THE MEN WHO HELD THE OARS

THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION WAS SAVED BY MEN HISTORY NEARLY FORGOT.

The Battle of Brooklyn was lost.

British forces were closing in, the roads were blocked, and General George Washington’s exhausted army was trapped beside the East River. If the British discovered his plan, the American Revolution could end before the new nation had truly begun.

Washington needed boats.

He needed darkness, silence, and men who understood the water.

Through wind, rain, and fog, the experienced mariners of Colonel John Glover and Colonel Israel Hutchinson rowed hour after hour. They carried soldiers, horses, wagons, ammunition, supplies, and heavy cannons across the dangerous river—then returned to Brooklyn for more.

Months later, amid snow, freezing rain, and drifting ice, these courageous watermen were called upon again to carry Washington’s army across the Delaware River toward victory at Trenton.

History remembers the general standing in the boat. But it was the ordinary fishermen holding the oars who carried his army to safety—and the Revolution forward.

This is the story of the fishermen who held the oars—and helped carry the American Revolution forward.

****************

ABOUT PATRIOTS IN ACTION

Patriots in Action helps children and families discover the people, principles, and defining moments that shaped America.

Through engaging books, educational resources, and stories of courage and service, we hope to inspire a new generation to learn from the past, stand for what is right, serve their communities, and protect the freedoms entrusted to them.

Because freedom is not a spectator sport.