SoonaftertheoutbreakoftheAmericanRevolution,theBritishtookNewYorkCity,forcingGeneralGeorgeWashingtontoretreatintoNewJersey.OnthecoldChristmasnightof1776,WashingtonledhistroopsacrosstheDelawareonasurpriseattackontheBritishoccupyingTrenton.TheAmericanadvancewasspottedbyaTory,whodeliveredawrittenmessagetotheBritishcommander,ColonelJohannRall.
ButRallwasbusyplayingcardsataChristmaspartythatnight,andheplacedthenoteinhispocketwithoutbotheringtoreadit.WhentheAmericansattacked,theBritishwerecompletelyoverwhelmed,andRallwasmortallywounded.Asadoctorcutawayhisclothestotreathiswounds,thenotefellfromhispocket.Helookedatthemessageandsighed,"IfIhadreadthis,Iwouldnotbehere."HediedaftersecuringWashington'spromisethathiscapturedmenwouldbetreatedhumanely.
美國獨立戰爭爆發後不久，英軍攻佔紐約市，喬治．華盛頓將軍被迫退守新澤西。一七七六年聖誕夜，天氣寒冷，華盛頓率軍渡過德拉威河，準備突襲特蘭頓市的英軍。一個擁英的當地人看到美軍出擊，寫了一紙便條通知英軍司令約翰．拉爾上校。
但拉爾正在聖誕晚會上忙着打牌，隨手把便條放進口袋裏，懶得閱讀。最後美軍來襲，英軍大敗，拉爾受傷將死。醫生給他割破衣服療傷，那便條從口袋裏掉出來。拉爾讀後，歎息說：「早點讀，我就不會在這裏了。」他請華盛頓人道對待被俘英軍，獲華盛頓首肯，其後傷重去世。