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Fog rescues George Washington and a revolution.
霧拯救了喬治·華盛頓和一場革命。
Despite the fireworks and celebrations every July 4th, the year 1776 was a dark one for the American Revolution.
盡管每年的7月4日都有煙花和慶祝，但是1776年對于美國獨立戰(zhàn)爭來說是黑暗的一年。
On August 29, the British had driven George Washington’s Continental Army all the way to the western edge of Long Island.
8月29日，英國已經(jīng)將喬治·華盛頓的大陸軍一路逼到長島的西部邊緣。
His forces were trapped by English soldiers on Brooklyn Heights while English warships patrolled New York’s East River to his back.
他的部隊在布魯克林高地被英國士兵困住，而英國軍艦則在他后面的紐約東河巡邏。
To all observers, the American Revolution appeared to be hours away from ending with the capture of General Washington and his helpless army.
在所有觀察者看來，華盛頓將軍和他無助的軍隊幾小時后就會被抓獲，美國革命就此結(jié)束。
But then a heavy rain hit the region, forcing English general William Howe to pause his attack.
但隨后一場大雨襲擊了該地區(qū)，迫使英國將軍威廉·豪暫停了他的進攻。
In a moment that historian David McCullough later dubbed “the Revolution’s Dunkirk,”
在一個后來被歷史學(xué)家大衛(wèi)·麥卡洛稱為“獨立戰(zhàn)爭的敦刻爾克”的時刻，
this brief lapse gave Washington the precious time he needed to free his men from the noose around them.
這一短暫的延誤給了華盛頓需要的寶貴時間，把他的人從束縛中解救出來。
He started slipping soldiers across the East River under cover of the night and into the morning,
他開始在黑夜的掩護下悄悄把士兵送過東河，一直到早晨，
when a heavy fog miraculously descended and continued to conceal his army’s movements from the British.
大霧奇跡般地降臨，他可以繼續(xù)向英軍隱瞞軍隊的行動。
By the time the fog lifted, the British were flummoxed. George Washington’s entire army had retreated onto Manhattan, along with all their supplies.
當(dāng)迷霧散去時，英國人已經(jīng)不知所措了。喬治·華盛頓的全軍帶著他們所有的物資已經(jīng)撤退到曼哈頓。
General Washington was reportedly the last soldier to leave Long Island.
據(jù)報道，華盛頓將軍是最后一位離開長島的軍人。
Although a tactical defeat, Washington’s retreat is considered one of the narrowest escapes in the history of the U.S. military.
盡管在戰(zhàn)術(shù)上失敗了，但是華盛頓領(lǐng)導(dǎo)的撤軍被認為是美軍歷史上最驚險的逃生之一。
