Crossing the delaware
Six months into the Declaration of Independence, the American Revolution was in tatters. A mighty British force had decimated the Americans at New York, took over three colonies and advanced within striking range of Philadelphia. George Washingtons army was massacred and he was routed across the Delaware River. Panic and desperation seeped into the American hearts as a deep gloom of despair blanketed the states. Even then George Washington and many others refused to put out the revolution. As the British and German troops started spreading across New Jersey, the people started rising against them. George Washington saw the opportunity as a speck of light in utter darkness.
On a cold Christmas night, the Delaware valley shivered with the howling of a noreaster, Washington led his men to cross the mighty river and attacked the worn out Hessian garrison in Trenton. The surprise attack impaled the British, cost them nearly a thousand men and severely constricted their advance. Three days later, a second battle of Trenton ensued. This time the Americans successfully held off a brilliantly executed counter attack by Lord Cornwalliss best troops, in the process they were almost trapped by a British force.
Under the cover of a mist laden night, Washingtons men stealthily moved behind enemy lines and dealt a massive blow, annihilating the brigade Princeton. The British were traumatized by the mounting losses. Twelve weeks of fighting in the bitter cold, severe casualties led them to lose the hold on New Jersey and made patchwork of their strategy.
The British and German forces were rigid and hierarchical in their strategy design. The Americans on the other hand crafted an open and evolving system that was flexible. The Americans also developed a system of warfare called the policy of humanity. The base of which is that moral victories could have powerful material effects. The unexpected success of General George Washington not only salvaged the faltering American Revolution, but is considered by many as a pivotal moment in American history.
The moment of Crossing on the Delaware is stunningly captured in canvas by German-American painter Emmanuel Leutze. The painting was done in D¼sseldorf, Germany in the year 1851. Leutze had spent his childhood in America later moving to German before permanently coming back to the US. Once back in the US he visited the Smithsonian and carefully studied the uniforms and sculpture of the Great General Washington. Despite his eagerness to stay true to history, the artist in Leutze got better of him. He allowed his creativity to run wild and critics blasted the work saying it made mockery out of a historical event. Maybe thats the reason its usually categorized in the Romantic school of art. The painting forms part of the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The painting is noted for its artistic composition. The General is highlighted by a brilliant background sky. The color tones are primarily dark but have touches of scarlet that are repeated throughout the painting. The painting features an unnatural depth due to some stunning use of foreshortening and perspective techniques.
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