19 February 2008
The Winter of Our Misgivings
Posted by Joy Bischoff under: Constitution in Peril; Judaeo-Christian Values Under Attack; Presidential Election 2008 .
We have to wonder what General George Washington would say to us at a time like this when discouragement is in the air. Maybe we can take a moment to imagine. For me it would go something like this:
Welcome to winter camp, soldiers. It might not look like much and it is cold but with your help we can keep the fires burning enough not to freeze. This place is called Valley Forge, and if we can hold on until the spring of a new day, we think this place will forge us into patriots so determined that we will win the conflict.
We know it is hard to stay and many of you may not. When we think about the enemy sitting comfortably in the luxury of fine mansions and Inns that we built and they are enjoying, it is hard not to give up. We can almost hear their laughter as they clink their glasses in a cheery toast. They are celebrating the success of their offensive maneuvers to keep us on the run and labeling us criminals, outcasts and fanatics. They accuse us of betrayal to the government but we declare that the voice of the people is the government.
All I can tell you is…hold on. The enemy thinks they have us defeated. They don’t know that a small army can defeat them, but this is our land and we will defend her. They are sure we will become discouraged and slink away to our homes and quietly accept defeat. They don’t understand that the fire they are putting us through is not breaking apart those who truly understand freedom; they are forging a diamond out of coal. Some will break and leave, but the core left behind will increase in unity and endurance. Believe in the justice of our cause. Hold on, just hold on. Your children will speak of your time and your courage in surviving the first Valley Forge of the twenty-first century; the battle of ideology that must preserve the Constitution.
God will not desert you, and we are here to support you with the spirit of freedom that attend all true heroes. Trust us, for we, the founders of this nation, can see what you cannot. The nation we built has never been closer to destruction, which will come first from within. Save her.
“These are the times that try men’s souls.
The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.” – The American Crisis by Thomas Paine
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19 Comments so far...
Mac Says:
19 February 2008 at 8:27 am.
This is inspiring. I’d like to think our founding fathers were helping the Lord keep an eye on us. It does kind of feel like winter in more ways than one. I love that sunshine soldier quote. Puts things in perspective.
Angela Rogin Says:
19 February 2008 at 8:37 am.
This really makes you think. It does seem like conservatives have just gone on home and given up. We have to stick together and lift our heads up. And we have to keep thinking. I love George Washington. It’s good to imagine what those great men would think and say and do. I have people at work saying to me that no one has the answers. I don’t want to believe that. I’ve read about Thomas Jefferson and I know he studied for years to find political truths. He sent a trunk full of books to Madison to study. While I’m in winter camp I want to keep studying.
Cameron Says:
19 February 2008 at 8:52 am.
I’ve been away for three days and even though we had a fun break, it’s good to be back. We visited relatives who have all thrown in the towel politically. They just throw their hands in the air and say there is nothing they can do and they’re done with politics. This blog makes me think about that and when comparing it with the soldiers in Valley Forge I want to shake them all and say we can’t quit.
Mac Says:
19 February 2008 at 9:05 am.
Welcome back Cameron. But don’t you know you can’t leave without permission? You’re our news hound.
Chuck C Says:
19 February 2008 at 9:44 am.
Its funny, but this morning I picked up a book I have not read in a long time. It is called “500 Little Known Stories from American History” published by Christian Crusade in 1964. I was reading the very first paragraph of the introduction as Joy’s blog was coming up on my screen. Let me share two paragraphs with you:
“1. Action, The Effect of Daring. The Declaration of Independence in 1776 hadn’t solved the problems of the American colonies, but rather had intensified them. Washington’s army had been forced to retreat before superior numbers, Tories were everywhere, Continental troops were in a mood to desert, and it looked as if the American cause was going to be short lived. Washington knew that unless a brilliant blow was struck before the end of the year, it would be all over. Crossing the Delaware in the bitter cold of Christmas night, his troops fell on the unsuspecting Hessians at Trenton and won a signal victory, taking a thousand prisoners.
The uplifting effect on the morale of the country was immediate. Philadelphia was saved, Congress returned after having fled the city, a large force of Pennsylvania militia joined Washington’s camp, and by promising a bounty of ten dollars, the Continental troops which were ready to desert, agreed to stay. Washington’s bold venture had proved to be the turning point in the history of the nation.”
I had chills run down my spine when, after reading this, the very next thing I read was Joy’s blog. Have the sunshine patriots gone home? I’d like to think not. They are gathering strength, fortifying themselves, looking for a rallying point. We may be in our Valley Forge, needing a leader to show us what to do. Think about what happened there.
Friedrich Wilhelm Ludolf Gerhard Augustin von Steuben (September 17, 1730 – November 28, 1794) was a German-Prussian army officer who served as inspector general of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. He is credited with teaching the Continental Army the essentials of military drill and discipline, helping to guide it to victory. He wrote the book that became the standard United States drill manual until the War of 1812, and served essentially as General George Washington’s chief of staff in the final years of the war.
On September 26, 1777, he reached Portsmouth, New Hampshire and by December 1, was being extravagantly entertained in Boston. Congress was in York, Pennsylvania, after being ousted from Philadelphia for the winter and on February 5, 1778, Steuben was with them. They accepted his offer to volunteer, without pay for the time, and on the 23rd of the same month, Steuben was reporting for duty to Washington at Valley Forge. Steuben did not speak English, but his French was such that he could communicate with some of the officers. Alexander Hamilton and Nathanael Greene were of great help in this area. The two men assisted Steuben in drafting a training program for the soldiers which found approval with Washington in March.
Steuben’s training technique was to create a “model company”, a group of 120 chosen men who in turn successively worked outward into each brigade. Steuben’s eclectic personality greatly enhanced his mystique. He trained the soldiers, who at this point were greatly lacking in proper clothing themselves, in full military dress uniform, swearing and yelling at them up and down in German and French. When that was no longer successful, he recruited Captain Benjamin Walker, his French speaking aide, to curse at them for him in English. To correct the existing policy of placing recruits in a unit before they had received training, Steuben introduced a system of progressive training, beginning with the school of the soldier, with and without arms, and going through the school of the regiment. Each company commander was made responsible for the training of new men, but actually instruction was done by selected sergeants, the best obtainable.
The first results of the army training were in evidence by May 20, 1778 at Barren Hill and then again at Monmouth (ending June 28). Washington recommended an appointment for Steuben as Inspector General on April 30; Congress approved it on May 5. It was Steuben serving in Washington’s headquarters in the summer of 1778 who was the first to report the enemy was heading for Monmouth. During the winter of 1778-1779, Steuben prepared Regulations for the Order and Discipline of the Troops of the United States, commonly known as the “Blue Book.” Its basis was the plan he devised at Valley Forge. (source: Wikipedia)
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We can thank people like Joy for inspiring us. Now we need to take courage from people for her and retrench a bit. We also need a von Steuben type who can help us to develop a plan of progressive training. We don’t have all the answers, but we should not be discouraged.
I once had a very old man give me some wonderful advice. He said, “look for the bright and uplifting things of life. Avoid that which is dark and shady and destroys the testimony of your soul.” We may begin to feel that we are in a dark period and become discouraged. But we will be lifted up in our spirits by knowing that we are not alone.
Joy Bischoff Says:
19 February 2008 at 10:28 am.
Chuck, what you have written is like a part II to what I wrote. We must have direction and something to keep us from wallowing in discouragement. This is great. I just got online to tell people that it was you who reminded me of the sunshine soldier a couple of weeks ago. It has been working in my mind ever since and is what nudged me to write this post. Thanks.
Stumpy Says:
19 February 2008 at 10:48 am.
I know why I never learned about that Steuben fella in school. If the teacher couldnt a learned his name how could they spect us to?
Anon88 Says:
19 February 2008 at 11:03 am.
This is beautifully done and it does seem as if it is part one and two of a series. I love seeing history buffs here. Keep this kind of thing going. If places like this keep cropping up, and leaders are trained and prepared, then there will be a safety net in place to catch America when she falls. I don’t just study history, I read the Bible also. We are going to need all of you in future.
And you are right, Stumpy, von Steuben’s full name is quite a mouthful.
CindyL. Says:
19 February 2008 at 11:23 am.
I should be doing homework instead of this but maybe I can call it history. After all, Anon88 is a history professor so maybe it counts. I think he is right about a safety net. Prophecy makes it clear we will need one and from small things proceed that which is great. Don’t underestimate what a place like this can start. And we are not alone, there are other groups trying to do the same kind of thing. It will take all of us. Joy wrote about organizing small circles of people around us to understand these important ideas and together they make the big circle that creates the energy to empower the values in the Constitution. This is all so cool. It makes me feel I can do something about all the problems.
I really liked the part about the other army using the mansions we built. That is what the Washington insiders are doing with the country the lowly masses built.
Matt Says:
19 February 2008 at 11:34 am.
This place is the fire at Valley Forge. I’m just glad there is power at our Valley Forge so I can use my computer.
Chuck C Says:
19 February 2008 at 11:39 am.
“If you sometimes get discouraged, consider this fellow. He dropped out of grade school. Operated a country store. Went bankrupt. Took 15 years to pay off his bills. Took a wife. Unhappy marriage. Ran for U.S. House of Representatives. Lost twice. Ran for U.S. Senate. Lost twice. Delivered speech that became a classic. Audience indifferent. Attacked daily by the press and despised by half the country. Despite all this, imagine how many people all over the world have been inspired by this awkward, rumpled, brooding man who signed his name simply, A. Lincoln.” (Wall Street Journal).
Stumpy Says:
19 February 2008 at 1:17 pm.
I was getting discouraged but I figured if good ole Abe could keep trying then I could to. Ya see, my front side was doin just fine standing in front of this here fire, but my backside was freezing off from the icy stares of them libs. So I decided to put my great ass right behind me to warm me up. Shes all furry and now Im warm on both sides.
Pickles Says:
19 February 2008 at 5:26 pm.
Good thing I like snow. I’m no sunshine soldier. I really loved this blog. It made me want to be true to the things I believe in.
Stumpy,
Pet your donkey for me. You are a very naughty man.
Chuck C Says:
19 February 2008 at 6:06 pm.
Stumpy, if you pet your donkey, please do it in private.
Chuck C Says:
19 February 2008 at 6:07 pm.
Oops, sorry Joy.
Joy Bischoff Says:
19 February 2008 at 6:15 pm.
I was imagining awhile ago how many people were restraining themselves on the blog. (wags head and tries to look stern) OH BROTHER!
Chuck C Says:
19 February 2008 at 6:29 pm.
I’ve got to tell you a personal story about the Valley Forge area. In 1979 my wife and I moved to Pennsylvania. I was from Oregon, but she was raised there. A short time after we arrived my father told me that he had read that our ancestors lived in Pennsylvania… somewhere near a town with the word “College” in it. I suggested “State” College, home of Penn State, and he said he thought that was it.
One day I was working in a town named Collegeville and was just outside of town on my way home when the idea came into my head, “I wonder if they might have lived near Collegeville?” I was driving down a beautiful narrow road with these beautiful trees all around. At the very instant that thought came into my head I turned left into a very narrow lane between an ancient Presbyterian Church and graveyard. I rounded a corner past an old barn and pulled off the road in front of a beautiful old farmhouse. I walked up to the door and nearly died as a read the plaque posted on the door, “Historic Castleberry House”.
Can you imagine my awe as the new owners took me through the house and into the barn with my great, great… grandfather’s name inscribed in the wood from 1729?
They then took me to an adjacent mansard roofed home that was also owned by the family. It was used by General Washington as his headquarters for a short time following the Battle of Brandywine.
This is near Valley Forge, and family members had a hemp plantation at Valley Forge. Near the river, across from the cemetery I mentioned, is a Tory graveyard. It is totally overgrown and neglected. I could find no Castleberry names there, but did find some in the Patriot Cemetery.
I don’t tell you this to brag, but to share with you some sacred feelings. What made me stop at that house? I have never before or since done anything like that. With a sense of wonder and awe, I know that those who fought and died for these liberties we hold dear are aware of our situation. We are their legacy and are working to continue a legacy of peace and prosperity for our children and theirs.
I am moved now as I write this by an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the sacrifices made at Valley Forge. It is a beautiful, hallowed place made sacred by the sacrifices of men long departed. Let us live so as to honor their lives.
Ghost Says:
19 February 2008 at 8:06 pm.
Chuck,
This means you’re a patriot and not a Tory. Good to know. I guess you belong here at Valley Forge then. This was a great story. It makes the blog feel more personal. I wish I could see Valley Forge.
Sharon Anderson Says:
20 February 2008 at 12:34 am.
Thank you for sharing your experience with us, Chuck. It gave me chills (the good kind) to realize that your ancestors loved freedom and help win independence. I am sure patriots of the past are very much aware of what is going on right now. They are watching us to see if we will be true to the legacy of liberty that they lived and fought and even died for. Courage all!
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