No, a company of foot soldiers first to stand guard and protect the landing. KNOX Yes, sir. (_calling_) General Green! VOICE (_off_) Yes, sir. KNOX Send one of your companies across first to stand guard and protect the landing. VOICE Very good, sir. Company A, into the boats! (_orders and mob confusion_) KNOX The river looks bad, sir. See all the ice? It looks wicked! WASHINGTON Ice! Hm--I hadn't foreseen this. VOICE (_calling_) General Knox! KNOX What is it? VOICE The boatmen say they can't make it, sir. WASHINGTON Can't make it? But they've got to! VOICE Sorry sir, they say the floating ice-- WASHINGTON Call Colonel Glover, Knox! KNOX (_calling_) Glover! Colonel Glover! Pass the word for Colonel Glover. (_order repeated several times at different distances_) WASHINGTON We've got to get across, Knox, we've got to! If this attempt fails, there's nothing left for us! Nothing! KNOX We'll get across, sir, if we have to swim. GLOVER (_coming in_) Colonel Glover reports, sir. WASHINGTON Colonel Glover, can your regiment of seafaring men handle our boats in that river? GLOVER General Washington, my men can handle boats in any water! WASHINGTON The boatmen say they can't cross because of the floating ice. GLOVER Sir, my men are _sea_ sailors, not river boatmen--it takes more than ice to scare them off! WASHINGTON Good! Put some of them in every boat. GLOVER Yes, sir. WASHINGTON And you will take general charge of the entire fleet. GLOVER Very good, sir. WASHINGTON Tell them to listen to General Knox's commands. He is the only one whose voice can be heard in this storm! GLOVER Very good, sir! (_going out_) This way, the Marblehead regiment! This way to the boats! (_mob_) ANNOUNCER For the next nine hours the difficult work of crossing the ice-filled river went forward. Colonel Glover and his regiment of seafaring men from Marblehead, Massachusetts, performed almost miraculous service in landing every man, horse, and gun without losing anything! It was five o'clock in the morning of December 26 when Washington, now on the Jersey shore of the river, turned to Knox--(_wind and crowd noise_) WASHINGTON Has the last boatload landed, Knox? KNOX Yes, sir. WASHINGTON Call the men to attention. KNOX (_calling_) Call your men to attention! VOICES Company--company! (_etc._) Attention! First regiment is formed, sir, second--(_etc._) KNOX The men are formed, sir. WASHINGTON Men, we are about to start upon our most important offensive. Upon the results of our efforts this morning depends the outcome of our struggle for liberty and independence.