The story is told that when the War for Independence was over and America had become a nation, one British general was asked what he had feared most during the war.
"Was it General Washington?"
The general replied, "No, General Washington was a great leader but I did not fear him the most."
"Was it the Continental Army, Washington's fighting troops?"
He replied, "No, they were fine fighters, but I did not fear them the most."
"The weather? The large American cities? The diverse terrain? The French navy?"
The general replied, "No, I did not fear any of those things the most. The thing that I feared the most during the war was the Minutemen. Those crazy soldiers were improperly armed and barely clothed, but the American Minutemen did not know the meaning of the word 'retreat.' If you ever wanted to gain a victory over the Minutemen, you had to kill them all because they never quit."
"Was it General Washington?"
The general replied, "No, General Washington was a great leader but I did not fear him the most."
"Was it the Continental Army, Washington's fighting troops?"
He replied, "No, they were fine fighters, but I did not fear them the most."
"The weather? The large American cities? The diverse terrain? The French navy?"
The general replied, "No, I did not fear any of those things the most. The thing that I feared the most during the war was the Minutemen. Those crazy soldiers were improperly armed and barely clothed, but the American Minutemen did not know the meaning of the word 'retreat.' If you ever wanted to gain a victory over the Minutemen, you had to kill them all because they never quit."