Q: What did George Washington say before crossing the Deleware?
A: Men, get in the boat.
Well, that’s how the joke goes at least. But now we’re going to have to change it to, ‘Men, get in the barge.” It just doesn’t have the same ring to it.
“No one in his right mind would have stood up in a rowboat in that weather,” artist Mort Kunstler said. “It would have capsized.” (the Washington Examiner)
Here is the original painting by Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze
Why did Washington Cross the Delaware?
To get to the other side, duh. But seriously:
Washington and his troops crossed the Delaware from Pennsylvania to New Jersey to mount a surprise attack on Hessian forces at the Battle of Trenton on Dec. 26, 1776. The Americans killed 22 Hessians, wounded 98 and captured nearly 900 while losing only three of their own men. (the Washington Examiner)
Challenge
There are a lot of historical inaccuracies in the original image including the fact that the American flag depicted was not in existence at the time of the crossing. The boat was also too small and the Delaware river usually forms ice sheets, not small bergs as is depicted [Wikipedia].
What differences can you spot between the old and the new paintings?
-Mike
Source: Marginal Revolution
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