A general was in trouble. He was facing an enemy army that was bigger and better equipped. Moreover, he needed food, equipment, and supplies and had no money to buy them.

It was winter and the river between him and the enemy was so full of ice that everyone knew it could not be crossed. The general did not know this, so he put his men in small boats, crossed the river, and surprised the enemy - captured a thousand and put the rest to flight.

The general's name was George Washington.

Many men still wait until the ice is out of the river... or business is better... or conditions improve.

Today, as in 1776, the way to win is not to wait for the ice to go, but to cross the river and attack.

Found in the 1958 "The Scoutmaster's Minute"