All language subtitles for Washington.S01E02.Rebel Commander.WEBRip.x264-ION10

- Tell the two at the back
to pick up their pace.

- At age 44, George Washington
has command of an army

and some success as a general.

He managed to outlast
the British in Boston,

but the standoff ended
without a head-to-head battle.

Now, more than a year
into the war,

he's preparing
his still-untested army

to take on the enemy
in New York.

- "I'm obliged to confess

"my want of confidence
in the troops.

"Till of late,
I had no doubt in my own mind

"of defending this place,

nor should I have yet
if the men would do their duty."

- One.

- Two.

- Washington
is pretty determined

that what he wants
is a disciplined army

that can compete
with British regulars.

He wants men
that are disciplined enough

that they fear their officers
more than they fear the enemy.

So Washington will have to
inflict the kind of discipline

that he thinks is necessary.

- Five.

- Six.

- You can paint his harshness
in harsh colors

and make him look
to be almost tyrannical,

but that's not quite there.

- Six.

- Seven.

- But his commitment
to discipline

and to almost merciless
enforcement of that discipline

is justified, necessary.

- These guys are no match

for a real professional
British force.

- Let's take a step back here
and understand

how insane the notion of a war
against the British was.

They were one of the most
powerful military forces

and naval forces in the world.

America didn't have a Navy.

It had a military
as of yesterday.

They were underfunded.
They were under-militarized,

and Washington is just trying
to catch up.

- The fundamental weakness
of the American government

during
the American Revolutionary War

is that there is
no real federal government.

- Continental Congress
does not have

a lot of power to get money.

They could request funds
from the different colonies,

but couldn't really demand.

- Washington doesn't have funds

for weapons, food,
and uniforms.

And he's running out of time.

- A massive armada
of British warships

under orders
from King George III

is on its way to the colonies

to intimidate the rebels
into backing down.

Commanding the British forces

is General William Howe.

- An empty glass is a terrible,
poor sight, is it not?

- Yeah.

- In any case, we shall arrive
in New York soon enough.

There, we shall see
how deep these waters go.

- The rebels have already had
a year to come to their senses.

- All children go astray
from time to time.

They always come back home.

- Surely disloyalty
to the crown

cannot go unpunished?

- A line has been crossed,
most certainly.

But I'm of the mind that it is

preferable to educate
rather than punish.

A little more, please?

- William Howe
is a career military man

with pro-American sympathies.

He actually had proclaimed
he would never go

to command British troops
in America

because he thought that
this war was wrong-headed.

- He changes his mind because

he's given the opportunity
to be a peace commissioner

as well as
the commanding general.

You will go and you will fight
and deliver a few blows.

You will be the person
to negotiate a diplomatic end

to this unnecessary war.

That's what Howe thinks
he's going to do.

- Once the full force of the
empire has been brought to bear,

they will see how hopeless
their position.

- This Washington
is out of his depth,

but I like to think
he is no fool.

So...

To Mr. Washington

and choosing reason
of a revolution.

Mr. Washington.

- Mr. Washington.

- The British
had this large empire,

and to some degree
from the British perspective,

there was a principle
that had to be upheld.

If we let the Americans flout
the authority

of the British government,

then who's to prevent
other colonies

from doing the same thing?

And so, an example has
to be made of them.

- By the summer of 1776,

the two armies are poised for
a showdown over New York.

A critical post
on the Hudson Corridor

that connects the colonies.

- New York was really the key
to North America.

And whoever had control
of New York and the Hudson River

had the potential to control
whatever would happened next.

- Washington's been ordered
by Congress

to defend in New York
at all costs,

but the Continental Army
only has 121 cannons.

That's fewer than
the arsenal onboard

just two of the British warships
heading their way.

While he doesn't have
the firepower,

Washington does have a team
of eager patriot officers

fighting by his side.

- Washington was great
at spotting talent.

He had no qualms about
going after young people

who had not necessarily
established a reputation

if they showed promise.

- He learned the most important
thing you do as a leader

is develop followers
and subordinate leaders

who you can trust
and who trust you.

- Among his advisers,
34-year-old Nathanael Greene.

- Nathanael Greene was one
of his very, very favorites.

He was actually a Quaker
from Rhode Island,

but he was brilliant
and super ambitious

and really understood
how Washington thought.

- And alongside Greene,

a 25-year-old bookseller-
turned-colonel, Henry Knox.

- Henry Knox, very quickly,

he became his head
of the artillery.

He learned all about
cannons and ammunition,

everything from reading

and then talking
to British officers about them.

- He was a bookseller by trade.
When Washington met him,

he recognized someone
who was organized, intelligent,

and affable in that way
you need to get things done.

- With the British fleet
bearing down on New York...

- The map, Billy.

- Washington consults
the Council of War,

his most trusted officers,
including Knox and Greene,

to devise a defensive strategy.

- Time is not on our side.

- Yet we're faced
with the same issues.

- No matter how thin
we stretch our artillery,

there is simply not enough
to cover all the shoreline...

and our insufficient crews
to man what we do have.

Do I have permission
to speak freely, sir?

- Of course.

- The wise counsel
will be to withdraw.

- I have often held
there is no honor in retreat.

But even if that would not sell,
the world is watching.

If we are to fight
for our independence,

we must show them
we are worthy.

- Then I suggest

we aim to inflict
as much damage as possible.

- Artillery...

on either side
of the East River,

creating a gauntlet
that they must travel through

if they are to land.

It is doubtful that
we will stop them completely.

But we will certainly see them
bloody.

- Are you all in agreement?

Then begin preparations
and report back

once the batteries are ready
to be inspected.

- By July, the British
are no longer coming.

They're here.

- What is the count now?

- It's 130.

We're already dropping anchor
in the bay.

- George Washington's finally
getting the attention

he's long sought
from the British Empire.

- My spyglass, Billy.

- More than 100 warships
sent by King George III

have arrived to stamp out
the colonist rebellion.

- This is the largest naval
and military force

ever assembled in the Americas.

For any sensible person
looking out at that,

you'd have to think,
"We're in a lot trouble here."

- The next time anything
like that will happen

is the American force going
the other way in World War I.

Huge.

- General Howe
certainly wishes us to know

he has arrived.

Inform the generals.

We will meet
at top of the hour.

- Yes, sir.

- "Our cruel and unrelenting
enemy leaves us no choice

"but a brave resistance.

We have therefore to resolve
to conquer..."

"...or die."

- Washington and the Americans
are outgunned,

but they have a weapon
the British don't--

a cause.

- It's an amazing coincidence
that at the same time

as the British are coming
into the New York Harbor,

The Declaration of Independence
is passed by Congress.

- It had taken just three weeks

for a historic committee
of founding fathers,

including Thomas Jefferson,
John Adams,

and Benjamin Franklin,
to draft the document,

which they hope will unite
all colonists

behind a common cause.

- When we learn about
the revolution in school,

it's presented
as a rather clean-cut story.

All of America wanted to rebel.

The British were the oppressor.

- But it was by no means
unanimous

that Americans thought,

"Okay. Independence
is this great thing."

- Within the colonies,
within families,

there was division.

There were loyalists
and patriots

living in the same house.

This was a civil war.

- So in towns, in cities
around the colonies,

people were meeting in groups

and debating what they thought
about independence.

Declaring independence
was a process, not an act.

- The declaration made a case

to the people on the fence
in America

that this was a cause
worth betting on.

And it gave the colonials,
the Yankees

something to fight for
besides real estate.

It was almost a letter
to investors.

"Do you wanna invest
in this experiment?

This is what we're about.
This is why we're doing it."

- "And for the support
of this declaration..."

- And so they were
very intentional

about how they got out word.

They sent it on ships
to all major ports.

They printed copies of it.

They published it.
They wanted it to spread.

- And it's the kind of thing

that would be a rallying
cry to people.

And it was meant
to be read aloud.

It has the ring of a--
of a song in a way.

- "When in the course
of human events,

"it becomes necessary
for one people

"to dissolve political bands

"which have connected them
with another

and to assume among the powers
of the earth..."

"We hold these truths
to be self-evident."

- "That all men
are created equal."

- "They are endowed
by their creator

with certain
unalienable rights."

- "But among these
are life, liberty,

and the pursuit of happiness."

- "That whenever
any form of government

becomes destructive
of these ends..."

- "It is the right of the people
to alter or to abolish it."

- "And for the support
of this declaration,

"with the firm reliance
on the protection

"of divine providence,

"we mutually pledge
to each other our lives,

our fortunes...
and our sacred honor."

- When you read the declaration,

most people only remember
the first few paragraphs.

No one else remembers that
it's really a list of charges

against the British king.

- "The history of the present
king of Great Britain

"is a history of repeated
injuries and usurpations,

"all having indirect object
the establishment

of an absolute tyranny
over these states."

Are you certain
this is authentic?

- It has already been
distributed across the colonies.

- Bloody fools.

- The declaration
was an act of treason.

It was primarily a document

that was stating that
the United States of America

was gonna be a new country.

Jefferson lists
all of the grievances

that have been collected
from the various colonies.

So everybody is a part of it.

These people could have been
tried for that

and killed for that.

- Time after time,

I have given them
the opportunity

to abandon this foolish cause.

And now this.

- Your orders, sir?

- The American colonists
and the British Government

could've met halfway
before July of 1776.

But once independence
is declared,

there is a kind of Rubicon
that has passed.

- Sir, your orders?

- The colonies have declared
their independence...

- But if the Americans want
their freedom,

they'll have to bleed for it.

- When the colonies
declare independence,

Britain responds
with cannon fire.

But these first shots
on New York

are just a warning
of what's to come.

- This is not the full fleet.
- No.

They remain anchored
in the harbor as of now.

- Then what are we facing?

- It is two ships
moving north up the Hudson.

- And our batteries?

- They have opened fire but...

we have so few cannons
as it is.

And those that we do have are
failing to reach the warships.

- So essentially,
we are defenseless.

And not only have we been
made aware of that fact,

but General Howe has as well.

Casualties?

- Confirmed so far.

One of our cannons misfired
and exploded.

We are still awaiting word

from the other areas
of bombardment.

- Send men to sweep
the streets.

Check on the civilians.

Make sure they steer clear
of the river.

And, Colonel Knox...

- Yes, sir?

- I want to know where
those ships are heading.

- Of course, sir.

- Dismissed.
- Follow.

- Howe doesn't want to destroy
Washington

or the Continental Army.

Howe wants to rough them up.

Make them realize
they can't win.

Make them decide on their own.

This was a misguided venture.

- In the days following
his show of force,

General Howe makes two attempts

to get Washington
to lay down arms,

offering him a pardon
for his role

in leading the rebellion
against the king.

Both fail.

- General Howe sends
an emissary.

And he sends one letter.

It's addressed informally--
"Mr. Washington."

He sends another letter,
again informally,

"George Washington, Esquire,
et cetera."

- Washington won't accept
the letter

because he's
General Washington.

That's his title.
You want to address him,

you address him
as General Washington.

And if you're not gonna
address him that way,

he's not gonna engage
in that conversation.

- Despite Washington's
two refuses,

Howe reaches out again,

this time,
sending his own adjutant

with a third offer
for the rebel commander.

- Welcome,
Lieutenant Colonel Patterson.

- Mr. Washington.

- General.

- I bring another message
from General Howe.

- And we are eager to hear
what he has to say.

But I understand you've walked
here from the harbor.

Perhaps you are thirsty.
We can offer water, ale?

- I should prefer to deliver
this message and be on my way.

- Of course.

- Your words will suffice.

- Well, the king has granted
General Howe considerable powers

to come to some understanding
in this matter.

Perhaps you have
a particular request

you would like me to relay
to General Howe?

- None.

But please do feel free
to offer him my compliments.

- Sir, if you will not even
have a discussion,

it leaves us with little choice
on how to proceed.

- If I understand
your implications,

the crown has bestowed
upon General Howe

the authority
to grant pardons.

That is very good.

But those who have committed
no fault...

want no pardon.

- And it seems we have
nothing further to discuss.

- I wish you a pleasant return.

And please, do give
General Howe my regards.

- Good day.

- Washington was very aware
of the fact

that respect for him
was respect for the army,

was respect for America.

- He was establishing protocols
not just for himself,

but for his army
and for his nation.

- In this situation,
he is beyond brave.

He's resonant.

- Within weeks,
the king's fleet

more than doubles
in strength.

400 warships,
carrying 32,000 soldiers,

outnumbered more than 2 to 1.

Washington's challenge
is to figure out

where Howe will strike.

His solution--

split his forces
to meet the British,

wherever they may land.

- Washington needs to maintain
significant forces on Manhattan

as well to establish
a defensive line

on Gowanus Heights
on Long Island.

- All reports continue
to indicate

Howe is preparing
a major assault on Long Island.

- And what
is your general opinion

of our defenses, Colonel Knox?

- I wish I could say
they were stronger.

The New England men
have a few small cannons.

We are lacking in heavy guns.

Though I have had
not much time

to study our fort position
at Gowanus Heights.

Frankly, I'm concerned
we are ill prepared.

- And our works?

- We have made adjustments
on the river.

But further inland,
it is a large area,

hard to defend.

- We will send General Greene
an additional 1,500 men.

- 1,500?

Yes, sir.

- Would you be so kind
to give us a few moments?

What is your concern,
Colonel Knox?

Speak your mind.

- I do not mean
to question your judgment, sir.

But Howe could put 20,000 men
on Long Island, more.

He could easily double
our numbers.

- And yet, it appears
he still holds

many thousands
of their army in reserve, why?

To draw us
from our position here.

- And if you are wrong?

- Providence
will see us through.

- I have no doubt it will, sir.

- Good. Then go and tell

the other officers
they may return.

- Washington's
a little overconfident,

given what he's up against.

He's not looking out there
and saying,

"I'm about to lose,
and this is suicide."

He's thinking,
"I'll think of something.

We'll work this out."

- Washington's wanted
to prove his American army

equal to the British
since the start of the war.

Now he'll get his chance.

- In the first major battle
of the revolution,

George Washington's army
is getting leveled.

- Washington
was completely outgeneraled

in the battle of Long Island.

He did not organize
his armies efficiently.

He divided it.

- The name of the game

is to never fight
unless you have

superior numbers
or superior terrain.

And here,
in the first major battle,

he's making a blunder.

- Washington loses nearly
one-fifth of his army

in two days of fighting.

Now, what's left of his army
has been pushed west,

flanked, and is now trapped
between the East River

and the advancing enemy.

As the sun sets
on the second day of battle,

Washington is hours away
from annihilation.

- If they captured him,

they would have carried him,
back to England,

they would have tried to--
they would've hung him,

and they would've corded him,

and they put his head on
and spit

that would've been there
for years.

And that's all
you would remember

about George Washington.

- How far?

- 600 yards,
perhaps a little less.

Scouts say the British trenches
could reach us by morning.

- His army could have been
destroyed relatively early

when it was stranded
on Long Island.

He knew...

that he always had
to have a plan "B."

And I think the, um...

the early defeats he suffered

in the French and Indian War...

contributed to that.

- It's time.
- Yes, sir.

- Washington sets in motion
in audacious escape

from the western edge
of Long Island.

His plan employs
a revolving fleet of row boats

to ferry thousands of troops

nonstop across
the mile-wide East River.

- This is
an extraordinary challenge.

How do you move an army

across the river
in the middle of the night

under the threat
of British guns the entire time?

- Everything has to work.
The weather has to be right.

The fog has to come in
at the right time.

The river currents
have to be right.

- He's got to muffle
all the wheels.

He's got to keep
the men quiet.

You've got to pack up silently
and move out.

- To deceive the enemy
and conceal his retreat,

Washington uses
some clever trickery.

- They manage to fool
the British

by creating an impression

that they have not evacuated
from their encampment.

- Washington
keeps the campfires burning

along the edges
of his parameter.

He orders troops
from time to time

to fire off their muskets.

- All the while,
small numbers of boats

are rowing back and forth.

- Washington was
an unconventional commander.

He enjoyed
the sneaky parts of war,

of surprising the enemy,

convincing the enemy
you're going to do one thing

when you're actually
doing the other.

- And as the last man
steps onboard the boat,

Washington
can hardly believe his luck.

The British haven't detected
what's happening.

- This way, sir.
- He's made his escape.

It's one of the most
brilliant withdrawals

in the history of warfare.

- It wasn't so much
running away in fear

as it was surviving
to fight another day.

So I think he really
was using retreat as a strategy.

- But I kind of think of this
as the American Dunkirk.

It's this moment
where you save the army

to fight again, and it really is
one of Washington's

great tactical victories
early on in the war.

- But Washington's army
has escaped one island,

only to be vulnerable
on another.

As his troops
eventually make their way north

to get off Manhattan,

13,000 enemy fighters invade,

overwhelming the men
guarding Washington's retreat.

They flee and panic.

- When Washington gets word,

he pivots
and moves toward the battle.

- Washington thinks that
if somebody decides to attack,

it's like a challenge to do.

You cannot say no.

You cannot say,
"I don't wanna do that"

without losing honor.

- Halt!

- Stay back!

Turn them around!

Stop the running!

- Washington
saw his worst nightmare

being enacted in front of him.

- Stay back!

- His men fleeing--

there's not even
a sign of resistance.

- Get back, you coward!

- He had lost control
of his men.

He lost control of himself.

- About face! Turn around!

Turn around, you coward!

Just stay!

Stay, you coward!

- Stay back!

Hold on!

Stay where you are!

- He had a volcanic temper

and worked mightily
to constrain it.

It would occasionally come out,

and by all accounts,
it was a terrible thing

to be on the receiving end
of it.

- Damn you!

- Sir! Sir, sir!

- Stop that running!
- Sir!

- Let go.
- Sir.

Please, sir.
- Let go of me!

- Sir, please!
- Let go!

Are these the men
we command to defend America?

- Gilbert Stuart,
the painter, said,

"If you looked at
George Washington's eyes,

"you realized
that he could have been

the fiercest savage
in the forest."

- Sir.

- Very well!

Fall back.

- Fall back!

Fall back!

Fall back! Fall back!

- Fall back!

- Within weeks, the British
will take New York City.

- The loss of New York
was catastrophic.

This is rock-bottom
for Washington.

This is rock-bottom
for the country.

This rebellion
is threatening

to turn into a total defeat
for the Americans.

- After losing New York City
to the British,

George Washington
and the Continental Army

are on the run.

- "I am wearied almost to death

"with the retrograde motion
of things.

"It is impossible
to conduct matters

agreeably
to public expectation."

- After the New York campaign,

Washington fell
into a pretty deep depression.

He was deeply insecure
that this was going to work

and that he was going
to be able to win.

- Water, sir?

- Sir?

- No, Billy.

- Sir.

- Washington basically said,
"I would quit if I could,

but people say there's no one
to take my place."

So we know Washington
was at rock-bottom.

Did he really have it
to continue on?

- Fearing the worst,

Washington writes home
to Mount Vernon

with instructions and a warning.

- "I say in confidence to you

"that I would look forward
to unfavorable events

"and prepare accordingly
in such a manner

"as to give no alarm
or suspicion to anyone.

"Have my papers
in such a situation

"that has to remove
at a short notice

in case an enemy's fleet
shall come up the river."

- Almost everyone
is in despair.

The morale of the soldiers
was pretty bad.

The morale
of the civilian population--

even worse.

They're trying to figure out,

"How can I get myself
out of harm's way?

How can I surrender
to the British?"

- With the revolution
hanging by a thread,

General Howe
offers a pardon to any patriot

who will abandon the cause

and swear allegiance
to the king.

- A thousand people
signed a petition

repudiating
the Declaration of Independence,

including one guy
that was a signer

on the Declaration
of Independence.

So you could see the will
of the American public

beginning to break here.

- Washington was also beginning
to lose his army.

His army
was evaporating around him.

- And it's about half
of the size

of what it had been
in the summer.

So many men
have either been captured,

or they have just left
to go home.

- This was
the ultimate humiliation,

his army abandoning him.

- Tricky thing
about a citizen army

is that these soldiers,
continental soldiers,

some of them signed on
for a limited term.

"I will be here for a year,
maybe two.

"And then my term will be up
and I'll go home,

go back to my farm."

- By December, Washington's army

is just weeks away
from total collapse.

At midnight on January 1st,

enlistments
for nearly all of his roughly

6,000 remaining soldiers
will expire.

Washington believes General Howe

is waiting until then
to make his move.

- "We have been pushed
through the Jerseys.

"General Howe is now

"on the other side
of the Delaware,

"and beyond all question,

"means, if possible, to possess
himself of Philadelphia.

"You know
the fatal consequences

that must attend its loss."

- As the British begin to move
in December 1776

toward the Delaware River,

he knows he's going to need
to find some way

to convince
these few thousand troops

that he has left
to stay in the field.

But words are not
going to be enough

to make that happen.

- It's quite amazing how
he just kept going.

And he was very good at
figuring out,

after early defeats,

what would produce
the most positive result.

- If we can do something
that's very visible

and very symbolic,

we might change
the mood of the people

and we might find young men
returning to our ranks,

but time is short.

- If we settle down for winter
in our current position,

the cause is lost.

- And these are not ideal
conditions for fighting.

- What other alternative
do we have?

We cannot expect men
to enlist in an army

that is constantly on the run,
that has been beaten.

If we are to have any hope,

we must give them something
to fight for,

something inspiring.

- You have the right of it, sir.

- Then we are left
with no other option,

we must go on the offensive.

- I, too, have grown weary
of retreat.

- There are a great many risks.

- And we will plan for them...

overcome them.

The men have great faith
in you, sir,

as do I.

- Thank you, Colonel Knox.

Henry.

- Then,
the only question is where?

- Just X miles from Washington's
Bucks County headquarters,

Trenton, New Jersey, is now

General Howe's
southernmost outpost,

a garrison manned by some
15,000 Hessian mercenaries.

- The Hessians
were professional soldiers

from Germany
that the British government

had hired to augment their army.

They were pros.

They're some of the most feared
warriors on earth.

- Washington prepares
a daring attack plan,

a nighttime crossing
of the Delaware.

The army is to move in
three columns,

one is a diversion,

another to block
the enemies' escape route,

and finally, a third,

under Washington's command
to march on Trenton.

- Did they get the map?

- Some of the generals.

- He wasn't ready

to surrender the cause
at that point.

It might have been
the rational thing to do,

but history is made
by people occasionally

making irrational decisions
in the pressure

and amid the perils
of the given moment.

- "Christmas day at night.

"One hour before day
is the time fixed upon

"for our attempt on Trenton.

"For heaven's sake,
keep this to yourself,

as the discovery of it
may prove fatal to us."

- You really have two choices--

you either proceed,

or the entire enterprise
collapses.

- General George Washington

and his battered
Continental Army

are attempting the most
audacious operation of the war.

If Washington's mission fails,

this could be the last night
of the revolution.

- The weather is the worst
it can possibly be.

It's a hurricane in December.

- The troops are still wearing
their summer uniforms.

Many of them are barefoot--
literally barefoot,

their clothes in rags.

- A lot of the soldiers

didn't actually know
how to swim,

and the water
was incredibly cold.

- This is a nation.
This is the people

at their worst possible point,

pushing on
in the desperate hope

that they can turn
this thing around.

- These are the times
that tried men's souls.

- To rally his man
for the treacherous crossing,

Washington ordered his officers

to read aloud
their revolutionary words

of Thomas Paine
published just days before.

- "The summer soldier
and the sunshine patriot

"will, in this crisis,

"shrink from the service
of his country.

"But he that stands it now

deserves the love and thanks
of man and woman."

- It was really
a smart thing to do

because he knew he had
to get to the other side.

He was secure enough
to know that Thomas Paine

was a better speaker
and a more passionate crafter

of the English language.

Paine will get 'em
so fired up,

they'll walk across
the Delaware.

They won't even need a boat.

- Men, prepare to unload!

- Once they get
across the river,

the clock is ticking.

- It took us longer
than we expected.

- This will be a miracle
none of our boats capsized.

- Have we lost any cannons?
- None.

- Washington
has coordinated an effort

where this will all happen
at dawn,

but they're late.

- When Washington's forces
land in New Jersey, it's 3 a.m.

They're hours behind schedule

and still facing a 9-mile march
to Trenton.

The plan is to divide
into two columns

4 miles outside of town

and circle the garrison
and barrage the Hessians

with cannon fire
before they have time to react.

- Keep pushing, men!

Bring it forward, men,
bring it forward!

- Commanding
a critical artillery unit

is one
of the country's rising stars,

a young captain
named Alexander Hamilton.

- Alexander Hamilton
comes to the United States

as an immigrant,
functionally an orphan,

attends King's College.

He is ambitious.

- In some ways,

has a lot of similarities
to a young Washington.

What Hamilton wants from the war
more than anything else

is a moment to shine
on the battlefield

so he can earn reputation
and honor.

- Quickly, on the shore,
form a line!

We leave in 30 minutes!

We're ready,
General Washington.

- You have done it, sir.

- The job is not yet done.

The battle is still before us.

- Washington
doesn't know it yet,

but the two columns of soldiers
due to cross upstream

were stopped in their tracks
by the brutal conditions.

He and his 2,400 men
are now on their own.

- If they do not win
this battle,

it's over.

So he rallies his men
for one last toss of the dice.

- The stakes
are unimaginably high.

The snow is coming down.

The wind is whipping.

They're freezing,
but they have nothing else left.

They will either prevail,
or they will die.

- "Tyranny, like hell,

is not easily conquered."

"Yet we have this consolation
with us,

"that the harder the conflict,

the more glorious the triumph."

- General George Washington's
daring Delaware River gambit

pays off...

...with his first
great battlefield victory

of the revolution.

In less than an hour,
22 enemy soldiers were killed,

some 900 taken prisoner,

not a single American is lost
in the fight.

- Trenton was like
turning the page.

He had made his mistakes
in the past,

but now,
this was a whole new game.

- General orders!

General orders! Gather around.

"General orders
27th December, 1776.

"The general, with the utmost
sincerity and affection,

"thanks the officers
and soldiers

for their spirited and gallant
behavior at Trenton."

- With Washington
crossing the Delaware,

the history of the world
was one way before that,

and it turned out to be
another way after that.

Washington's decision
to do that on that cold night

has warmed the rest of us
ever since.

- "The commissary
is strictly ordered

to provide rum to the troops."

- So, what had looked to be
a lost cause

just a few weeks before
suddenly looks a lot better,

and the principal person who
pulls this off is Washington.

But he's got a shrinking army,

and most of his soldiers
will be going home

at the end of the year.

- As we have begun

the glorious work
of driving the enemy...

I hope you will not now

turn your backs upon them

and leave the business
half-finished

at this important crisis,

a crisis which may,
more than probably,

determine the fate of America.

- People join armies,

and they stay in armies
for a variety of reasons.

In the case of Washington,

he presents the cause
as the cause of freedom.

- Washington knew
that you have to give

any group of human beings
that you wanna lead effectively

a sense of purpose.
"Why are we doing this?

Why am I putting my life
on the line?"

My mission is to close with
and destroy the enemy

by firing maneuver.

But the purpose of doing this

is to protect
the United States of America.

- I therefore not only invite
you to a longer continuance,

but earnestly exhort
the officers and soldiers

of all those regiments
whose term of service

is due to expire
in a few days...

...to remain.

- He doesn't force them
to stay.

He doesn't order them to stay.

He pleads with their sense
of loyalty and duty,

and he asked them to stay.

- Many of them will re-enlist
'cause now there's some hope,

and they'll be able to recruit
new soldiers

because there seems like--

this is actually something
worth fighting for,

and hope keeps an army going.

- The greatness of
Washington's victory at Trenton

wasn't so much in what happened
on the battlefield,

But the huge impact that it has

on the feelings
of the American people.

- Word of mouth would have
traveled to people

about what had happened,
and it would buoy people spirits

and make people think
that it was possible

that the country could
actually pull this off.

- Trenton changed everything,

and we owe it
to Washington's audacity.

- The British are frustrated
at this point.

Certainly Howe is frustrated.

He had hoped that this thing
would be over by now

and that the American army
would just kinda drift away,

and the revolution would die
a peaceful death.

- In response to
Washington's surprise victory,

the British throw
their military might

at finally winning control
of the Hudson.

In July, they captured
the key American post

at Fort Ticonderoga,

forcing the Northern Army
into retreat.

- The Continental Army
was a complicated beast.

Washington had his own army
he was in charge of,

but there was also
the Northern Army

and the Southern Army.

- Unsure where the British
will strike next,

Washington sends
reinforcements north

to protect the Hudson.

He then spends the summer
of 1777,

marching his own forces
between Philadelphia

and New York
in an effort to protect both.

- Washington is
a true commander in chief.

He's not just looking
at what's good for me

down here with my main army.

He's giving strategic
and operational guidance

to the commanders
up in the Northern Army

while he's fighting
his own fight

down in New York,
New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

- By August, the British,
under General John Burgoyne,

are poised to strike Albany,

a strategic outpost
on the lower Hudson.

As for General Howe,

his fleet
has departed New York.

Destination unknown.

- A message from London.

Do we sail for the Hudson?

- It seems our northern armies
do not require our assistance.

- Burgoyne desires the glory
for himself.

- Perhaps.
Let others focus on the north.

A far bigger prize lies
right in front of us.

- Philadelphia?

- Not even Washington
can survive

the fall of his capital.

And if we are not needed
to support others elsewhere,

it means our full force
is finally at our disposal.

Get the map.

- Washington is still
between us and the city.

- On land...

And even if he recognizes
our target,

he cannot check our ships.

He has no way of knowing

from which direction
we will come.

I have given him opportunities
to see reason.

Still he persists.

Mr. Washington thinks
he is making headway.

Well, let's show him

how terribly mistaken he is.

Ready the fleet.

- Straightaway, my Lord.

- Howe is no longer
underestimating Washington.

Washington is the revolution
at this point,

and if he can defeat and perhaps
even destroy Washington,

that's the revolution
right there.

- By late summer, General Howe
is making good on his promise

to come for Washington.

He beats the Continental Army
in a battle

just outside of Philadelphia.

The patriot capital
is now exposed.

- Philadelphia is a great prize.

It's the rebel capital,
a lot of propaganda value.

- The British think

in a very traditional,
military kind of a way,

"We need to capture
a major city."

The capture of New York--
that doesn't fix things.

- And if we take the city
where Congress is sitting,

maybe that will be
so emotionally crippling

that they will surrender.

- This is one of the big crises

in Washington's entire time
as commander in chief.

- "Howe was about
15 miles from us.

The prospect is chilling
on every side."

"Is Philadelphia to be lost?

If lost, is the cause lost?"

- Within days, John Adams
and his fellow congressmen

are evacuating the city,

and so is a future symbol
of American freedom.

The Liberty Bell is secreted
in a church 60 miles away

to keep the British
from melting it down

into musket balls.

- "The enemy gained possession
of Philadelphia.

"This will be attended
with several ill consequences.

"But I hope that a little time
and perseverance

"will give us an opportunity
of making amends

for our late ill fortune."

- Washington had been
on a losing streak.

He had had the absolutely
terrible year in New York.

He had redeemed himself
a little bit

with the Battle of Trenton,
but then had lost Philadelphia.

- And there really begins
to be kind of a whisper campaign

about, "Should Washington be
in command of the army?"

- There's rumblings in Congress

and other places,
even in the army,

"Who should really be
the commander in chief?"

And there's a lot of those folks
who were talking

about Gates being
the logical successor

to George Washington.

- Horatio Gates
is a veteran soldier,

and one
of the original contenders

for Washington's job.

He's now commanding

the Continental Army's
northern wing

currently in upstate New York,

holding firm
against the British,

who are angling
to seize control of the Hudson.

The two armies clashed north
of Albany near Saratoga

a week
before Philadelphia fell.

Though British General
John Burgoyne claimed victory,

the Americans inflicted
heavy casualties,

thanks in part
to the bold battlefield tactics

of one
of Washington's rising stars,

36-year-old former merchant
from Connecticut,

Benedict Arnold.

- You have been broken.

Do not give quarter.

- Now in October,

after nearly a month
of stalemate,

Arnold is on the field
once again

to stop Britain's advance
on the Hudson.

- Arnold was one
of Washington's best officers.

He was brilliant
on the battlefield,

decisive,
great strategic sense.

- Kind of a daredevil
in his willingness

to put his body at risk.

- He's totally dedicated
to the cause of the revolution,

and he's willing
to sacrifice for it.

- I do not care
if their backs are turned!

Put them in their graves!

Send them to hell!

Send them all to hell!

- Charge!

- Everyone!

- Fall back!

Fall back!

- Fall back!

Fall back!

- The Battle of Saratoga
was a punch to the gut

for the British Army.

They had assumed
this was going to give them

the victory, that that would
shut down the revolution,

but it was just the opposite.

- There's a wonderful letter
from a British officer

who describes how Burgoyne
was so full of emotion

and disbelieving
that they had lost this battle

that he really couldn't speak.

So it was a stunning,
stunning victory

that ends up having
a huge impact

for the American cause,

and Arnold is a great hero
in that moment.

- But Arnold's heroics
at Saratoga come at a price.

In the final push of battle,
his left leg is shot

and then crushed
by his fallen horse.

- He's taken to a hospital
in Albany.

And meanwhile, back in
the center of the action,

Horatio Gates, who did not leave
his tent during Saratoga,

takes credit for the victory.

- Gates is not just looking
to steal Arnold's thunder.

His real intention is to use
his victory at Saratoga

to make a play for the job
of his commanding officer,

George Washington.

- Gates is very careful
not to put himself on paper

and saying,
"I want to take charge."

But he speaks
with Washington's opponents,

and he encourages them
to begin lobbying in Congress

and elsewhere
for Washington's deposition.

And when criticisms
of Washington arise,

certain young men
in what Washington calls

his military family
stepped to the fore,

identify Washington's critics

and do their best
to destroy them.

And nobody steps forward
with more aggressiveness

than Alexander Hamilton.

- "All the true and sensible
friends to their country

"and, of course,
to a certain great man

"ought to be upon the watch

"to counterplot
the secret machinations

of his enemies."

- The 21-year-old captain
who commanded an artillery unit

at the Battle of Trenton

is now one
of the commander in chief's

most trusted aides-de-camp.

- In an aide,
what Washington needs

is someone
who can write for him,

can speak for him,
can act for him

in a way that's true to him.

- Another of
Washington's staunchest allies

is the 19-year-old
Marquis de Lafayette.

- The Marquis de Lafayette
is a young French nobleman

who is inspired by the cause
of what's going on in America.

So he comes to the United States

and commits himself
to the effort.

- Lafayette has joined
Washington's army

as a volunteer.

He was wounded
at the Battle of Brandywine,

and he's now been appointed
a general

in the Continental Army.

- He's very young
and very eager,

and you certainly get a sense

that Washington and Lafayette
become very close very quickly.

- As Washington begins
winter camp at Valley Forge,

his critics
are still plotting against him,

but his military family
is standing by his side.

- To old friends and new allies.

- And to
our fearless commander.

- The only general
who could lead this army.

- I must say,

we are all well aware
on the fools in Congress

who do not know a single thing
about war.

But every man at this table,
every man in this camp

knows that if you are lost
to America,

there is nobody
who could keep the army

and the revolution going.

- I appreciate your confidence,
my dear Marquis.

But for one night,
let's not discuss the war.

- Hear, hear.

- To Christmas.
- To Christmas.

- To Christmas.

- Despite attempts
to quiet the cabal,

calls for Washington's ouster
aren't going away.

In January 1778,

an anonymous letter
circulated in the Congress

makes the case for his removal

with a scathing list
of Washington's failures.

- "That the enemies,
taking possession

"of the city of Philadelphia,

"with so little loss
in opposition,

"has been very discouraging

"to many of the true friends
of America,

"that more men will die
this winter

"than it would've cost lives
to have conquered the enemy

"last summer and fall,

"that it is a very great
reproach to America

to say there is
only one general in it."

- Washington worried
the American people

were going to believe
this criticism.

He worried he was going
to lose their support.

- There's a sense that he really
doesn't have what it takes.

- Nearly three years
into the war,

George Washington is facing
escalating personal attacks

and a new enemy...

winter.

Plagued with disease
and desperately hungry,

the men of Washington's main
fighting force

are battling to stay alive.

- Follow me.

- If we are to set rations,

we must have accurate account
of our provisions.

- Food supplies are running low,

and what little they do have

is growing more rancid
by the day.

- Wow.

- Check every crate and barrel.

Inform me as soon as the count
is completed.

- Washington and his troops

are hunkered down for
the winter at Valley Forge,

just 20 miles outside of
British-occupied Philadelphia.

The two armies are
camped so close

that to survive the winter,

they're forced to draw on
the same farms for supplies.

- There's a battle
going on for food,

and the British are winning.

- The Americans don't
have gold and silver,

and so they're offering payment
in paper money.

Farmers don't like having
bushels of paper money

of diminishing value

when they could be offered
gold and silver

if they will trade it
with the British.

- And a lot of states
really hoarded their resources

in the event
that Britain decided

to make its next campaign
in their state.

- For Washington, it meant

that there was no end
to the shortages.

- He's begging the states.
He's begging Congress.

- "I need you to raise
more money

"so that I can feed
my soldiers,

"so that I can give them shoes,

"so that I can have
the proper amount of gunpowder

to actually be able to
fire my cannons."

- Many another person
in Washington's position

would have said,
"I can't do this.

"If you're not gonna give me
the resources to win,

then I'm not gonna take this."

But Washington had committed
himself personally to this,

and he was gonna see it
through to the end.

- And so, too, will Martha,

who arrives in Valley Forge in
February

to support her husband
and the cause.

- Martha Washington visits
George Washington

in every encampment
during the war.

- And she joins him for some
of the roughest campaigns,

and for long winters,
she's there.

- Martha is
no chimney corner wife.

She's not going to go
and sit and knit for him.

She assists on taking
a visible role in camp.

- Martha leads by example.

She's tending to the sick,
and she's receiving people,

so she's also sort of working
the diplomatic relations

for Washington.

- They both shared
that powerful sense

that the people needed them,

and it was this duty
and the sacrifice

and service
that was part of the cause.

- She had an impact
on headquarters

and on the general morale
of people who were there,

and I think was important

as a figure that Washington
could trust

in a way that possibly
he couldn't trust anyone else.

- Is it any better?

- Worse.
And still Congress does nothing.

- Perhaps
they do not understand

the severity of the situation.

- I have written
letter after letter.

They understand well enough.

- Then they think an army can
survive without food.

- Their failure
is not malice, my dear.

It is a deeper matter,
a fault in their constitution.

- You must take care
that their failure

does not become yours.

- Yes.

My reputation may well not
survive this.

That cannot be my concern now.

It is the men,

this starving army.

I'm at my wits' end
about what to do for them.

- Well...

if there's one thing
I know about you,

it is that you are
simply too determined

to concede defeat.

You will find another way.

- "Friends, countrymen,
and fellow citizens,

"it is to be feared
that so large an army

may suffer for the want
of provisions."

- After having written

hundreds of pages of letters
to Congress,

Washington flexes
his political muscle

and makes a direct appeal
to the people.

His open letters
are printed in papers

across the states.

- "It is therefore recommended

"to the inhabitants
of those states

"to put up
and feed immediately

as many of their stock cattle
as they can spare."

- He then invites the
congressional delegates to camp

so they can witness the misery
of his army firsthand.

- Delegates to Congress--
they recognize now

that things really are
just as desperate

as Washington
has portrayed them.

- They also discover
something else--

an army being held together

against tremendous odds
by one man.

- He can win this war if he can
keep his army together.

Valley Forge was all about

preventing his soldiers
from saying, "I quit."

- The impact of Washington's
dedication at Valley Forge

is huge.

- He was there with them.
He shared their hardship.

and he showed them that
they could get through this.

- When soldiers see
their officers with them,

eating the same lousy food,

getting the same
lousy amount of sleep,

living in the same
awful conditions,

"then my officers can do it,
I can do it."

That's what leadership's
all about.

- Valley Forge was the light
in the darkness

because Washington
had the courage to endure.

- This is Washingtonian--
"Survive and you shall succeed."

They survived.

- As does Washington's command.

After months of whispers,
the talk of General Gates

replacing Washington
is no more.

- The great majority
of the officers in the army

stand by Washington.

And they make it clear
to Congress

that if they wanna keep
an army together,

it has to be kept together
under Washington.

- An estimated 2,000 men
ultimately die at Valley Forge.

But when spring arrives,

Washington has some
10,000 soldiers fit to fight,

and he's received word
that help is on the way.

- You summoned me, General.

- I have something here
you may find of interest.

- Is it true?

- It would appear

that Mr. Franklin has
finally done it.

King Louis has seen reason.

- Yes.

An alliance.

- For years, the colonies
have sought an ally

with the power to rival Britain.

In the spring of 1778,
they get one

when Benjamin Franklin brokers
a treaty between America

and England's greatest rival,
France.

- With luck, your countrymen
will soon be fighting

by our side.
This is certainly welcome news.

- Oh, oui. And to see
King George's face

when he hears.

But a toast...

We must have a toast.
- Of course.

- France is impressed
by Washington's ability

to keep his army going.

- For the Americans,
it's a huge moment

because now
they have this major empire

giving vital support
and supplies and funds.

- Washington finally sees hope.

He begins now to think
of a final campaign

in ending the war
in one fell swoop.

- Sir.

- Thank you, Billy.

- In May of 1778,

with the desperate winter
behind him

and the French now on his side,

General George Washington
is looking ahead

to the next phase of the war.

- Major General Arnold
is here, sir.

- Send him in.

- But first, he has
a thank you to bestow

on the hero of Saratoga.

- I traveled here
as soon as I could.

- It is certainly good
to see you doing so well.

- For the past seven months,

Benedict Arnold has been
working his way back

from the injury he suffered
at Saratoga

when his horse fell on him
in battle.

His left leg is now 2 inches
shorter than the right.

- My, uh, recovery took longer
than I would have hoped.

And there is still some
difficulty atop a horse,

but I'm eager to return
to the field.

- As we are to have you.

Did you receive the epaulets
and sword that I sent you?

- I did. They were,
uh, very much appreciated.

- A gentleman from France
recently sent me

three sets of them.

I was instructed to keep one
for myself

and impart the others on men
of deserving character.

- Thank you, sir.

- You have deserved them
twice over.

- Thank you.

- Something seems
to trouble you, Major General.

I do not wish you to think me
ungrateful.

The epaulets were
a fine gesture.

But I've sacrificed my fortune,

my blood. I have...

I've become a cripple
in the service of my country.

I believe I have earned more.

- Washington clearly felt
that Arnold was worthy,

but Congress
in its wisdom decided

not to give Arnold a promotion.

- He's getting passed over
for all these other people

with political connections
to Congress.

And even when he gets
promotions,

he doesn't get the commands
he wants.

- I understand
your frustrations.

But Congress moves slowly,

and politics have a way
of complicating things.

Know that I do not
question your value,

and I learned as a young man,

patience is a virtue.

- Patience?

I will take my leave then, sir.

- Of course.

- Arnold is stewing.

He's getting over his injury.

Congress still hasn't repaid him
for money that he fronted

at the beginning of the war.
He's in debt.

- So, Arnold began to wonder,
"Why am I doing this?

"Is this country living up

to the commitments
it's made to me?"

- In June of 1778,

Washington offers
a new opportunity

that has the potential
to advance Arnold's career.

With the French and their navy
now on America's side,

the redcoats have
abandoned Philadelphia

to reinforce their troops
in New York.

- After the British evacuate,

Washington puts Arnold
in command of Philadelphia.

- Washington saw Arnold
as a kind of project,

someone, uh, that if nurtured,

could become a truly spectacular
balanced leader.

- Ah, William.
Welcome to Philadelphia.

- But once military governor
of Philadelphia,

Arnold decided
it was time for him

to begin to profit
from this war.

And so he began to launch

into a series
of investment schemes.

- This is what we spoke about?

- He is accused of corruption.

He has to go
through a court-martial

which largely finds him
innocent

but also gives him a slap
on the wrist.

Arnold can't stand it.

- And so he became embittered
over time,

much in the way we saw a young
Washington become embittered,

but Washington--
he didn't hold on

to the vestiges of the past,

whereas Arnold tended
to his grudges like a garden.

- In spring 1779,

Arnold sows the seeds
of betrayal

by making contact
with British intelligence.

- Arnold had sent a letter
to John André,

who was a British officer,
offered some information.

He was kind of ignored.

- This just arrived for you.

- His wife, Peggy Shippen,
had been in Philadelphia

during the British occupation

and had been good friends
with John André.

- What does it say?

- Instructions.

A list of things I would
have interest in,

and he wishes to meet
in person.

- Well, that is good, is it not?

Major André is a good man.

You can trust him.
- That is not what worries me.

- Then what?

- Dispatches, troop orders,

officer assignments,
and battle plans,

insights
into Washington himself--

all these things I can provide
with certainty.

These are things other men
could provide as well.

If I'm to make this leak,

I must have assurances
of my position,

and that can only be guaranteed

by bringing with me something
no one else could deliver.

- And so Arnold started
navigating his way

to getting command
of West Point.

- Located 50 miles north
of New York City,

West Point is a massive
fortification project.

Washington believes
its defenses

are the most important piece
of strategic real estate

in the patriot arsenal.

The key to keeping the British

from the goal they've been
unable to achieve

in three years of the war--

total domination of the Hudson.

- If the British capture
West Point,

they may well be able to capture
the entire Hudson River

and decapitate the revolution.

- West Point is also key
to Washington's strategy

for an assault on
British-occupied New York City.

The battle plan includes
a field command

for Benedict Arnold.

- And there's
an interesting moment

where he's finally offered
something of a promotion,

and he says,

"No, actually, I'd rather be
given command of West Point,"

which ultimately baffles
Washington like, "What?

"Like, if you're all
of this ambition,

"I'm giving you
a better position,

and you just wanna be
in charge of West Point?"

Now, of course, no one has
any reason to know

why he's doing that.

- By the time Washington agrees,

Arnold's already been sharing
secrets with the British

for more than a year.

But he stands to earn
20,000 pounds,

a lifetime pension,

and a British officer's
commission

if he can deliver West Point
which he plans to do

by sabotaging
the fort's defenses from within.

- And just as Arnold
is about to close the deal,

the plot is revealed.

- André has made his way
up the Hudson

for a secret meeting
with Arnold.

However,
André on his way back

is captured by some militia.

People begin to realize
something is up.

- When Arnold's betrayal
is discovered,

Washington and his immediate
staff are headed to Arnold

to his home.

So, Arnold flees.

And little by little,
these letters are coming in

that are revealing
to Washington and his staff

that Arnold has betrayed
the nation.

He's committed treason.
He's turned to the British.

- You are going to want
to see this.

- A British intelligence officer
was captured this morning.

- This was found hidden
in his boot.

- Traitorous bastard.

- Much as the action sickens
as we are

fortunate to have discovered all
the plot now and not later.

- Another week, and we would
have lost West Point.

- We will make him pay.
Believe me.

- He could not have gotten far.

- I will take
our best trackers.

You need only say the word.

- Sir?

- Sir?

- Go.

Get him.

Now.

- On the next "Washington"...

- The treason of Arnold is
a lightning bolt for Americans.

- Burn it all.
- Everybody wants him dead.

- We expected to risk
our lives for free?

- No.
- No.

- Mutiny is like a virus.

It will infect
the whole organization.

- Force the soldiers back
into line. Execute the leader.

- Fire!

- History is written
by the winners.

- Increase our bombardment.

We can't allow the British
to rebuild their fortifications.

- Yorktown is really
the culmination

of Washington as a leader.

- I do solemnly swear...

- When he assumes
the presidency,

he has everything to lose.

- I did not want this.

- The really critical editors
would deliver three copies

of their paper
just to piss him off.

- Good! I should rather be
in my grave

than be made emperor
of this world!

- He decided to step down
after two terms

because that's not
what dictators do.

It's just as revolutionary
as the war itself.