I've given myself a new label. I'm a Hamilton Woman and I am a member of the Federalist Party. Why you may ask am I doing this? The more I learn about what is happening to our democracy, the more I feel drawn to the beginnings of our country.

George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River, which occurred on the night of December 25–26, 1776, during the American Revolutionary War, was the first move in a surprise attack organized by George Washington against the Hessian forces in Trenton, New Jersey on the morning of December 26. Planned in partial secrecy, Washington led a column of Continental Army troops across the icy Delaware River in a logistically challenging and dangerous operation. Other planned crossings in support of the operation were either called off or ineffective, but this did not prevent Washington from surprising and defeating the troops of Johann Rall quartered in Trenton. The army crossed the river back to Pennsylvania, this time laden with prisoners and military stores taken as a result of the battle.

When Washington's army first arrived at McKonkey's Ferry, he had four to six thousand men, although 1,700 soldiers were unfit for duty and needed hospital care. In the retreat across New Jersey Washington had lost precious supplies, as well as losing contact with two important divisions of his army.

Other problems affected the quantity and quality of his forces. Many of his men's enlistments were due to expire before Christmas,[7] and many soldiers were inclined to leave the army when their commission ended. Several deserted before their enlistments were up.[8] The pending loss of forces, the series of lost battles, the loss of New York, the flight of the Army along with many New Yorkers and the Second Continental Congress to Philadelphia, left many in doubt about the prospects of winning the war.[9] But Washington persisted. He successfully procured supplies and dispatched men to recruit new members of the militia,[10] which was successful in part due to British and Hessian mistreatment of New Jersey and Pennsylvania residents.[11]

The American Crisis written by Thomas Paine, the author of Common Sense, was published on Dec 19th 1776

"These are the times that try men's souls; 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. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph."

So have hope, don't give up. There will be many more battles like the Electoral College. This is just the beginning and we have lots to learn.