A British sharp shooter decision not to fire.........
Had England won in 1777 - how would that have changed world history?
Had England won in 1777 - how would that have changed world history?
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The Day that America could have lost the War to England
- Thread starter Salty
- Start date
Fascinating! I have no doubt that this was Divine "interference" to accomplish HIS will.
I find it amazing to look back and see God's hand in personal events that at the time I thought totally routine/meaningless, but led to some good result!
MARANATHA!!!!
Scottish officer Patrick Ferguson, fighting for the British in the American Revolution, recruited a group of what we now call snipers. (That term originated for marksmen who were able to often successfully hunt snipes, a notoriously-difficult-to-hit game bird. They were simply called "sharpshooters in the 1700s.) Ferguson instructed them to try to pick off officers or enemy sharpshooters.
One of them had Gen. Washington in his sights, but Ferguson recognized him & told his man not to shoot him, as the colonists might place a COMPETENT commander in charge. This was before Washington had learned how to be an able general, & the British weren't afraid of him.
History woulda been vastly different, had that sniper shot Washington!
Ironically, Ferguson himself was killed by an American sniper at the battle of King's Moyntain in 1780. But his creation of sniper teams has survived to this day.
One of them had Gen. Washington in his sights, but Ferguson recognized him & told his man not to shoot him, as the colonists might place a COMPETENT commander in charge. This was before Washington had learned how to be an able general, & the British weren't afraid of him.
History woulda been vastly different, had that sniper shot Washington!
Ironically, Ferguson himself was killed by an American sniper at the battle of King's Moyntain in 1780. But his creation of sniper teams has survived to this day.
RighteousnessTemperance&
Well-Known Member
A day later, after he had been seriously wounded himself, Ferguson learned that the American officer he let ride off was most likely General George Washington. “I could have lodged half a dozen balls in or about him, before he was out of my reach,” Ferguson recalled, “but it was not pleasant to fire at the back of an unoffending individual, who was acquitting himself very coolly of his duty—so I let him alone.”
“Or about him”? Sounds like plugging the air. But I thought everyone knew George Washington was bulletproof!
While there was a good chance I wasn't paying attention in school, I also don't remember hearing about many miracle events in the Revolution .. You Tube '' the miracle of the three rivers'' '' the 2 week late shad run'' that fed our starving army and other events .. Remarkable ! And reading some of George Washington's prayers he recorded in his prayer journal puts us all to shame today, well me anyway imo .. Then the Washington DC tornado that helped us turn back the Brits to help win the 1812 war ..
Yes, I saw a documentary (don't remember its name or who produced it) a few years ago which claimed 1/2 dozen dated events (Ft Sumter, Jackson at NOLA, I think) which went against heavy odds hinting at divine intervention which had they not we would not be the US of A today.
I thought it was hyperbole at best.
I thought it was hyperbole at best.
I believe that it was the USA's destiny to be a separate from Britain & become far-stronger than Britain. Remember, God promised Jacob that "a nation and a company of nations" would come from him, and, under the Holy Spirit's guidance while on his deathbed, Jacob adopted Manasseh & Ephraim, Joseph's sons by his Egyptian wife, and places Ephraim as the foremost, to receive the greatest blessings. Thus, the promise God had made to Jacob years earlier was passed on, along with the BIRTHRIGHT, which God had passed to Isaac over the firstborn Ishmael, to Jacob over the firstborn Esau. However, we don't see conferred only on Ephraim nor Manasseh, but on BOTH, even though Ephraim was destined to become greater, both in old Israel, and later, as a "company of nations".
This was fulfilled in the British Empire, & the USA. Between them, at one time, they held over 80% of ALL the world's resources, along with EVERY major waterway! So, it was destined that the USA become a separate nation, and the sparing of Washington's life was part of it.
This was fulfilled in the British Empire, & the USA. Between them, at one time, they held over 80% of ALL the world's resources, along with EVERY major waterway! So, it was destined that the USA become a separate nation, and the sparing of Washington's life was part of it.
At the time of the AR, the British Empire was the mightiest empire the world had ever seen, and Britain was likely the strongest nation, certainly far-stronger than a colonial rabble, many of whom didn't really wanna end allegiance to Britain & lose trade profits.
The colonists couldn't hope to actually defeat Britain, so they tried a strategy Japan would try against the USA some 200 years later. They tried to make the British become so tired of fighting a never-ending battle, while trade was stifled, that they'd sue for peace, so at the very least, they could start receiving cotton from North America again. It worked, with British PM Lord Shelburne wishing to resume trade with North America & stop throwing good money after bad by prolonging the war, especially when the British realized their mercenaries the Hessians & Indian allies couldn't defeat the colonists, plus, the British were also at war with France. While the British were somewhat humiliated, they were becoming broke, & feared they wouldn't have the financial resources to deal with the much-more-dangerous opponent, only 26 miles away, France. And, of course, very shortly after the Peace of Paris was signed, booming trade prosperous for both Britain & the new USA resumed full speed ahead.
After 1814, the balance of power began to shift to the USA, but the British Empire, under Queen Victoria, reached its zenith. But, of course, the USA had to twice in the 20th century, save Britain from Germany. But we've been even-closer allies ever since.
I believe this was all part of God's plan, as both nations use the same language & don't have that many cultural differences. Could a large portion of both their peoples have a common ancestor in Joseph?
The colonists couldn't hope to actually defeat Britain, so they tried a strategy Japan would try against the USA some 200 years later. They tried to make the British become so tired of fighting a never-ending battle, while trade was stifled, that they'd sue for peace, so at the very least, they could start receiving cotton from North America again. It worked, with British PM Lord Shelburne wishing to resume trade with North America & stop throwing good money after bad by prolonging the war, especially when the British realized their mercenaries the Hessians & Indian allies couldn't defeat the colonists, plus, the British were also at war with France. While the British were somewhat humiliated, they were becoming broke, & feared they wouldn't have the financial resources to deal with the much-more-dangerous opponent, only 26 miles away, France. And, of course, very shortly after the Peace of Paris was signed, booming trade prosperous for both Britain & the new USA resumed full speed ahead.
After 1814, the balance of power began to shift to the USA, but the British Empire, under Queen Victoria, reached its zenith. But, of course, the USA had to twice in the 20th century, save Britain from Germany. But we've been even-closer allies ever since.
I believe this was all part of God's plan, as both nations use the same language & don't have that many cultural differences. Could a large portion of both their peoples have a common ancestor in Joseph?
Was Washington ever a good General? Lining up in Napoleonic battle lines against British troops with superior artillery seemed to be what he did best.
The British were broken in The Carolinas and Georgia.
While his CHIEF contribution was keeping a fighting force in the field and getting it some funding, he FINALLY learned to seize the moment, as he did at Yorktown, combining his force with two French forces to trap Lord Cornwallis & his British force in Yorktown.
Cornwallis was not a poor commander, having won several victories earlier over the colonials, but he had no way out of the trap, & had to surrender.
All this was made possible by Washington's keeping the army together at Valley Forge. And his two victories with that army over the Hessians at Trenton & Princeton in late 1776-early 1777 didn't hurt, either! During that time, he eluded the much-larger force of that same Lord Cornwallis.
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Yorktown was only possible because Marion, Green, Elbert, etc. Had turned the war in the South.
Many Germans fought along side the Americans!
German Baron Von Steuben proved to be a super-valuable asset to the Continental Army, providing military training for officers & privates as well. He taught them how to deploy for battle, as well as how to use cover, shoot from several positions, etc. Being familiar with British tactics, he taught officers how best to counter them.
Steuben spoke English with a heavy accent, but the soldiers generally understood him. When his patience grew short, he'd start "cussing" them in German, or a mixture of German & English. he went on to lead different units in several battles, serving with distinction. He was every bit as important to the Contionental Army as Washington
He was likely gay, but that was kept secret by the top brass & govt. He was well-rewarded for his service by the federal govt. and those of NY & NJ. Stueben County is named after him, as is Steubenville, OH.
Later, several US ships were named after him, including a Cold-war-era subby.
(Anyone saying he was Prussian, not German, should know he was born in MADGEBURG, GERMANY.)
Yes, they did. The British mercenaries were Hessian Germans, from the German state of Hesse. The future-Americans hated them, & killed as many as possible when they could. The only british they hated as badle were troops under the command of Banastre Tarleton, whom had killed colonists attempting to surrender. And, of course, there was the aforementioned colonists' instructor & leader, the German Baron Von Steuben.
Thanx for posting the link, Salty! As I was in CINCPAC, USN, 1966-70, I didn't know about that regiment!
However, I do know about the Japanese-American Nisei 442nd regiment (Nisei means "North American countries" in Japanese.) They became the most-decorated regiment in the US army, fighting in the ETO.
However, I do know about the Japanese-American Nisei 442nd regiment (Nisei means "North American countries" in Japanese.) They became the most-decorated regiment in the US army, fighting in the ETO.
I recently visited their barracks in Trenton N.J. Did you know they slept 12 men to a room in only 4 beds? Now that's what I call comradeship!