“Glover,” said Gen. Knox, “you have to get my cannon across the river, now. The infantry is …” He didn’t get a chance to finish.

“Do you know what it will take to get those cannon across the river? I will have to take two boats and lash them together, side by side. Then I have to lay planking across the gunwales and drive 8 inch spikes through them to hold it in place. And once that is done it can’t be undone. Then I have a chance to ferry your precious cannon and their limbers across the river. But in doing so those boats are useless for anything else.”

“If the Hessians attack now… It would be criminal to leave our men unprotected.”

“Criminal?” Glover shouted. “I’ll tell you what’s criminal, what’s damned near treasonous is having a commander that is as fat as you, in an army that is so thin from want of food. I’ll get those thrice damned cannon across this river, and in good order too, but when I say so and not before. The General put me in charge of this crossing. Now leave me to do my business.”