You are probably familiar with the story of George Washington crossing the Delaware River (depicted above). The dangerous nighttime mission provided a key victory for the Americans against foreign mercenaries hired by the British, according to the National Park Service. What you may not know is that while Washington made a few brilliant decisions, he also made some terrible blunders. According to Smithsonian Magazine, Washington failed to properly carry out the necessary reconnaissance for a Long Island battle, which he thoroughly lost. For battles in Manhattan and New Jersey, Washington failed to make timely decisions, resulting in heavy losses. Further, he failed to consider the importance of the role of the Southern states, giving the British easy victories there.

No one knew of Washington’s limitations more than the general himself. Speaking to the Continental Congress in 1776, Washington told his superiors that he had a significant “want of experience to move on a large scale” and had “limited and contracted knowledge . . . in military matters.” Despite his tactical failings, however, Smithsonian writer John Ferling was kind to Washington’s memory, noting that he shone militarily in other ways. He had a strong character and was a good diplomat, and in the end, he was the right man for the job, says Ferling.