Hopefully those of you from the east coast lived through the terrible storms of Fri and Sat nite and the after effects. We, personally, have electricity, but are in the minority in our state (just the luck of the draw). In our town thousands are still without power, with the temp,up around 95, the absolute WORST time to be without AC. We lost hundreds and hundreds of trees in our town and many houses and vehicles sustained considerable damage. The city and elect co. are out in force, doing their durndest, but many streets are still blocked by trees and downed wires and poles. (These things happen just to show us how, in the face of Mother Nature, we are pretty durn helpless, and 'put us in our place"!!!) Sandra This is an interesting peek at what was going on one year after the initial 4th...and reference the Hessian band & Trenton as a preamble. When Washington and his men crossed the Delaware, catching the Hessian troops completely off guard, this constituted the first real success for the continental forces. Before that, they had been continuously forced into retreat, and had lost, to battle and desertion, a large percentage of American troops. So, the battle of Trenton, coming when it did, breathed new life into the fight for independence and gave people hope. The Hessian forces were composed of men who had been pressed into service by their rulers...they didn't fight because the believed in the cause but rather because they were conscripted and then sent halfway around the world to fight and die, simply to put money into the coffers of their various ruling factions. Too, King George III was the hereditary ruler of Hanover, and as such these troops were blended into the British Army. Many Hessians were more than happy to be 'captured', and a great many stayed in the new world rather than return to the tyranny of their homerule, and threw their lot in with the Colonials and their dream of liberty. "Yesterday the 4th of July, being the Anniversary of the Independence of the United States of America, was celebrated in this city with demonstration of joy and festivity. About noon all the armed ships and gallies in the river were drawn up before the city, dressed in the gayest manner, with the colours of the United States and streamers displayed. At one o'clock, the yards being properly manned, they began the celebration of the day by a discharge of thirteen cannon from each of the ships, and one from each of the thirteen gallies, in honour of the Thirteen United States. In the afternoon an elegant dinner was prepared for Congress, to which were invited the President and Supreme Executive Council, and Speaker of the Assembly of this State, the General Officers and Colonels of the army, and strangers of eminence, and the members of the several Continental Boards in town. The Hessian band of music taken in Trenton the 26th of December last, attended and heightened the festivity with some fine performances suited to the joyous occasion, while a corps of British deserters, taken into the service of the continent by the State of Georgia, being drawn up before the door, filled up the intervals with feux de joie. After dinner a number of toasts were drank, all breaking independence, and a generous love of liberty, and commemorating the memories of those brave and worthy patriots who gallantly exposed their lives, and fell gloriously in defence [sic] of freedom and the righteous cause of their country. Each toasts was followed by a discharge of artillery and small arms, and a suitable piece of music by the Hessian band. The glorious fourth of July was reiterated three times accompanied with triple discharges of cannon and small arms, and loud huzzas that resounded from street to street through the city. Towards evening several troops of horse, a corps of artillery, and a brigade of North Carolina forces, which was in town on its way to join the grand army, were drawn up in Second street and reviewed by Congress and the General Officers. The evening was closed with the ringing of bells, and at night there was a grand exhibition of fireworks, which began and concluded with thirteen rockets on the commons, and the city was beautifully illuminated. Every thing was conducted with the greatest order and decorum, and the face of joy and gladness was universal. Thus may the 4th of July, that glorious and ever memorable day, be celebrated through America, by the sons of freedom, from age to age till time shall be no more. Amen, and amen ." (Virginia Gazette, 18 July 1777).