Bill O'Reilly here Friday, May 24, 2019, you are listening to the O'Reilly update, coming

up on a message of the day.

But first, our Friday lead.

Memorial Day weekend is a time to reflect on the brave soldiers who gave their lives and

service to America, though they fought on countless battlefields across the globe.

There were five key battles where victory helped define us as a nation.

The first began on Christmas Day, 1776, when George Washington led his exhausted continental

army on a nighttime crossing of the frozen Delaware River.

The following morning, German mercenaries, Basin Trenton, New Jersey, were surprised

to find more than 2,000 patriots pointing rifles at them.

The resulting victory restored the fighting spirit of Washington's men and spurred a young

nation to continue its fight for independence.

It was the turning point of the Revolutionary War.

Forty years later, in the War of 1812, American soldiers would distinguish themselves at the

Battle of New Orleans, outnumbered by a considerable margin.

General Andrew Jackson led his men to a lopsided victory over British forces.

That's how to message to the world.

Don't mess with us.

In July of 1863, the American spirit was once again tested tragically this time against

ourselves.

During three days of fighting outside of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, General Mead's Union

Army of the Potomac, then did off the desperate invasion of General Lee's Army of Northern

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