Guns For General Washington

The convoy’s first leg of the overland journey is a 10-mile trek from Fort George to Glens Falls. The terrain proves to be extremely difficult, with the convoy navigating the frozen, uneven trails of the Adirondack foothills. The trail is rough, with hard ruts and ridges that make progress slow and arduous. The artillery train stretches nearly a mile long, with Will overseeing the rear. Midway through the journey, an accident occurs when the Beckers’ wagon, carrying a brass cannon, veers off the trail after a lead horse stumbles on a rock. J.P. is thrown from his seat but is unhurt. It takes several troopers to get the heavy wagon back on track, causing a significant delay and leaving a gap in the convoy. In response, Henry changes the rules to ensure that if one unit encounters trouble, the entire convoy will stop to keep the group together and ensure that there is enough manpower to handle any issues that arise.

As night falls, the weary convoy finally reaches Glens Falls. At the local inn, Henry meets with Will and other convoy leaders to plan their next move. The plan is to cross the frozen Hudson River and head south to Saratoga. Will suggests that the impending snowfall could actually help their journey by making it easier for the sleds to move across the snow-covered ground.

On Christmas Eve, Henry’s wish for snow is granted. The convoy successfully crosses a frozen section of the Hudson River and heads toward Saratoga, with Henry optimistic that they are on schedule to deliver the cannons to General Washington within two weeks. The convoy moves steadily through the snow at first, receiving a warm welcome in Saratoga, where the townspeople bring food and drink to celebrate their arrival on Christmas Day.

However, as the convoy leaves Saratoga and enters the Hudson Valley, their luck changes. The temperature drops sharply, and a fierce blizzard engulfs the convoy, with driving winds and ice making progress nearly impossible. Snowdrifts block the path, forcing the men to stop frequently to shovel the snow away. As the snow deepens, reaching over two feet, the horses are unable to continue, and the convoy grinds to a halt. Recognizing the severity of the situation, Henry decides that some of the men must push on by foot to reach the nearby town of Stillwater and bring back help. Henry leads this group while Will stays behind.

Henry and a rescue party make a grueling march through a snowstorm to reach Stillwater. The conditions are harsh, with snow three feet deep and a severe wind making progress difficult and exhausting. The group finally reaches the town, where they are helped by a man who sends supplies to aid those trapped in the pine grove.

Meanwhile, in the grove, Will is doing his best to keep the men and animals warm and maintain morale. As the storm subsides, Henry arrives in Albany to report to General Schuyler. Although Schuyler still harbors doubts about the feasibility of the mission, he respects Henry’s determination and agrees to help. He promises to replace the exhausted horses and care for the sick men, though finding willing replacements proves challenging due to the dangers of winter travel.

For four days, Schuyler’s men search the countryside, negotiating with farmers to secure new teams and drivers. Finally, on December 31, the convoy is ready to resume its journey. Their next obstacle is crossing the Mohawk River near Lansing’s Ferry. Initially, Henry expects the crossing to be straightforward, but upon inspection, Will and the other men discover that the ice is thinning and melting, making it too dangerous to support the weight of the heavy wagons.

While Henry Knox’s convoy is stalled at the Mohawk River, General Howe is busy formulating new plans aboard the HMS Somerset. He received a secret dispatch from London that brought a rare moment of optimism. The dispatch detailed the assembly of a new, larger supply fleet that was set to cross the Atlantic, bringing Howe the reinforcements he desperately needs—40,000 troops and weapons to bolster his efforts against the colonial forces.

This is good news for the British navy, which has recently faced setbacks. The previous supply convoy from England was scattered and damaged by a hurricane in the Atlantic. Many of the ships were blown off course to the British West Indies, delaying their arrival and depleting Howe’s resources. Additionally, Howe has been plagued by American privateers, whom he viewed as pirates. These privateers have successfully captured British merchant ships, stealing supplies.

On New Year’s Day, 1776, the men work together to strengthen the ice on the river. They chop holes in the ice, allowing water to flow over and freeze, creating thicker layers to support the weight of the heavy cannons and sleds. Will is uncertain if the ice will hold, but Henry decides to proceed cautiously, moving the lighter guns first, one at a time, with a rope attached to each sled. A man with an axe walks alongside, ready to cut the rope if the sled begins to break through the ice to prevent the team from being dragged under. The first sled, driven by Henry himself, makes it safely across.

By nightfall, all but three of the heaviest cannons have made it across. Henry has the men chop more holes in the ice to thicken it further, preparing to attempt the crossing with the largest cannons the following morning. The next day, the first two of the heavy cannons make it across without incident, but when Will attempts to cross with the final and largest gun, the ice begins to crack. The ice finally gives way, and the cannon plunges into the river. Thanks to the quick action of the axe man, the rope is cut, saving the oxen from being dragged under. J.P. Becker’s father is injured while trying to control the panicked animals, but the injury is not serious. The men focus on rescuing the submerged cannon once it is clear that Becker will recover.

With determination and teamwork, the men haul the cannon out of the river and onto the bank. Exhausted from the ordeal, they camp by the river’s edge, but J.P. stays up to watch over his father. The next morning, J.P. volunteers to take his father’s place driving their wagon, with his father guiding him from the passenger seat.

General Washington presides over a ceremonial flag-raising, where the “Grand Union” flag—the first flag representing the colonial cause—is raised. When he returns to his desk, he reads the latest report that describes the slow and challenging journey due to harsh weather and difficult terrain. The delay weighs heavily on Washington, who is increasingly anxious about the timing of the artillery’s arrival. The winter has been harsh, not just for the British but also for the Continental Army. Many New England troops, who had enlisted for six months, are now leaving as their terms of service ended. The lack of a financial bonus and the soldiers’ waning morale leads many to return home, frustrated by the prolonged stalemate and the lack of progress.

General Washington, concerned about the army’s diminishing numbers and morale, contemplates attacking the British in Boston. However, he is overruled by Congress and the War Council due to the lack of sufficient powder and artillery, making such an assault too risky. Instead, Washington focuses on strengthening defensive positions and capturing strategic outposts like Cobble Hill. By early 1776, reinforcements arrive, bringing the army’s numbers up to over 10,500 men, but Washington knows that sheer numbers are not enough without adequate weaponry.

The convoy moves along a narrow trail on the west bank of the Hudson River. At the front of the line, J.P. Becker manages the horses with his father by his side. As evening falls, a mist begins to rise from the river, and the convoy continues through an eerie, quiet landscape. J.P. recognizes the area as a battlefield from the French and Indian War. The nearby pond, known as Bloody Pond, is said to be haunted by the ghosts of those who perished in the battle. J.P. begins to see what he believes are ghostly figures of soldiers and warriors from the battle. His fear grows, and when his horses suddenly rear and panic, it seems as though the phantoms are real. The commotion startles the entire convoy, nearly causing a pileup as the spooked animals refused to move forward.

J.P. shouts in fear, convinced the ghosts of Bloody Pond are responsible. However, the real cause of the disturbance is revealed when the troopers discover a drunken colonial soldier lying on the trail. The soldier, who had wandered away from a nearby fort and decided to sleep on the path, is the source of the horses’ fright.

As the convoy reaches the area south of Albany, they face yet another obstacle: the Hudson River, which is choked with massive ice floes due to a sudden thaw. They had planned to cross the river at this point to access the Old Post Road, a smoother route that would take them quickly to the town of Kinderhook. However, the thaw makes crossing impossible, leaving the convoy stranded on the wrong side of the river. Henry, feeling the pressure of the delayed schedule and the mounting difficulties, decides to wait and hope for another freeze that will solidify the river enough for safe passage. After two days of tense waiting, the freeze finally arrives, and the convoy carefully crosses the now-solid ice. Once on the Old Post Road, the convoy makes good progress and reaches Kinderhook without any major incidents. They continue on to Claverack, where they receive a warm welcome from the local community.

Just as things seemed to be improving, a sled carrying an 18-pounder cannon collapses, its structure weakened by the rough journey. The sled is shattered, and with no spare sleds available, Henry and his team are forced to build a new one from scratch. The process takes two full days, but eventually, the convoy is ready to move again. Their next step is crossing the Berkshire Mountains.