I STILL can’t recall when watching Idiots at Work has been so ENTERTAINING! All Fairy Reid, Nazi Piglosi and the Dithering Doofus need is theme music and the 3 Stooges are REBORN! The scalps taken by we Racist Mobsters are piling up FAST, but the ACORN Debacle has the POTENTIAL to bring the Obama Express to a SCREECHING halt PDQ! Either way, we MUST keep the pressure on and we MUST develop LEADERS and get them ELECTED! If we are NOT represented in Washington, then we will NEVER see our Values/Principles enacted into PUBLIC POLICY.

    I bought and read "Liberty and Tyranny" by Mark Levin. All I can say is WOW! Mark breaks down Liberalism vs. Conservatism on EVERY level in DETAIL! Books like this are usually VERY dry, but somehow/someway, Mark writes in a manner that makes the material VERY compelling. I recommend that you read it 4 5 times in the space of a year. Because the material is VERY detailed and VERY compelling, it opens your eyes to ideas, concepts and truths that were HIDDEN in PLAIN SIGHT! You will NEVER digest EVERYTHING in just one reading. , hence my recommendation for multiple readings over a period of time. For the record, I am about to start my second reading.

    09/12 was REALLY SOMETHING! My Congrats to all who showed up! The crowd was so IMMENSE that meeting up with other TH bloggers became impossible. So I drifted around the ENTIRE crowd and looked and listened to what was going on. I saw folks of ALL colors, ages, ethnicities and occupations. I talked with 2 farmers from Southern Maryland who drove in after getting their milking done. I saw VERY few cranks, loons, trolls or idiots. The Larouche folks ALMOST cornered me, but I contrived to get away from them. The crowd was young overall. MANY of them had children and dogs along for the day. The general mood of the crowd was like that of a High School Athletic Event. Families with pets, kids, chairs and coolers made up a LARGE part of it.

    I stepped onto the National Mall around 10:00 AM and there was a FAIRLY sizeable police presence. By 2:00 PM they were GONE for the most part. They could see that there was NO NEED for them and they went back to protecting the residents of Washington, DC. EVERYWHERE I went were clean cut, articulate, conservatives expounding on their REASONS for being there. The weather was JUST RIGHT and it made the mood more jovial as thirst and heat were NO PROBLEM! There are FAR too many incidents, conversations and impressions to relate without this post becoming a rambling diatribe. So I will relate a fistful of the ones that stick in my mind!

    While walking down Pennsylvania Avenue towards the Capitol, I saw a woman in her 20's slightly bent over and walking SLOW! I moved towards her to see if she was OK. It turned out she was pushing her 80 year old grandmother in a wheelchair ALL THE WAY from the Smithsonian Metro stop to the Capitol. The Grandma was 100 pounds soaking wet, so pushing her was NO PROBLEM (I offered to relieve her) for her grand daughter. But they BOTH had decided they NEEDED to be there. The Grandma commented, "This is WONDERFUL! I haven't had this much fun in YEARS!"

    At a street crossing, I found myself standing next to a gray haired fellow with a ponytail. He asked me how long I had been a Conservative (somehow he KNEW I was). I told him I had been a Conservative since I represented Reagan in a debate in Social Studies Class in High School. He looked down at his feet and said, "I'm 55 now and I was a HARDCORE Liberal until I was 40. I fought day and night with my Dad when I was a teenager. Then one day I woke up and realized that my Dad was 100% RIGHT ABOUT EVERYTHING!" I shook his hand and welcomed him to the VRWC! I also met several folks wearing signs that said "Ex-Liberal", "Recovering Liberal" and things like that. They ALL said that Obama was their WAKEUP CALL! I gave all of them the same welcome that I gave the fellow with the ponytail.

    When I got to the Capitol, I veered left and went up Constitution Avenue. Constitution Avenue runs alongside the Capitol on a slight grade and I wanted to see just HOW BIG the crowd was.  About halfway up the hill I stopped and looked back, I COULD NOT see the end of the crowd! At about the same time, I heard someone crying. I turned around and a woman who went a LITTLE heavy on eye makeup was crying so hard that she looked like a raccoon. I asked her what was wrong and she said, "I was SO SURE I was alone in the way I felt about Obama and Universal Health Care. But seeing this, I feel so VINDICATED!" We talked a little and she ALSO said Obama was her WAKEUP CALL to get INVOLVED, but that she NEVER knew there were SO MANY Conservatives around her! I told her to REMEMBER that WE surround THEM!

    Shortly after that, I got thirsty and went to get a drink. While I was in line, this short, bookish looking, guy struck up a conversation with me. It turned out that he WAS an ACADEMIC LIBERAL turned FRESHLY MINTED CONSERVATIVE and Obama was his WAKEUP CALL also! He was a COMPLETE neophyte, was VERY interested in getting up to speed on Conservative Philosophy and had ZERO resources to do it available to him at the university. I suggested Mark Levin's "Tyranny and Liberty" to him and described it to him like I described it to all of you in the 2nd paragraph of this post. He was VERY excited about and said he would be stopping at Borders on the way home to buy it.

    I was walking up 3rd Street when I noticed the FNC truck. So I walked over to it to say "Thank You". The FNC Tech turned out to be a VERY young retired Marine (in his 40's) and was as nice a guy as could be. It was around 2:00 PM at the time and he was running the truck ALL BY HIMSELF! After I said "THANK YOU!”, I offered to run for drinks for him if he got thirsty. So there I was, just hanging around the FNC truck, relaxing and drinking Gatorade. All of a sudden, Griff Jenkins came back to the truck and a BIG crowd was following him. So folks were telling Griff and the Tech to be sure and thank Beck, Hannity, etc for exposing Obama, Van Jones, etc. About this time, a FEW folks decided to sign their names and well wishes to various FNC personalities on the posters and signs they had been carrying and leave them on the FNC truck. All of a sudden, EVERYONE decided to do this AND get a picture in front on the FNC truck. This was around 3:00-3:30 PM and for the next 2 hours SOLID, people that came by signed their names to posters and got a picture in front of the FNC logo. As I was there by myself, I took pictures for groups, couples and ANYONE else who wanted a picture. It was a spontaneous, heartfelt, outpouring of DEEP feelings such as I personally have NEVER experienced. The FNC Tech was AMAZED when he came out of the truck to start packing up. He ASSURED us that the posters WOULD get into the hands of the FNC Prime Timers.

    The NBC truck was parked behind the FNC truck. Somewhat IRONIC considering their positions in the ratings. About the time I strolled up to the FNC truck, the NBC Tech opened the doors of the NBC truck. He was a Leftover Hippie in his late 50's with collarbone length hair. He opened the door, looked around at all the "Angry Mobsters" and SLAMMED THE DOOR SHUT! AT NO TIME had ANYONE gone ANYWHERE near him OR any NBC property, but he was SURE we had bad intentions towards him. This was around 3:00-3:30 PM and he DID NOT emerge again until 5:30 PM and then he did so CAREFULLY. Shortly after the NBC Tech slammed the door shut, an “Angry Mobster” was walking his dog. I saw the dog starting to sniff around the tires of the FNC truck and I KNEW what was on his mind. I pointed out the truck with the NBC logo on it. The dog owner smiled, walked his dog to the NBC logo which was located by the rear tires on either side and had the dog's picture taken doing his business on the tires of the NBC truck!

    All in all, it was QUITE a spectacle. There was NO WAY we could be ignored and we MADE OURSELVES HEARD! So to all Tea Partiers, I say THANK YOU and MISSION ACCOMPLISHED! HOWEVER we NEED to be ready to do it AGAIN and as many times as need be until at the VERY least Election Day 2010. If we take back the House, then we can effectively BLUNT the Communist Agenda being foisted upon America. If not, then we HAVE to continue until at the VERY least Election Day 2012. I KNOW it is easy for me say this when I only live 1 hour from DC and my only cost is gasoline and Metro fare cards. Right now, you might be saying that you can't afford to do it even ONCE more, let alone MULTIPLE times. RIGHT NOW I am saying that if you LOVE the America that we were born and raised in, you can't afford NOT to do it AGAIN and as often as NEED BE!

God Bless You and Thank you for Your Time,
J. Allen Frye

      I FINALLY replaced all of my Lamour titles and Walmart doesn’t seem to be getting anymore of them in :(. I recently have read 3 books, the first one was “Guilty” by Ann Coulter. It is a typical Ann Coulter book. LONG on facts and figures that DENIGRATE Liberals with a healthy dose of Ann’s acidic, satirical, sarcastic, absurdity thrown in. If you have NEVER read an Ann Coulter book, I HIGHLY recommend you try it. If you have, you KNOW what to expect. I also read “A Slobbering Love Affair” by Bernie Goldberg. It is about the Media Coverage of Barack Obama’s run for the presidency. It is not a very long book, but even as biased as the coverage was to us laymen, the insight that Bernie Goldberg brings to it and what he exposes WILL make you sit up and take notice. Lastly I read “Do the Right Thing” by Mike Huckabee. It is the story of Huckabee’s run for the 2008 GOP Presidential Nomination, interspersed with Huckabee’s take on Orthodox GOP positions. 2 things struck me about the book. The first thing I noticed is Huckabee has a BIG hard-on for Mitt Romney. The second thing is that Huckabee’s ministerial training WILL keep him from ever making it to the White House. He seems to be conflicted on some policies that are RIFE with Common Sense, but are not right down the line with Christianity (.i.e. immigration).

      I still HIGHLY recommend 2 new series on The History Channel that you might find interesting, Battles BC and Warriors. Battles BC(http://www.history.com/minisites/battles-bc) is computer generated reproductions of famous battles of the Ancient World, the Battle of Kadesh and the Battle of Teutoburg Forest to name 2 that have been profiled. Warriors(http://www.history.com/minisites/warriors) is hosted by a Special Forces Soldier named Terry Schappert (http://www.history.com/content/warriors/meet-the-host). He travels ALL OVER the world doing these documentaries on Warrior Cultures, 2 that he has done are the Vikings and the Spartans. What got my attention were some of the weapons from different Warrior Cultures. The Samurai for instance had a 15-20 foot length of chain with an iron weight on 1 end and a sickle on the other. They would swing the sickle end around thus creating a 3 foot perimeter. With the other hand, they would throw the weighted endat their opponent’s limbs. If properly thrown, it would wrap around their limbs and thus take away a point of balance. As you Vets know, once you lose a point of balance in hand-to-hand combat, DEATH is knocking at your door. Once they had 2 or more points of balance wrapped up, the sickle came into play and GAME OVER!

      To make a long story short and get to the point, for a little over 2 years The British Empire and the USA slugged it out at sea and on land. Both sides inflicted SEVERE damage on each other, but overall it was a STALEMATE until the late summer of 1814. In 1812 and 1813, the British Empire had placed a HIGHER PRIORITY on their War with France and thus fought more of a DEFENSIVE War. Once the British had defeated Franceand dispatched Napoleon, they were able to send Veteran Troops to America. Upwards of a dozen British Navy Vessels sailed into Chesapeake Bay. On August 24, 1814, the British Army overran confused American Defenders at the Battle of Bladensburg and marched into the nation’s capital of Washington, D.C., which had been abandoned by the military. After burning and looting the White House, Capitol, Treasury, War Department and other public buildings and forcing the destruction of the Washington Navy Yard, the British carted public and private possessions back to their ships. President James Madison and the entire government fled the city. Madison wandered around Virginia and Maryland for several days. The British also sent a fleet up the Potomac River to threaten the prosperous ports of Alexandria and Georgetown, which lie just west of Washington and cut off Washington's water access. The mere appearance of the fleet cowed American Defenders into fleeing from Fort Warburton without firing a shot, and undefended Alexandria surrendered. The British spent several days looting hundreds of tons of merchandise from city merchants, then turned their attention north to Baltimore, where they hoped to strike a KNOCKOUT BLOW against the demoralized Americans. Baltimore was a busy port and was thought by the British to harbor many of the Privateers who were raiding British shipping. The British planned a combined operation, with Major General Robert Ross launching a land attack at North Point, and Vice-Admiral Sir Alexander Cochrane laying siege to Fort McHenry, which was the point defensive installation in Baltimore Harbor.

      However, sitting right in the middle of Fort McHenry was the POWDER MAGAZINE containing ALL OF THE ORDINANCE for the fort. REMEMBER that Fort McHenry at this point was TOTALLY DEFENSIVE! There is NOTHING they can do as long as the British Navy stays out of range of their guns. SEVERAL British Warships are firing at a relatively small area from several different angles. ONE lucky shot, ONE lucky bounce or ONE lucky ricochet and Fort McHenry becomes Fort McCrater. By the numbers, 1800 cannonballs / 25 hours = 72 cannonballs an hour were fired. 3600 seconds / 72 cannonballs means that ONCE EVERY 50 SECONDS, your heart jumped into your throat. THINK of the Psychological Effect this would have. EVERY TIME one of those British Guns BOOMED, it could be the last thing you hear! But Liberals think waterboarding is torture.

      Simultaneously the British had landed a force of 5,000 troops who marched toward Baltimore and first met heavy resistance at The Battle of North Point which was fought about 5 miles from the city. The city’s defense was under the overall command of Major General Samuel Smith, an officer of the Maryland Militia. He dispatched a column under the command of General John Stricker which killed the British General Robert Ross and blunted the British attack. As a result, the British Army halted their advance and awaited the results of the sea campaign. After nightfall, Cochrane ordered a landing to be made by small boats on the shore just west of the fort, away from the harbor opening on which the fort’s defense was concentrated. He hoped that the landing party might slip past Fort McHenry and draw Smith’s army away from the main British land assault on the city’s eastern border. Operating in darkness and in foul weather, Armistead's guns opened fire on the landing party and the diversionary attack failed. On the morning of September 14, 1814, the 30 ft × 42 ft oversized American flag, which had been made a few months before by local flagmaker Mary Pickersgill and her 13-year-old daughter, still flew over Fort McHenry. The British Infantry had been instructed not to attack the American positions around Baltimore unless he was certain they could be taken. Seeing that Cochrane had failed to subdue Fort McHenry, they withdrew from their positions, and returned to the fleet. Admiral Cochrane’s Fleet sailed off to regroup before his next assault on America at New Orleans, Louisiana where the British ran into a DETERMINED Band of Patriots under the direction of a gentleman by the name of Andrew Jackson, the rest is history.

      OK then, now let’s see what can be learned from this battle and tie it all together with a Big Red CSC Bow:

God Bless You and Thank You for Your Time,

J. Allen Frye

      ACORN Hopey McChange has taken OWNERSHIP of the Economy, the Wars and the Bailout. All 3 have taken a turn for the WORSE as a result. Our suspicions that the Sail Eared Simpleton was just a Jive Talking Doper have been proven correct in SPADES! (NOT MUCH of a pun untended). I hereby apologize for my endorsement of Michael Steele as head of the RNC. My endorsement was based on the Campaign he ran in 2006 for US Senate in Maryland. He ran a BRILLIANT, yet scrappy, Campaign in an UPHILL FIGHT against The Cut Rate Kennedys that make up the Liberal Eilte of Marlyand (i.e. Ben Cardin, who is grooming his son, a MD State Rep, to take over when he retires) and he got within 10% of winning. To finish THAT CLOSE to a Liberal is UNHEARD OF in Maryland Politics. THAT was the Michael Steele who I endorsed. The Michael Steele that showed up at RNC HQ IS NOT the same man EMOTIONALLY that ran in 2006.

      Wal-Mart continues to stock rereleases of nearly ALL of Louis Lamour’s Books. So that is what my literature of choice is these days. From the western novels to pulp detective stories to the last book he wrote, a Cold War THRILLER called Last of the Breed. The best of them are Psychological Thrillers that you CANNOT put down. So I have been stocking up on them as MANY of my copies are dog eared, faded and dry rotting from being read SO MANY TIMES. LET ME REITERATE, I HIGHLY recommend that you go to Wal-Mart, pick out ANY of them, spend the $4.00, go home and START READING! IF you DO NOT like the book, hit me on my blog and if I DO NOT have that book, I WILL buy it from you. Anyone who has done as I have suggested regarding Louis Lamour’s Books, drop me a line and give me your thoughts on the book you read. For you veterans, The History Channel has 2 new series that you might find of interest. Battles BC in on Monday at 9 PM and Warriors is on Thursday at 10 PM.

      WOW! The Tea Parties were a SMASHING success :)! In the interest of full disclosure, the time of the Tea Party in Baltimore was changed and was poorly communicated, so I missed it ENTIRELY :(. However I watched the coverage on FNC and it looked like there were VERY healthy turnouts all across the country. I GUARANTEE you that the Sail Eared Simpleton noticed the age demographics as they cut across ALL age groups. Having been unfortunate enough to see some Leftist Protests up close, I was struck by the differences. The crowds were mostly clean, pressed and groomed and knew how to use a razor, comb, soap and where to find a barber shop. There didn’t seem to be ANY intoxicants being imbibed or ANY vandalism occurring. IF ANY violence/vandalism had occurred, BSDNC would’ve broadcast ALL of their shows LIVE from where it occurred. So these crowds were made up of respectable people showing their displeasure and doing it in a peaceful, respectful, law abiding fashion. This is 180 degrees from a Typical Leftist Protest, which is only an excuse to rob, imbibe and vandalize. So HATS OFF to ALL who participated.

      HOWEVER we now have a VERY serious question to answer. WHERE do we go from here? SO FAR, the MSM, Pelosi and others of this ilk seem to believe THEIR OWN LIE that what happened yesterday were 1 time, astroturfed, events. So we should continue with these events and ENDEAVOR to keep the FIRE and PASSION that drove these events ALIVE. Those of us with GOP Senators & Congressmen should COMMUNICATE these feelings to them in a RESPECTFUL yet FORCEFUL manner. For example, send them a picture of the crowd at a Tea Party in their district/state. HOWEVER there WILL come a time when we are no longer under radar. WHAT HAPPENS THEN? Will we be met with Counter Demonstrations? Will the permit process ALL OF A SUDDEN become ONEROUS? Will Soros, the MSM and their Rent-A-Mob sycophants stage MASSIVE demonstrations IN FAVOR of the policies of the Sail Eared Simpleton? Lastly as many of you know, I was a part-time bouncer for a few years in the 1990’s. After I had done it for a while, I developed a 6^th sense and I could smell/feel trouble brewing. I FEEL IT NOW! This is the chance that Liberals have been waiting for to enact their Commie, Leftover Hippie, Statist, Utopia, Nonsense. They WILL NOT give it up WITHOUT A FIGHT and at some point, this WILL turn physical. I STRONGLY urge the ladies to keep Pepper Spray HANDY. Gentlemen, it is likely that we will bear the brunt of such action. Keep your eyes and ears OPEN, your head UP and deal with the situation AS REQUIRED. I advise EVERYONE to buckle in, get a grip and hold on. This WILL be a LONG, HARD, FIGHT and it WILL NOT be PRETTY for those who are FAINT OF HEART! Lastly, I suggest we communicate through Bobbie’s Message Board and try to get as many TH Bloggers as POSSIBLE to DC on the 4^th of July and from there another batch of Tea Parties should spring up over Labor Day. In my comments on various blogs, I have counseled PATIENCE and to WAIT for the right time to begin our counteroffensive. That time is NOW!

God Bless You and Thank You for Your Time,

J. Allen Frye

      Well Inauguration Day came and went, the sun STILL rose in the East and set in the West on January 21^st. So it looks like we will survive. Something else happened on January 21^st also. Now ACORN Hopey McChange has OWNERSHIP of The Economy, The Wars and The Bailout. BTW, I encourage one and all to donate to Norm Coleman’s Recount Fund. Using the Wal-Mart Theory of a FEW dollars from MANY people, we should be able to generate a considerable sum. Whether you are a Coleman Supporter or not, The money WILL go to a good cause, EXPOSING AL FRANKEN as a Liar, Cheat and Coward! In other words, A Typical Liberal.

      Recently Wal-Mart has had rereleases of nearly ALL of Louis Lamour’s Books on sale. From the western novels to pulp detective stories to the last book he wrote, a Cold War THRILLER called Last of the Breed. The best of them are Psychological Thrillers that you CANNOT put down. So I have been stocking up on them as MANY of my copies are dog eared, faded and dry rotting from being read SO MANY TIMES. I HIGHLY recommend that you go to Wal-Mart, pick out ANY of them, spend the $4.00, go home and START READING! IF you do not like the book, hit me on my blog and if I DO NOT have that book, I WILL buy it from you.

      In the late fall and early winter, a determined band of PATRIOTS had suffered one DEVASTATING and/or HUMILIATING defeat after another. Finally with winter upon them, they retreated into the wilderness. Their spirits broken, their bodies bruised and battered and their future uncertain. Sounds METAPHORICALLY like The Winter of 2008-2009 for Conservatives doesn’t it? The folks it is ACTUALLY written about would’ve GLADLY traded places with us. That is one description given of The Continental Army as they retreated to Valley Forge.

      After STUNNING Defeats at Brandywine, Germantown and The British Capture of The US Capital, Philadelphia at the time, The Continental Army went into Winter Quarters in Valley Forge, PA. Located 18 miles northwest of Philadelphia, the area was close enough to the British to keep their raiding and foraging parties out of the interior of Pennsylvania, yet far enough away to halt the threat of British surprise attacks. It was on high ground which eased recon duties and was bordered on the North by the Schuylkill River, which made the area easily defensible.

      Though they were safe from their British Enemies, the OLDEST enemies of man, Cold, Hunger, Disease and Thirst were OMNIPRESENT in camp. They had NO SHELTER, their diet consisted of firecake (1 part water, 1 part flour and 1 part fire) and water. Their clothing was RAGGED and many of them were BAREFOOT. They arrived at Valley Forge before Christmas, but they were Malnourished, Exhausted and Freezing to Death. To add to the gloom, when they awoke on Christmas Day,4 inches of snow had fallen. I’m guessing that not many carols were being sung. All their High Hopes, High Ideals and High Minded Rhetoric had landed them in what would be, for some of them, A Frozen Graveyard. RIGHT THEN & THERE, The American Revolution was all but SNUFFED OUT! WHY didn’t the Fire of Liberty go out? WHO kept the fire burning? HOW did they do it? WHAT kept them going when all was seemingly lost? WHERE did they go from here?

      The first priority was the building of huts. An order issued by General George Washington spelled out the style and size of these Spartan Quarters. 12 men would share a 16’x14’ log hut with walls six and a half feet high. Each would have a stone fireplace. The roof would be of wood board. Most huts were built in a pit about two-feet below the ground. Can you imagine digging a 2 foot deep, 16’x14’ hole in frozen ground?!?!?! Generally, there was only a dirt floor and some sort of cloth covering for a door. The huts were drafty, damp, smoky and terribly unhealthy and I am sure they would NEVER be mistaken for a rose garden.

      Housing the Army was fairly simple. Clothing and Feeding the troops was a DAUNTING Challenge. Transportation was the major stumbling block. The supplies were out there. Getting them to Valley Forge seemed impossible. Roads were rutted quagmires. It was difficult to recruit wagoneers. Continental Money was NEARLY Worthless, so Pennsylvania Farmers often hid their horses and wagons rather than contract with the Army. The man in charge of Military Transportation, Quartermaster General Thomas Mifflin, hated his job. Mifflin was a wealthy Philadelphia merchant and a born politician who wanted glory on the battlefield not the headaches of transportation. He literally ignored the job.

      After shelter, The first priority of the soldiers was keeping warm and dry. The troops faced a typical Delaware Valley Winter with temperatures mostly in the 20s and 30s. There were 13 days of rain or snow during the first six weeks. Illness, NOT musket balls, was the great killer. Dysentery and Typhus were rampant. Many makeshift hospitals were set up in the region. The Army's medical department used at least 50 barns, dwellings, churches or meetinghouses throughout a wide area of Eastern Pennsylvania as temporary hospitals. These places were mostly understaffed, fetid breeding grounds of disease. All were chronically short of medical supplies. America's first true military hospital — constructed for that purpose — was built at Yellow Springs, a popular health spa about 10 miles west of the encampment. About 300 sick men were accommodated in the large three-story wood structure. General George Washington once visited the Yellow Springs Hospital and stopped to exchange a few words with each patient. Dr. Bodo Otto, an elderly German and his two physician sons, ably ran the hospital until the end of the war.

      Much of the sickness was traceable to unhealthy sanitation and poor personal hygiene. General Washington constantly complained of the failure to clear the encampment of filth, which included rotting carcasses of horses. The Commander-In-Chief even issued orders concerning the use and care of privies, but men relieved themselves wherever they felt like it. "Intolerable Smells" finally prompted General Washington to issue orders that soldiers who relieved themselves ANYWHERE but in "A Proper Necessary" were to receive Five Lashes. In the absence of wells, water was drawn from the Schuylkill River and nearby creeks. Men and animals often relieved themselves upstream from where water for drinking was drawn.

      One of General Washington's major worries was an outbreak of Small Pox. Inoculation was still relatively new and controversial, but General Washington was a firm believer in the procedure. The winter before at Morristown, N.J., he ordered inoculation for all those who had not already had the disease. A survey at Valley Forge showed many vulnerable soldiers. Some 3,000 to 4,000 men were vaccinated. Knowing how unhealthy the congested the huts were, General Washington ordered windows cut for circulation in the spring and even encouraged some to move from their squalid quarters into tents. Just how many became seriously ill during the Valley Forge encampment and how many died of these illnesses is not known. Even in the mild weather of late spring, the medical department informed General Washington that 1,000 men were too ill for combat. Those who died at camp or in hospitals have been estimated as high as 3,000.

      As if ALL OF THAT wasn’t enough, there were some in the Army who felt they were better qualified than George Washington to command The Continental Army and several politicians were critical of his performance. In fact, with the exception of brilliant but minor victories at Trenton and Princeton, General Washington had LOST all his battles with the British. On the other hand, General Horatio Gates' Victory at Saratoga had resulted in the surrender of 6,000 British Troops. In truth, General Benedict Arnold and Daniel Morgan had saved the day at Saratoga with LITTLE help from Gates. The so-called "Anti-Washington Cabal" was a lot of mutterings and niggling criticism that finally broke out in the open with the help of an arrogant Irish-born, French-reared soldier of fortune, Thomas Conway. He was recruited in France by Silas Deane and was granted the rank of Brigadier General. General Washington and MANY other American Officers took an immediate dislike to the BOASTFUL Conway. It seems that Conway along with English Army Veterans Charles Lee and Gates all felt they had better Military Credentials than General Washington and would make better commanders.

       Washington's civilian critics included Philadelphia physician and radical patriot Dr. Benjamin Rush; New Englanders John and Sam Adams and Elbridge Gerry. The man most responsible for the supply problems at Valley Forge, Thomas Mifflin, was another loud critic. The whole Anti-Washington movement was brought to a head when an aide to Gates, General James Wilkinson, revealed over drinks, details of a certain letter to Gates from Conway that was Highly Critical of General Washington. General Washington was informed of the Conway Letter by General William Alexander "Lord" Sterling. Conway's letter allegedly stated, "Heaven has been determined to save your country; or a weak general and bad counselors would have ruined it." General Washington confronted Conway with the insult, which brought Gates into the fray and eventually the whole thing became a matter for Congress. In the end, General Washington emerged STRONGER THAN EVER! In truth, most of the officers and men suffering at Valley Forge worshipped General Washington. Many historians say that General Washington’s calm, caring, presence during those horrible winter months was the most important factor in preventing The Continental Army from disintegrating.

       So through a BITTERLY COLD and BRUTAL winter, The Continental Army licked their wounds, so to speak, got well, learned they could depend on EACH OTHER and on GENERAL WASHINGTON. Moreover, the HUMILIATION of their RESOUNDING defeats AND their loss of The US CAPITOL, Philadelphia, rankled and morphed into SEETHING RAGE and BURNING DESIRE to have another crack at The British. So now they were A UNIT, having known the same hardships and the same privations. Yet at the same time, they NOW had the same desires, a common enemy and confidence in their leader. What happens next has been ascribed to PROVIDENCE, i.e. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/providence , in the writings of General George Washington.

       In early March, after General Washington settled the question of WHO would lead The Continental Army, the energetic and competent General Nathanael Greene was appointed Quartermaster General, and soon things improve rapidly. Greene got down to business by dispatching engineers to improve bridges and roads between Valley Forge and Lancaster. Wagons began arriving with clothing and food. Also in early March, a baking company of some 70 men headed by Philadelphia gingerbread baker Christopher Ludwig arrived at camp. The German-born patriot REFUSED to profit from his labor. Eventually, each soldier got the daily pound of bread promised by Congress. Ludwig, himself, baked for the headquarters staff and often spoke with General Washington. In April great schools of shad surged up the Schuylkill River to spawn. Thousands were netted, and the soldiers gorged themselves. Hundreds of barrels were filled with salted shad for future use. One soldier wrote, "For almost a month the whole camp stank and men's fingers were oily."

       While brave, Continental Troops possessed few skills in the art of 18th century warfare. They didn't know how to march in ranks or maneuver on the battlefield. The bayonet — crucial to battlefield success — was used mostly to cook over a fire. There were no regular roll calls. Sizes of units that were supposed to be equal varied radically. Orders prohibiting gambling, fighting, selling Army equipment and wandering away from camp were routinely ignored. Despite General Washington's daily orders, there was little real Military Discipline in the camp. General John Sullivan once commented, "This is not an Army; it's a mob."

       ONCE AGAIN, Providence intervened on behalf of The United States of America with the arrival in late February of Friedrich Wilhelm Ludolf Gerhard Augustin Stueben, known to history as Baron von Steuben. The title was of his own making. He had served in the Prussian Army of Frederick the Great but rose no higher than Captain. Now, at age 47, he was out of work and applying for military posts in several places. In Paris, Steuben impressed American Envoys, Benjamin Franklin and Silas Deane, who provided the German with a glowing letter of recommendation. Like the Marquis de Lafayette, the Baron said the right words when he spoke to members of the Congress and the Board of War: He would serve without a salary. He did, however, want his expenses paid. Both the War Board and General Washington liked the man's modesty and viewed Steuben as a possible candidate for Inspector General of the Army.

      Baron Von Steuben was appalled by what he observed during his first weeks at Valley Forge. General Washington asked the German to study the situation and provide reports on camp defenses, troop morale and military readiness. Steuben's reports were detailed and astute. In a short time, Baron Von Steuben was named Acting Inspector General. His primary mission involved training, and he attacked the task with dedication and zeal. General Washington liked Baron Von Steuben immediately even though the Prussian could not speak English. But he could speak French, and General Washington appointed two of his French-speaking aides, Alexander Hamilton and John Laurens to work with the Prussian. Baron Von Steuben has been called history's only popular drillmaster. The men loved his gruff manner, his cursing in broken English and his hands-on-style of demonstrating every move personally. He insisted that officers drill with their men, and he pared down the officers' staffs of personal servants.

      He created his own manual of arms and drill to fit the American Situation. Simplicity was the Keynote. The training started with a select group of 100. When these men knew what they were doing, he released them to teach others. Soon he was drilling large masses of entire regiments and brigades. He constantly taught the use of the bayonet. He gave lessons in mounting guard and sentry duty. He insisted that every watch be synchronized with the headquarters' clock. Page-by-page, Baron Von Steuben wrote in French an army drill book that was then translated into English. "Regulation for the Order of Discipline of the Troops of the United States" was then copied by an officer in each brigade. Within weeks, everyone could see a new proficiency and new pride among the formerly dispirited men.

      There were other factors coming together to boost morale and send sagging spirits soaring. Most important, France entered the war as an ally of the new nation. America got the good news in April. Great Festivities were held in camp on May 5. Along with prayer, parading and gun salutes, each man was issued a gill of rum. French-made uniforms and military gear soon began arriving in camp. Back in March, an extra month's pay was issued to all in camp for having stuck it out through the miseries of the winter. General Washington added a ration of rum for each soldier. Farmers began bringing their produce to a camp market and fresh military units arrived at Valley Forge.

      NOW at LONG LAST, The Continental Army was an ARMY in EVERY sense of the word. Then yet AGAIN, Providence intervened on behalf of The United States of America. Philadelphia was a difficult place for the British to defend. Now that France was in the war, the city was also vulnerable to attack or blockade from the sea. It was decided to abandon the Quaker City and move British forces back to their base in New York City. The British completed their evacuation on June 18th. An estimated 3,000 Tories left the city with the troops. Within hours, American cavalry arrived in the city. Ready to move against the retreating British, General Washington abandoned Valley Forge on June 9 by crossing the Schuylkill River and setting up camp a mile away. He ordered work parties to clean up the old campgrounds, filling the latrines and burying all garbage. The general was waiting for the British to make their move north through New Jersey. And when word came that the Red Coats were gone on June 18th, he followed immediately.

      Now The Continental Army was ready to fight. Professionalism, confidence and pride marked those who had survived The Ordeal of Valley Forge. The two armies clashed on June 28 at Monmouth Courthouse. The battle was almost single-handedly lost by an inept but always arrogant General Charles Lee. When Washington learned that Lee was retreating instead of advancing, the seemingly stoic commander flew into fury and galloped out to turn the men around and lead the attack. The Battle of Monmouth was inconclusive, but it was the British who retreated this time. And it was clear to everyone that those ragged Continentals — who had suffered SO MUCH at Valley Forge — were now a fair match for the British. From there, we all know how the story goes.

      So WHAT can we learn from this story? To my way of thinking this is the VERY FIRST TIME that AMERICANS accomplished something using a STANDARDIZED set of Core Beliefs, albeit unwittingly, that over time have become IMMORTALIZED as AMERICAN VALUES! REMEMBER this takes place only a year or so after The Declaration of Independence. So thinking of themselves as INDEPENDENT AMERICANS was a new experience. Pardon me for repeating, but all their High Hopes, High Ideals and High Minded Rhetoric had landed them in what would be, for some of them, a Frozen Graveyard. In such a small group, it is probable that most of them buried a friend, a neighbor or a family member at Valley Forge. HOWEVER it was in that Frozen Graveyard that they learned:

1.  Hard Work -             Remember cutting trees for shelter and fuel and digging graves and foundations in Frozen Ground. This also gave them a way to VENT their frustration, gave them a sense of accomplishment and kept their minds occupied and off of their failures. Anyone who didn’t CONCENTRATE on their work was likely to lose some toes.

2.  Teamwork               Working together for a better outcome while giving up personal glory. They learned what their INDIVIDUAL and GROUP strengths were. Who was the best shot and so forth. They learned to work together and were drilled in doing so until it was second nature.

3.  Perseverance          Plain, Gutsy, GRIND IT OUT, Mental Toughness in the face of adversity. When you get to the end of your Mental Rope, tie a knot and HOLD ON for DEAR LIFE! Ignoring the naysayers, whiners, foot draggers and others NEGATIVE INFLUENCES that sap morale from a unit.

4. Discipline -                Having the Mental Toughness to DISCIPLINE your own Personal Behavior. Getting up on a FREEZING morning and going on Guard Duty, digging in FROZEN Ground and ENDELESSY Repeating Close Order Drills and Weapons Drills to the point that you want to SCREAM and/or your hands are BLOODY and/or BLISTERED! Also a LEADER having COMPASSION enough to ENFORCE Discipline that is in the best interests of the group. The 5 lashes that General Washington ordered for ANYONE who voided in common areas for example. Better for 1 to lose a LITTLE skin for the sake of safety than for several to lose their LIVES to disease.

      As you have probably read the title, you are probably wondering where I am going with this. OK then let’s tie this all together with a BIG CSC KNOT! 2006 and 2008 were our Brandywine and Germantown. Our Enemy has captured The US Capitol and our Congressional Leaders have been forced to retreat into a defensive position with just enough strength to do recon and keep our Enemy at bay, but not enough strength to mount a counterattack. Election Day was given over to treating the wounded and Inauguration Day was devoted to burying the last of the dead. Last but not Least, Baron Von Steele has arrived and has signaled that he WILL mix it up with The Enemy!

      We who are left over are The Conservative Army that has ALREADY gone into battle. We TH Bloggers have formed up, worked out a Reconnaissance System that keeps us apprised of our Enemy’s Moves and WE ARE hitting them HARD! If we are not, then WHY is Boondoggle Hopey Overspent spending SO MUCH TIME trying to sell WE THE PEOPLE on his SPENDULOUS BILL?!?!?! WHY is he BEGGING for GOP Support when he DOES NOT NEED IT to pass his bill?!?!?! Because WE are HAMMERING them to death with Emails, Phone Calls and Poll Results!

      We ARE on the right track, we need to shore up our STRENGTHS (I-35, I-81, etc) and cast off OUR Benedict Arnolds (Collins, Snowe, Spector, McAmnesty Midget, etc) and DEMAND our leaders do what has WON Elections for us BEFORE! The Enemy has OVERREACHED and is spread thin and NOBODY among them is displaying any LEADERSHIP! They are spread out and in disarray as The British were at Monmouth Courthouse. Like Monmouth Courthouse, we WILL lose the battle on The Spendulous Bill. But when word of what The Spendulous Bill REALLY contains SPREADS, the heat from BLOWBACK will singe off Michelle Obama’s Unibrow! JUST REMEMBER, even though America LOST THE BATTLE at Monmouth Courthouse, ultimately we WON THE WAR! See you at Yorktown ;)!

God Bless You and Thank You for Your Time,

J. Allen Frye

   Recently I read Boys will be Boys by Jeff Pearlman. It is a look at The Rebirth and Death of The Dallas Cowboys in the 1990’s. It is VERY thorough and VERY detailed. Whether you are a Cowboy Fan or a Cowboy Hater, you WILL get a lot out of reading this book. I also read The Pro Football Historical Abstract by Sean Lahman. It is a detailed look at Pro Football from Day 1 to The Present. Included are a DETAILED look at EVERY Decade, A Rating of Top Players by Position and a Rating of Coaches. It is VERY Detailed and Informative, but The Author is a bit of an academic and as a Cincinnati native, is HEAVILY biased in favor of The Bengals. Only a couple of Bengal Players make the lists of top players, but they are praised to the heavens. Overall it is an EXCELLENT read for any SERIOUS NFL Fan.