In December 1776, following defeats in New York and New Jersey, when the American cause seemed all but lost, Thomas Paine published the first installment of "The American Crisis."

The gritty American patriots were outgunned and outmanned, with a lot more on the line than the professional British military force. Capturing the moment, Paine wrote, "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."

As Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army, George Washington ordered Paine's words to be read by every officer. These words inspired his men across the treacherous, freezing Delaware River in the dead of night, an act of bravery that saved the revolutionary cause from defeat.

These words carried Washington and his men through the darkest hour of the American........

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