Re-Enactor Gives First-Person Account Of American Revolution
BY BECKY JACOBS — MIRROR REPORTER
George Washington, first president of the United States and commander-in-chief of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War, came to speak at the Wolcott House Museum Guild history lecture on February 18.
Rev. Kenneth Hammon-tree, re-enactor and living historian, brought Washington alive in his excellent first-person portrayal. The time period was Washington’s remembrance of the war and his plans for retirement to Mt. Vernon, his home in Virginia.
Hammontree is no stranger to the annual lecture series at the Maumee Branch Library. His repertoire of re-enactments includes Paul Revere and Presidents Thomas Jefferson, Warren Harding and Dwight D. Eisenhower.
He has authored a book concerning Jenny Wade, the only woman killed at the Battle of Gettysburg during the Civil War.
Hammontree and his wife operate a bed and breakfast called the “Jenny Wade” in Ashland, Ohio. At times Hammontree joins his guests for dinner as he portrays one of his historical characters. He also serves as senior pastor of Mohicanville Community Church near Ashland.
As Washington says a final good-bye to his troops, he brought to remembrance some of the events of the Revolutionary War. He began by sharing that the Continental Army had lost 18,000 men, which was 1 percent of the population of the new country.
“The sacrifice has been great, but the freedoms we have won will go on for years to come,” he said. “It has been quite a journey.”
He shared that it was a hot, humid day on July 4, 1776, when 56 men gathered to write the words of debate in the Declaration of Independence. Its words were intended to convince King George that the 13 colonies were separating from England.
Even after the signing of the document, the signers experienced terrible tragedy in their lives. Five of the men were tortured to death, four lost all of their sons in conflict, nine died of disease, and 12 lost all their worth and property.
They paid the ultimate price for initiating freedom.
Washington shared that most of his infantry were ages 14, 15 and 16. His officers were between the ages of 17 and 20.
They had no artillery, no navy and their gunpowder was defective.
They were going to fight against England’s well-trained military, which was well fed, well paid and well organized. And, England possessed the best navy in the world.
The army was taking on the best despite its count of less than 5,000 men.
Washington had a lot to lose, including his life, if they lost the battle. He fully expected to be taken to England, where he would be hung.
Not everyone living in the colonies wanted independence from England. Yes, they paid high taxes, but they enjoyed being connected to the mother country.
As the men approached Christmas of 1776, Washington could see his army dwindling down to 4,000 men with little or no food.
The commander-in-chief’s wife, Martha, said she didn’t have a problem tracking the army due to their bloody footprints left in the snow. They had no shoes. Their feet were wrapped in cloths.
“A few weeks before Christmas I knew we had taken on more than we could handle,” Washington said.
They were out-fought, out-gunned and people considered Washington the worst general in America’s history.
One thing that kept him sane was his daily prayer, which was paired with his wife back at Mt. Vernon. Even though they were separated by war, the two chose to pray for a common cause at 7:00 a.m. each day.
A plan came to Washington. It was a simple plan, if it worked. If it didn’t, the army would be blown out of the Delaware River.
His plan was to make a surprise attack against the Hessian forces in Trenton, N.J.
Washington would gather 400 to 500 men to embark on a ferry across the Delaware River on Christmas night in 1776.
As part of his plan he surmised the British forces would be enthralled in Christmas merriment in Philadelphia. This would give Washington’s men some leeway.
He wrote out a password in invisible ink – “Liberty or Death.”
“Either way I was fully accepting,” Washington said.
All other boats not being used by the Continental Army were destroyed. So, they assembled with a few hundred men, horses and a small amount of artillery.
Following the trip across the Delaware, there would be an eight-mile march to Trenton.
He said the venture reminded him of hearing the story of Gideon from the Bible – a story he learned at his mother’s knee.
His religious background also led him to fast and pray three days before the trip. He also had chaplains reading the U.S. Constitution to the men, since most of them could not read.
Everyone knew the seriousness of Christmas, Washington said.
Each man was given 10 rounds of ammunition and food for three days. Known as the “Spy Master,” Washington gained help from his 900 spies, of which he praised Abigail Adams as the best.
“She would dance and woo the enemy while she gained their name and plans. She was a wonderful, powerful woman,” he said.
He wasn’t sure about answered prayer when Christmas day greeted the men with sleet and snow.
As the trip began from McKonkey’s Ferry, the men were advised to not say a word and to keep the gunpowder dry. They did stay quiet but there was no saving the gunpowder.
Washington took powder from the 18 canons they carried for use in the rifles.
He pulled his sword as he declared, “We are going to take Trenton.”
He divided the army before entering Trenton and just as planned, the Hessians (German soldiers who fought for Britain) were enjoying their beer.
It was a 45-minute battle with 212 men killed. There were 900 captured.
This was the Americans’ greatest victory to date. They took hats, coats, pants, boots, gunpowder, food and horses for their use.
A week later, Lord Charles Cornwallis, a British general, heard of the Germans’ humiliation.
His men scurried to cut the army off at Trenton and Princeton, but Washington’s men defeated British reinforcements and defeated those at Princeton before returning to winter quarters in New Jersey.
The army’s second crossing back to New Jersey was even more difficult than the first trip since they were laden with the Hessians’ supplies and a large number of prisoners.
This gave the Americans three battles to be proud of during the Revolutionary War – Trenton, Princeton and Yorktown.
During a question-and-answer period Washington spoke of his wife Martha’s fortune. He owned 7,000 acres added to her 21,000 acres.
But, he informed the audience, Washington did not own Mt. Vernon – it was owned by his brother Charles. When Charles died, the property went to his widow. When she died, it then went to George.
Under Virginia law Washington owned 127 slaves but never believed in slavery, as was the case with many other prominent plantation owners, including Thomas Jefferson.
In his will he wrote of freedom for his slaves. When he died, they would have their choice to continue at the plantation or leave.
Hammontree then related that he is frightened by the re-writing of American history, which is happening right now for our schoolchildren.
He said children need to know our country. Students are becoming void of where we came from.
At Ohio State University Hammontree recently gave an American history test to a freshman history class.
“They all flunked,” he said.
He said all students must read and know the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.

The Wolcott House Museum Guild lectures continue on Thursdays at 10:00 a.m. at the Maumee Branch Library through March 25. Admission is free.