Escape From New York

OpinionJournal.com ^ | July 3, 2007 | BRENDAN MINITER

[gpapa]

In 1776 Lt. Col. Thomas Knowlton seemed to be precisely the kind of military officer the American military needed to win the Revolution. He was a veteran of the French and Indian War two decades earlier. He proved to be a supreme leader of men in combat outside Boston. And he was tapped by Gen. George Washington to start a new elite military unit--Knowlton's Rangers--that was capable of operating behind enemy lines.

[DieHard the Hunter]

BUMP

[Turret Gunner A20]

I wonder how many even give that a thought.

[bybybill]

I read Rush`s father`s speech about what happened to the Signers(its posted on his Web Site) to my grandcritters tonite. Try it if you can, it is well worth it.

[JerseyHighlander]

In October 1777, the king's army arrived in the Hudson Valley, assaulted the fortifications and, with a final bayonet charge, defeated the Americans. They then broke the chain.

Nice article but the above is incorrect. The chain snapped on first contact with the lead ship in the fleet.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

For a complete account of the chains across the Hudson, read Chaining the Hudson by Lincoln Diamant. It's an excellent story. Obtaining sufficient iron to build the massive chains was a huge undertaking and required the output of many distant iron works.

[Zack Nguyen]

I have not yet finished the article, but as if I remember correctly Nathan Hale was a member of Knowlton's Rangers. Hale, of course, undertook a dangerous mission for Washington to spy out British forces, and was hanged for it. His last words were, "I regret that I have but one life to give for my country." The British denied him a minister and Bible in his last days.

[gpapa]

http://www.connecticutsar.org/articles/scarlet_no3.htm