Dead March. Only the second national funeral the nation had held the Casket was taken from Legislative Hall to the German Church, Zion Lutheran, the largest place of worship in the city, where Episcopal Bishop William White, once the Chaplain of the Continental Congress, presided. So revered was General George Washington that, when word of his December 14th death reached the British the colors of the Royal Navy were lowered to half-mast. In France a ten day requiem was ordered by Napoleon to mourn the death of this great man. In a Eulogy Commissioned by Congress and delivered on that grim 26th, Henry Lee III, Light-Horse Harry Lee, former Governor of Virginia, and one time member of the Continental Congress, who served closely under Washington during the War and was present at the surrender of Lord Cornwallis, a man counted as a dear, personal friend and protégé of General Washington, would reflect, “To the memory of the Man, first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen, he was second to none in the humble and endearing scenes of private life. Pious, just, humane, temperate and sincere—uniform, dignified and commanding—his example was as edifying to all around him as were the effects of that example lasting.”

In 1781, the American Revolutionary War had been going on for over six years with more defeats for George Washington and the cause of American independence than victories.  The British army under the command of Sir Henry Clinton, based in New York, together with a large fleet commanded by Admiral Thomas Graves, appeared impregnable and invincible.  The British could strike anywhere, anytime along the extended American coastline bringing overwhelming military power to bear.  In the last year, Clinton had again demonstrated this power as his army swooped in from the sea, annihilated a large American garrison at Charleston, South Carolina, and then returned to New York leaving a large occupying force there under the command of Charles, Lord Cornwallis.  As another winter faded into Spring, Cornwallis was moving north from the Carolinas to establish another base midway between Charleston and New York in Virginia, scattering smaller American forces under Lafayette as he went.  Yet new hope sprang up with the arrival of a French expeditionary force of 6,000 men under the command of the Compte de Rochambeau in Rhode Island coupled with the possibility of naval support from the French admiral de Grasse in the Caribbean.  This is the story of a remarkable combination and coordination of sea and land forces that Washington managed patiently and brilliantly, decisively defeating a major part of the British army which finally compelled Britain to grant independence to the new American Republic, changing the course of history 

With the British Army coursing through the Southern Colonies, the Patriot Movement was reeling. After a disastrous defeat at Camden, new British commander Charles Cornwallis tangled with the American General Nathaniel Greene in the backcountry of the Carolinas.  Ultimately, Lord Cornwallis defied the orders of his superior officer and invaded the Colony of Virginia…a maneuver that would seal his fate and the fate of a nation forever. On this episode we discuss the year 1781.

Lord Cornwallis was trapped in Yorktown in October 1781. His surrender ended the American War of Independence. 

Despite the thrashing he gave Horatio Gates at the Battle of Camden, Lord Cornwallis found the Carolinas slipping out of his grasp. 

A Lesson From Washington The American Revolution was all but lost. Powerful British force had crushed the American colonial force at New York City and put them to flight that summer. The British and their Hessian allies had then occupied free colonies, effectively cutting the rebels in two, they had advanced within side of Philadelphia, the rebel capital by their perspective. George Washington had lost 90% of his army, and had been driven... What was left of his army, driven across the Delaware River. Many soldiers had been lost to death, to disease, to injury, and to capture. Many more had deserted. And as the year 1776 came to a close, Washington stood to lose even more soldiers legally at the end of that year, December 31st, when their terminate enlistment would end, and they could just walk away. The morale of his army was in an all-time low. But on Christmas night of 1776, as the howling Nor'easter struck the region, George Washington crossed the Delaware River and attacked the exhausted Hessian garrison in Trenton, killing or capturing over 1000 men. The Second Battle of Trenton followed within a few days, as the rejuvenated Americans held off a counter attack by some of Lord Cornwallis' best troops. Almost trapped at that point, Washington slipped away under cover of darkness, stole behind the enemy and hit them a third time at Princeton and won another victory over British Brigade at Princeton. The course of the entire war was changed with those events. More than anything, General Washington had given his army what it could not fight without, and that is confidence in final victory. Without that confidence, an army will quickly surrender in the face of the foe. But with confidence, an army will overcome even appalling odds and when shocking victories of it, genuinely believes it can win, no matter what the odds. Well, if confidence was important for General Washington's Army, how much more for the army of Jesus Christ in this world? We are faced with at foe so powerful that if we could see all of his power unleashed against us, we would quickly surrender. As Martin Luther put it, "Did we in our own strength confide our striving would be losing, we would quickly give up." We must have absolute confidence, unshakable confidence in our final victory in order to fight well. And without that confidence, we will easily, we will quickly crumble in the face of the battle that faces us. I. The Reward of Holding Our Confidence And now, the author of the Book of Hebrews is giving the readers these Hebrew Christians the confidence that they will need to fight their fight or another image would be to run their race to conclusion. So we're talking about the issue of confidence. Look at Verse 35, there he says, "So do not throw away your confidence, it will be richly rewarded." It's a negative command. Do not throw it away this confidence. So what do we mean by confidence? Well, confidence is spoken of as a hard attitude or a hard disposition, a sense of internal security or certainty based on the faithfulness of God and the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross. Absolute confidence that comes from the fact that Jesus Christ cannot fail, that He came from Heaven, He took on a human body, He lived a sinless life, and He died on the cross for sinners like you and me. It's a trustworthy saying that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Paul says, "Of whom I am the worst, even the worst sinner, and Jesus Christ came to save sinners like you and me." And is it even possible that he could fail the omnipotent God incarnate? Is it possible that he could fail? It is impossible. For he said Himself, "I have come down from heaven not to do my own will, but to do the will of Him who sent me and this is the will of Him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that He has given me. But I will raise them up at the last day, for my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Sun and believes in him will have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." This unshakable confidence that God is pleased with us in Jesus, that God will welcome us into His presence. We feel it first and foremost in that vertical relationship that we have with God, the freedom that we have with God, to come right into His presence and receive blessing from him. We saw it earlier in Hebrews 4:16, "Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with confidence," because we have a great high priest who died on the cross, who shed His blood for sinners like you and me, since He was raised from the dead, since He has ascended and is now seated at the right hand of Almighty God, "let us approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." Let's have that confidence. So first and foremost, we have a vertical confidence with God, that God loves us, that He has adopted us, we are His children, his sons and daughters, and nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ. But then it flows out inevitably in a kind of a horizontal confidence to the outside world, especially in the context here in the face of persecution, before human opposers. Unshakable confidence in the face of human beings who had opposed us and persecute us, and would be hostile toward us. I think, for example, of the confidence of Peter and John after the day of Pentecost, you remember how the ministry continued? And there was a beggar there by the temple gate called Beautiful. And he wanted some money and Peter and John said, "Silver, gold, I don't have, but what we do have, we give you in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, rise and walk." And then they're arrested for doing this miracle. Brought in before the Sanhedrin, the very group that had condemned Jesus to death. Remember that just a very short time before that, Peter in a cowardly act of selfishness had denied Jesus three times. But God had worked in his heart, Amen, hallelujah. He transformed him. Jesus had shown Himself alive from the grave, the Holy Spirit had come, he was a different man. And John was with him and the two of them are so bold, so confident in front of the Sanhedrin, they're unshakable. They haul these men in and ask... They're asked to give an account for this miracle that was done. And Peter and John filled with the Holy Spirit said, "Rulers and elders of the people! If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. He is "'the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.' Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." Oh, what unshakable confidence they had. Were they afraid of dying at that moment? Not at all. Not at all. They were fearless and bold, and it was note worthy in the text. When they saw the courage of Peter and John, they realized that they were un-schooled ordinary men, they were astonished, and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. That kind of boldness that goes first vertically with God, that God loves me, my sins are forgiven, I'm going to heaven when I die. That God has adopted me. Nothing can separate me from the love of God. Then flows outward in times of persecution, that sword, famine, nakedness, danger cannot separate me from that love. The Apostle Paul writes about it in Philippians, talks about the persecuted church there in Philippi. And he said he wanted them to stand firm as one man contending for the cause of the Gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed and that you will be saved and that from God, for it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for Him. So there is that confidence of not being frightened in any way. What a sign it is to the outside world. So what's going on here in Hebrews 10? Well, in this chapter, the author is summarizing all the benefits that Christ gives, the benefits of that superior Priest, Jesus the Son of God, superior in every way, to the Levitical, the ironic priest, superior in every way offering a perfect once for all sacrifice, the blood of bulls and goats cannot take away sin, but Jesus offered for all time, His own blood as a perfect final offering for our sins, that's the Gospel. I prayed at the beginning that I would preach the Gospel, friends, that's the Gospel, the blood of Jesus shed on the cross for sinners, you trust in him and your sins will be forgiven, that's it. And it brings in a New Covenant, because in the Old Covenant, Jesus could not have been a priest. But in a New Covenant, now establish this New Covenant in His blood, promises the full forgiveness of sins, there are adoption as sons and daughters, a transformed heart, it's a better Gospel. And as a result, we have a boldness, a confidence to enter the most holy place by a new and living way, into the very presence of God by the new living way that is the body of Christ. We have this incredible access and confidence. He's saying, "Don't throw that confidence away." That's what he's talking about. Does that makes sense? That's the confidence that He is discussing here. It's based on the word of God, it's based on the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross. We're going to get later in the Book of Hebrews, sometime in the year 2014 or something. I don't know what pace. We're just moving along slowly, but in Hebrews 13:5 and 6, "Because God has said, 'never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.' And so we say with confidence, so we say with confidence, 'The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid, what can man do to me?'" What Does it Mean to “Throw Away” Confidence? Okay, well, that's the confidence. What does it mean to throw away your confidence? It's a negative command here. Do not throw it away, don't throw that confidence away. Well, I think you do it actively by sinning, by yielding to temptations. Or passively by having the root of that confidence, that root system eaten away little by little. And so, you're drifting away from Jesus, little by little, by little compromises, by little works and actions, by things you do and don't do, little by little the confidence withers and shrivels, and it's not what it was. So, either quickly actively by gross sin or passively by little accumulated actions that are sins, in a way you throw away your confidence by sin. That's how you do it. I thought about how could I illustrate this? Let me give you two practical illustrations; one, a Christian man, let's say, walking with the Lord, attending church, going to Bible study. Faithful, serving, confident, excited about Heaven, but he's got to besetting sin that comes in and he starts to make some compromises and he starts to sin and he violates his conscience. And then starts to do this more and more. You go talk to that individual after a period of time, and he has thrown his confidence away. If he's a genuine Christian, he can be restored, God can reach out and reclaim him, but he's in a dire situation. He has in effect taken an axe in his own hands and chopped the root system of his confidence down by his sin. He has shriveled it up himself by his own hands. Or take a second illustration, let's talk in a foreign culture. Let's say a Muslim country, maybe Indonesia or something like that, and there's a Muslim woman there, young woman, and she has a dream one night, and in that dream, she finds out that there's a woman who will meet her in the capital city of her country and tell her a message by which she can be saved. And she believes that dream and goes to the city. And there sure enough, a woman finds her, introduces herself to her and knows her name, miraculously. She's never met her before, and that woman is a Christian and she shares the Gospel and this young Muslim woman believes, trust in Christ. And the woman evangelist gives her a Bible, she takes it home and hides it from her father, and her brothers, and secretly starts feeding on the Word and growing and her assurance starts to grow. One terrible day her father discovers the Bible and beats her. Her brothers yell at her. She's a shame to the family, but her faith is strong. She knows she's going to heaven. Little by little, she can't stay there anymore. The persecution level gets too great and she goes and moves to the city. She finds some low-paying job as a seamstress there, struggling to make ends meet, exhausted every day, leaves off reading the Bible, starts to grow weaker and weaker in her faith, has no good Christian fellowship, and she meets a young Muslim man at a coffee shop, and he shows her some interest and the relationship proceeds and she has warnings through the spirit not to pursue it, but it's hard to say no, because her life is so tough and so bleak. At one point, she reveals to this young man that she's a Christian, he's not really much of a Muslim frankly, and he's not interested in religion, he he's not interested in Christianity, and he says I don't really care what you do in your private life, just don't bring me any public shame. She's at a fork in the road isn't she? What does Hebrews 10:35 say to her? Do not throw away your confidence. Do not throw it away on a relationship, don't throw it away on a sin, because it will be richly rewarded. What is the rich reward of confidence? What are we talking about, this rich reward? We often associate the word reward with merit, right? Something you deserve, something you have earned. But it is not the case here dear friends. What is the rich, the lavish reward that's going to be, the Greek is really interesting here, bestowed on you in some way. A richness that's going to be bestowed on. It's hard to get across in the English. But it's going to be richly, this confidence will be richly rewarded. Well, the first time reward has ever mentioned is the final reward in the end. "Fear not, Abram, I am your shield, I am your very great reward." It is God Himself, who is the reward of confidence, it is fellowship with God forever in heaven, it is to be able to see Him face-to-face and be His servant and stand by His side and serve Him forever and ever and find the joy and blessing of that new heaven and new earth, that is the rich reward of confidence. That's what you get. Because Without faith, it's impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He is the rewarder of those who earnestly seek Him. There's your reward, it's God Himself. And so don't throw away your confidence, because it has a rich reward and it's God Himself in Heaven. II. The Need for Perseverance And so therefore, the author gives us this simple statement. You need to persevere, you have need of endurance. Look at Verse 36, "You need to persevere, so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised." Hebrews is the book of perseverance. Hebrews 12:1, we are to "run with endurance the race marked out in front of us." You need perseverance, you must have it. Without perseverance, you will not finally be saved. So endurance or perseverance in the faith is part and parcel of our salvation. It's what God promises to do for you, not only to begin your faith, but to nourish it, and sustain it until you need it no longer. Faith is the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things not seen, and when you are seeing what you want and when you are receiving what you have hoped for, you don't need faith anymore, it's temporary. But while you're in this world and while Jesus is still invisible to you, you must have faith. And so, therefore, you must have endurance in faith. You need endurance. In Luke 8:15, in the parable of the seed in the soils, the seed goes out, the Gospel message goes out and there are different kinds of heart reactions to it. But there is that fourth soil, that rich soil, it produces a crop 100, 60, 30 times what was sown. And Luke 8:15 says, "The seed on the good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart who hear the word of God retain it and by persevering in it produce a crop." That is the Christian life, friends. You might wonder, where in the world did I get a noble and good heart? It's a gift of God to you. And so also is the endurance and perseverance needed to bring forth the harvest. It's a gift too, but you have to have it. And so, here is that mystery of divine sovereignty, human responsibility, God's action on you, your requirement that you must persevere. Romans 2:7 teaches the same thing. "To those who by persistence in doing good, seek glory, honor and immortality, He will give eternal life." That's the Christian life. It's a persistence in doing good, a persistence in the Christian life, perseverance. So, this endurance I say to you, is part of the equipment, the sovereign God gives to His elect. It's part of what He gives them so that they may be finally saved. It's the work of God in you, but it's also your work and your responsibility too. You are to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, because it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose. There it is, Philippians 2:12 and 13. You must have perseverance. It is given by the Spirit, alright? The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace. What's the next one? Long-suffering or patience, perseverance. It's a gift of the Spirit of God. It's something the Spirit works in you. It's part of the Christian life. Revelation 1:9, John from the island of Patmos, wrote these words, he said, "I John, your brother and your companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus." It's part of being in Jesus; patient endurance. But it is our responsibility to develop that perseverance. We must endure. We must persevere. 2 Peter 1:5-6. "Make every effort to add to your faith goodness, and to goodness, knowledge, and to knowledge, self-control, and to self-control perseverance." You are to make every effort to add to your faith, endurance or perseverance. It's your job. It's your responsibility. How Do You Develop Perseverance? Well, how does it happen? How do you develop perseverance? How do you grow in perseverance? Well again, God gives it, Romans 5:5, sorry, Romans 15:5 says, "May the God who gives endurance and encouragement…" may He give you endurance. Alright. He gives it. Verse 4 of that chapter, Romans 15:4, says this, "For everything that was written in the past, was written to teach us so that through endurance and the encouragement of the scriptures, we might have hope." So endurance flows from the pages of the Bible. You will gain endurance as you're in the word of God, as you are saturating your mind in scripture, feeding on the word, you're going to get stronger in the Christian race, you're going to have greater and greater endurance from the Bible. So you feed on God's word. If your endurance is low that means you're really not in the word. May be other reasons, but I think that's a fundamental reason why. But endurance also comes through God ordained trials, doesn't it? As you go through certain things God has got the hammer out and He is tinkering with your heart. He's working on you like a blacksmith or something, or a skilled craftsman. And He is working endurance into you through those trials, alright? And those trials either maybe yours alone, something you're going through, but it could be trials of those that you know about, people you know about. So first, your own trials. It says in Romans 5:3, "More than that we rejoice in our sufferings." Because we know that suffering produces perseverance." So as you go through trials, as you suffer through trials, God is working perseverance in you. Or even clearer, I think, is James 1:2 through 4, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance, and perseverance must finish its work, so that you'll be mature and complete, not lacking anything." So as you go through trials, God is building endurance in you. But you can also benefit from the trials that other people go through. You don't even have to know them personally. But you can benefit from the trials that others go through. Listen to this. 2 Corinthians 1:6. Paul was going through a terrible trial, and he wrote about it to the Corinthian Church. This is what He says, 2 Corinthians 1:6. "If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are comforted, it is for your comfort which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer." Let me put it in simple terms: We're going through a hard time for your benefit oh Corinthian Church, so that by you, from afar watching what we're going through, you can get stronger in your Christian life too. Your endurance comes through my suffering. That's what he's saying. Again, Philippians 1:14, the Apostle Paul says, "Because of my chains, because of my imprisonment, most of the brothers of the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly." In other words, because someone else is in chains, they aren't afraid of being in chains anymore. Do you see that? So you can grow in endurance by reading about the persecuted church. You can grow in endurance by reading about martyrs, people who died centuries ago. Just as you read their stories you can grow in endurance. I think that's part of the whole point of Hebrews 11, we're about to head. What a magnificent journey we're about to embark on in Hebrews 11. But as we have this great cloud of witnesses, we start to see how they have lived their lives, these men and women of God, who went before us and courageously lived for the Christian faith, and we can grow in endurance by that. So, be in the word, expect God to give you endurance, suffer well as you go through your trials and learn from the sufferings of others. That's how you grow in endurance. I say to you endurance is necessary. You must have it or you will not continue, obviously, in the Christian life. Perseverance for a Purpose You must have it so that, the Scripture says here, the passage says here, so that you can serve God's purpose in your own generation. Look what he says, "You need to persevere so that, when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised." God has a will for you. He has measured out good works for you to do. He's got works for you to do. He wants you to do them. He wants you, as it says in Acts 13, "When David had served God's purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep." So God has a purpose for you, and when God is done with you, He's going to take you home. Until then you've got work to do. And so you need perseverance so you can do the will of God, you can finish the race in front of you, and do all those good works that God has. So, when God's done with you, He will kill you and take you out of the world and bring you to Heaven. He'll take your life. Does He have that right? Does God have that right? Yes, He does. He has the right to give life and to take it back, but He's doing it to bring you home. It's better by far, dear friends. And so when you have served God's purpose in your generation, when you have finished this race, you will lay aside all these burdens and He'll take you home. But in the meantime, all day long, we are being killed like sheep for the slaughter, Romans 8:36, that's what we're here for, to do God's work. So we need to have endurance, and at the life of that, at the end of a life of that kind of endurance, comes that promised reward. III. The Time is Very Short (vs. 37) Because, dear friends, Verse 37, the time is very short. The time is very short. "For in just a very little while, He who is coming will come and will not delay." The author here is quoting Habakkuk in Chapter 2:3-4. More on that in a moment. But he says, "He who is coming... " In the original context, in Habakkuk, the verse refers to the; vision is coming, the vision is coming and will not delay. The author to Hebrews here makes it just Christ-centered at that point, the one that the visions pointing to. He just makes it Christ when He says, "Christ who is coming will come and He will not delay." So Christ is coming to us in a very little while. So how does Christ come to us in our suffering? Well, He comes to us in our life. He comes to us in our death, and He comes to us at the end of history. In our life, He comes to restrict the trial so that they're not worse than we can bear. He measures out that trial, so that it's not worse than we can handle. Think about the church and Smyrna. It says in Revelation 2:10, "Do not be afraid of what you're about to suffer. I tell you the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for 10 days." 10 days. So Christ has limited the suffering of the church in Smyrna. It's going to be 10 days. I don't know if it's a little 10 days, but a short time, He's going to limit it. So He comes to us in our suffering to limit our trial, so it's not worse than we can bear. And in the middle of it, the spirit of Christ rests on you and He helps you. Think about the Apostle Paul, alright? He was going through a hard time. He was tired of getting beaten up. I think about. He's not a robot. He's a human being. Every city where he went, preached the gospel, he was getting beaten up. He was getting stoned. He was getting beaten with rods. He was getting imprisoned. His blood was being shed. And I think he reached the point where he said, "I can't keep doing this anymore, Lord." And so the church at Corinth there, in Acts 18, it says, "One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision. He said, 'Do not be afraid. Keep on speaking and do not be silent. Because I am with you and no one is going to attack you and harm you, because I have many people in this city." So while you stay here in Corinth, I'm going to give you a break. I'm going to give you an island of peace. So settle in here for a while and preach and go get the elect, go get the people of Christ in the city, and preach for them. I'm going to give you that." And then at the very end of his life, when he was going to die, and He knew it, still he says, 2 Timothy 4, "At my first defense no one came to my support. Everyone deserted me. I'm all alone. May it not be held against them. But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me, the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion's mouth. The Lord is going to rescue me from every evil attack and bring me safely into His Heavenly Kingdom, to Him be the glory forever." What does it mean, "The Lord stood at my side and gave me strength."? Jesus in some amazing way, came and stood by Paul and helped him when he preached the Gospel to Nero. I mean, what an incredible moment that was in redemptive history, but he stood there and preached the Gospel to the Roman Emperor, and Jesus helped him do it. He wasn't alone. So in a very little while he who is coming will come. He will come in your life to restrict the trial, so it's not more than you can bear and to help you get through it. Then He's going to come to you in your death, as I said, and He's going to take you out of this world. 2 Corinthians 4:17 says that our light and momentary troubles are not worth comparing, but the glory and those trials are preparing us for a glory that the Lord is bringing us to. And so, at the time of death, He comes for His own and brings you out of this world into heaven. But in just a very little while, Jesus is coming to end human history. Amen? He is coming soon. "He who is coming will come and He will not delay." Now, you would say, "I don't know that that's what it's talking about here, because it says, "In just a very little while." The Greek word, micron, is in there. In just a micron of time, He's coming. You're like, "Well, it's been 2000 years. That's a long micron there. That's an awfully long time." But you know, the final chapter in the Bible, Revelation 20:2, Jesus says three times He's coming soon, "Behold I am coming soon. I am coming soon." "He who testifies to these things says, 'I am coming soon.'" "I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have." And then John says, "Amen, come Lord Jesus." It is a very short time compared to eternity, isn't it? A day is like a thousand years. A thousand years is like a day. He's coming soon. "He who is coming will come and will not delay." IV. The Righteous Live by Faith... for the Rest of their Lives Verse 38, "But my righteous one will live by faith and if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with them." So here we have Habakkuk 2:4, a key text in the Bible. It's one of the most important texts of the Old Testament. I know that because it's quoted in such strategic places in the New Testament. For example, Romans 1:16-17. Romans is the best, clearest exposition of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It's the best. In Romans 1:16, he says, the apostle Paul says, "I'm not ashamed of the Gospel because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes, first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel, the righteousness of God is revealed, the righteousness that is from faith to faith, just as it is written, the just or the righteous will live by faith." That's Habakkuk 2:4. What a key moment for that text of scripture. "You will be justified or made righteous in God's sight by faith alone, apart from works." So he quotes it also in Galatians 3, because the Galatians had lost track of the Gospel. They didn't seem to understand justification by faith, apart from works anymore. And so he quotes it there in Galatians 3:11-12, "Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for the righteous shall live by faith." And now he quotes it here at the end of Chapter 10, to show I think what kind of life comes from true justifying faith. That life, the life you live, you ongoingly live a life of faith, the righteous will live by faith, not just at that moment, the moment of the crusade where you came forward or you heard the gospel and prayed the prayer. But this is the kind of life you will live. It's a life of endurance in good works, right? It's a life where you're running the race right to the end. That's what it means, the righteous will live by faith. That's the kind of faith that saves. Now, what's going on in Habakkuk 2? Remember the prophet Habakkuk, was grieved by the wickedness of Israel. He cries out against it. God says, "I know what I'm going to do, I'm going to send the Babylonians, and they're going to destroy this place and kill most of the people." Not the answer Habakkuk was hoping for. When I preached it I called it, out of the frying pan into the fire, alright? This is worse. And so, he says, "Look, I don't get it. I don't know what you're doing. I'm going to stay here. I'm going to station myself, and I'm going to wait until you give me an answer, because I just don't get it." And that's where he says, "The Revelation is coming. It's coming. It's not going to delay." The author personifies it and points to Christ. But the answer of Habakkuk is marvelous. There's an individual answer. There's an answer that talks about the wicked Babylonians, and what's going to happen to them, but it doesn't name them, because it's true of any world conquering pagan empire. And then finally, God's kingdom; a three-fold answer in Habakkuk Chapter 2. The individual, through the rise and fall of history, the ebbs and flows of all of history, individual sinners are justified by faith. That's the first answer that God gives Habakkuk. Secondly, if you're worried about the Babylonians, what goes around comes around. They come in as a conqueror. They're going to go out conquered. That's what happens, the rise and fall of the world. You know why? Because ultimately, third answer, The Earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. I am building a kingdom and empire that's going to cover the whole Earth. They're competing with me. They will lose. I win. So I am building an eternal kingdom of glory, and that will not be stopped. Individuals will come into that kingdom by faith. That's the full answer Habakkuk 2, one of the great chapters in the Bible. And that's what the author reaches for to say, "You need to live an enduring life, the rest of your life running this race with endurance." That's what you need to do. And if so, then with Habakkuk, you can celebrate, no matter what happens. It doesn't matter how bad things get. In Habakkuk 3:17-19, it says, "Though the fig tree does not bud, and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord. I will be joyful in God my Savior. The sovereign Lord is my strength. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer. He enables me to go on the heights." Do you want to live a life like that? Do you want that kind of joy and energy and power just coursing through your spiritual veins? And say, "I don't care what happens to me in this world. I am free to serve Christ, because I'm going into that glorious kingdom that he's building by faith. I'm going to go there and I will live that kind of life." V. The Eternal Danger of Shrinking Back And the faith that justifies continues through all of that adversity right to the end. That's what he's saying here, "My righteous one will live by faith, and if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him." Do you hear that tone of warning? It's consistent with the Book of Hebrews. Book of Hebrews is a serious warning epistle, and he's just recapitulating what he's been saying all along. You can't shrink back from Jesus and go on into Heaven. You can't look Jesus and the gospel in the face, study it, know it, come to understand it, and then turn your back on it and walk away and go to Heaven. You can't shrink back. If you shrink back you will be destroyed. We'll get to that in a moment. But that's what it's saying here. Here it just says in Verse 38, "If he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him, but we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed." So the shrinking back leads to hell. It leads to destruction. He's saying, "If you shrink back, I will not be pleased with you." You're thinking, "Well, is that a big deal for God not to be pleased with you? Oh yes. It was for pleasure that God shows us before the foundation of the world, right? "Praise be to the God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love, He predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ... " Listen, "In accordance with His pleasure and will." It pleased Him to choose you in Christ. And as Jesus put so sweetly, I love this, this is Luke 12:32, "Fear not little flock," This is Jesus speaking, to you, "Fear not, little flock, it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom." Oh, that's one of those three by five card verses. Put it up in here. I mean, "Fear not little flock, the father enjoys giving Heaven to you." Doesn't that just dispel bad views of God the father? I mean, He loves giving you Heaven. It's His good pleasure. Well, this verse says, if you shrink back however, He will not be pleased with you. Romans 8:8, says. "It is impossible for the carnal mind, to please God." He is at enmity with God. So this is a big deal if God is not pleased with you. God takes no delight in a cowardly person who shrinks back, who will not persevere. So, in order to make us pleasing to Him, He works endurance in us. VI. Final Salvation is Assured to those who Persevere (vs. 39) And so, Verse 39, final salvation is assured only to those who persevere. "We are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but are those who believe and are saved." Oh, praise God if you can say that with confidence, Amen? I am not included among those that shrink back. I'm not going to drift away. I'm not going to turn away and I'm not going to fall away from Jesus. That's not going to happen to me. Why? Because God is in me sustaining my faith, and I'm not included among those that are going to turn back to destruction, and that's what we're talking about. Hell. It's hell. "Enter through the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction and many enter through it." That's the destruction. If you shrink back you're destroyed; Verse 39. Romans 9:22, "What if God, choosing to show His wrath and make His power known, bore with great patience the objects of wrath prepared for destruction." It's the same word. This is hell that we're talking about here in 10:39. Those that shrink back are destroyed in hell, but we are not among them. Amen? We are not among them. We are of those who persevere, literally, to the saving of our souls. That's literally what it says. So, in persevering you receive the goal of your faith, the salvation of your soul. That's what this text is teaching. VII. Applications So what application can we take from this. First and foremost, look to Christ crucified again. I've already preached the Gospel. I never tire of it. God sent His son in a human body, who lived a sinless life, died on the cross, His blood shed for sinners like you and me. If you trust in Him, simply trust in Him, you will be justified or forgiven of all your sins. Look to Him again. For me, I've been hearing that now for 29 years. I am not tired of it yet. I want to feed on that truth. I want to come to Christ again today. I want to feed on Christ crucified and risen. I want to look to that and say, "That is my salvation. That is the power of God, to get a sinner like me to that heavenly place. I look to it again. I embrace it again. That is my confidence and I'm not going to throw it away. So if I could give a simple three-part summary of what I've said today. Hope, leading to obedience, leading to inheritance. Hope, obey, inherit. Is that clear enough? Hope based on the promises of God filling your heart with Heaven. Hope then obey His word consistently, persistently walking with Jesus, by the power of the Spirit, obey and you will inherit. That's what this text is telling us. So therefore, can I urge you to cherish your assurance, your confidence. Cherish it. Don't damage it. Love your assurance. Embrace your assurance. Feed your assurance. Don't damage your assurance. You can be justified and have a very weak, or a practically non-existent assurance. It can happen from time to time. There's a journey that leads to that deplorable state. I would urge you, don't go that journey. Don't test how much can a justified person sin and still go to Heaven? That's not a worthy journey, friends. Can I commend you to turn away from it? Let's not try to find out how much a justified person can sin and still go to Heaven. Instead, cherish your assurance. Feed your assurance by meditating on the word, by learning God's laws, holy law, and by the power of the Spirit obeying Him, doing what He's commanded you to do by the power of the spirit, live that life and your assurance is going to get stronger and stronger. Every temptation that comes, every flaming arrow of temptation that comes, you lift up the shield of faith and you extinguish that flaming arrow, your assurance will go up. I guarantee it; guarantee it. Every flaming arrow that finds its mark your assurance will be drained a bit. Satan can't kill us. Amen, Hallelujah. He can't kill us, but he sure can damage us. So you lift up that shield of faith and you hold it against every flaming arrow of the evil one. You fight the good fight of faith. Feed your assurance. Be in church. Meditate on God's word. Have your daily quiet time. Be in good Christian fellowship. Be in accountability relationships. Men with men and women with women, find somebody who can pray with you, and hold you accountable. Be part of that. Cherish your assurance. Think often of your rich inheritance. Think about Heaven a lot, more than you do. Read Revelation 21 and 22, I think once a week at least. Read those chapters. Just find out just how beautiful the place is that you're going to. Remind yourself again and again, of what is your inheritance. Think about it. Fear shrinking back. Fear that. I think the Christian life is to be run with an amazing balance of fear and confidence. All the time. You're fearing sin and fearing the assaults and all that, in your own flesh. You're serious about that. Those are serious threats. But at the same time, you're totally confident that God, through the power of His Word, can enable you to overcome them. Let's run together, shall we? And if I can just put in a plug for the men's retreat. Men, we need each other to fight this fight. That's what this is all about. The men's ministry is to help men fight together. Let's not fight alone. We're such independent people so often. So if you can make time, November 4th and 5th, to be at the men's retreat, please do it. I know it's a sacrifice. And now, I am shamelessly appealing to your wives. Bug your husbands. Pray for them. Persuade them. Encourage them. Exhort them. Provoke them and spur them on to love and good deeds. And say, "Hun, I can do without you for that period of time." And make the sacrifice. Let's band together, shall we men? And pray for each other and run this race with endurance. Close with me in prayer.