From the Archives: Happy 277th Birthday to Thomas Paine

Each year the Fort Lee Common Sense Society, the Fort Lee Historical Society and the Fort Lee Historic Committee celebrate the birthday of patriot and writer Thomas Paine by bringing him into one of the public schools of Fort Lee to meet with the students of Fort Lee.  We bring in his ideals, his words and Mr. Kenneth Miller who is a wonderful representation of Thomas Paine in living form today.

Paine’s connection to Fort Lee goes back to the most important year in American history 1776.  That was the year Fort Lee was born in a sense when so named by General George Washington.  Washington had three thousand of his troops stationed in Fort Lee and one of his soldiers was Thomas Paine.  Paine served as an adjutant to Fort Lee Commanding General Nathanael Grenne and at the same time was an embedded war correspondent sending dispatches from the front lines of the American Revolution. 

Paine lived with his compatriots in their encampment, which was located in the area between Palisade Avenue going east to Parker Avenue and the edge of the cliff.  Today that neighborhood is home to Monument Park, the Fort Lee Museum, and many high-rise developments.  Each day in 1776 those three thousand soldiers would pull water from Parker’s Pond (present day site of Monument Park) and cook their meals and then march east to the bluff of Fort Lee’s Palisades at the present day site of the Fort Lee Historic Park.  The soldiers would fire cannon and mortar at British shipping below to keep British forces from controlling the Hudson River and thus capturing New York.  Fort Washington was on the opposite side of the river from Fort Lee.  When Fort Washington fell in November of 1776 Paine stood atop Fort Lee’s Palisades next to General Washington as they witnessed the capture of thousands of American soldiers across the river.  This was the low point of the American Revolution and this is when Paine began to pen his greatest work, The American Crisis.  He continued to write The Crisis as he evacuated Fort Lee with Washington and the troops on November 20th and as they escaped capture via their Retreat to Victory across the Jerseys.  Paine was granted  leave to have his work published in Philadelphia and he returned to his position with  Washington’s  Army by Christmas Eve 1776.  When General Washington read The American Crisis pamphlet written by Paine he immediately realized he had as valuable a weapon as any General could ask for to inspire his restless troops.  Many of his troops had fulfilled their terms of service and were free to leave the army to return to their families.  What in fact was to keep them fighting what seemed a lost cause?  General Washington had his officers read Paine’s work to his troops prior to their Christmas Eve crossing of the Delaware.  The result was a much-needed American victory at the Battle of Trenton.  Paine’s American Crisis spoke of the times that tried men’s souls and winter soldiers and the importance of this fight for American independence.

We brought all these thoughts to the  Fort Lee students of Public School Number One today on Tom Paine’s 277th birthday.  Ken Miller, dressed as Thomas Paine, became the living spirit of Paine to the  eyes of our students as he spoke of the fact that he was a recent immigrant to America when he wrote both Common Sense and The American Crisis in 1776.  He spoke of how he coined the term  the United States of America.

Fort Lee Councilman Harvey Sohmer spoke of his work as a member of the Fort Lee Historical Society at the nearby Fort Lee Museum and he encouraged the students, teachers and parents to visit the museum and see Fort Lee’s history come alive.

Fort Lee VFW Commander James Viola, also President of the Fort Lee Common Sense Society, visited with the students as we spoke of his service in World War Two and how Thomas Paine,  a Fort Lee Veteran of the Revolutionary War was being represented here today by Jimmy Viola whose work has helped the cause to erect a statue of Thomas Paine in Monument Park, a statue which will be unveiled and dedicated in November of 2015.

We thanked the teachers and Public School Number One Principal Ms. Giacomelli for allowing us to share the spirit of Thomas Paine on his birthday with the wonderful students of this school.  We also thank Fort Lee Superintendent of Schools Paul Saxton for helping us arrange this visit.

Palisade Interstate Park  historical troubadour Thaddeus MacGregor completed our program with wonderful American songs from the 18th and 19th century and led the students in a rousing rendition of Happy Birthday in honor of Fort Lee’s own  Thomas Paine.  Happy Birthday Mr. Paine!