The Crossing

I was watching the Crossing with Dad this evening and at the end of the movie General Washington asks how many of his men had been killed at the battle, the answer: none. We were wondering if that was really true or not so I logged onto the net to check it out and sure enough it was true. According to wikipedia two men died on the way there, but none were killed in battle. An additional piece of information surprised me though.

Only two Americans were wounded, both during the Americans' rush to capture Hessian artillery before they could be used in the battle. These wounded were officers: Captain William Washington (the General's cousin), who was badly wounded in both hands, and young Lieutenant James Monroe, the future President of the United States. Monroe was carried from the field bleeding badly after he was struck in the left shoulder by a musket ball, which severed an artery. Doctor John Riker clamped the artery, keeping him from bleeding to death.

None of this was anything I can ever remember hearing before. Wow. I guess you're always learning something.