1776: Plot And Summary

Plot of Film (A paragraph switch indicates a new scene / major event.): During the winter of 1776, after the colonies declared independence from Great Britain, the colonists (colonist army) were annihilated by both the British and by German mercenaries (Hessians.) As winter came upon America, the conditions made the colonists' chance of winning the war less. Even in the harsh conditions, the British still pursued the colonists. This mainly happened between New Jersey and Pennsylvania, at the Delaware river.

A small boy that was running (from either the British or something else) happened to see the colonists marching somewhere along with their sick and injured. While the colonists were marching, one of their cannons got stuck, and they left the cannon where it was, leaving a clue for the British to find them. On December 7, 1776, A general reports that 1/4 (1000) of their men are sick. Even after that report, George Washington was still determined to cross the Delaware River, to escape the British. If he had not made that decision, the British would have killed the colonists.

In order to cross the river, the colonists needed boats. They had asked a nearby proprietor for boats, and when questioned about pay, the Continental general

General Washington then attended a meeting to discuss their current position in the war. At the start of the war, 6 months ago, there was 21000 men fit for duty, and 32 pieces of artillery. 6 months later, there was less than 2000 fit for duty, and 18 pieces of artillery. General Washington sent 3 different armies to search for the British, One army, led by General Lee, had 2000 men, Another, led by General Gage, had 16000 men, and Washington's had 3000 men. When the other two armies went missing, Washington sent a search party, including the surveyor of New Jersey, to find them. The point of the meeting was to report their condition to