Writing by Dr. Dannielle Blumenthal

The painting shown is is Emanuel Leutze’s iconic 1851 Washington Crossing the Delaware, which romantically portrays George Washington leading the Continental Army across the icy Delaware River on Christmas night 1776 for a surprise attack on Hessian forces at Trenton—a daring move that turned the tide of the Revolutionary War when the American cause seemed lost.

It symbolizes patriotic resilience, bold leadership, unity against tyranny, and victory through a secretive military operation in dark, stormy conditions.

In the October 31, 2017, 4chan /pol/ post (the early “Q” drop titled Patriots.jpg), the image is deliberately tagged with “durham boat.”

Historically, Washington used sturdy Durham boats (flat-bottomed cargo vessels from the Durham Iron Works, designed for heavy loads on the Delaware) for the crossing—not the dramatic rowboat shown in the painting.

QAnon interpreters see this as a coded signal: the “Durham boats” foreshadow John Durham (the special counsel appointed in 2019 to investigate the origins of the Trump-Russia probe, FBI actions, and alleged deep-state corruption).

Just as patriots used Durham boats to cross a perilous river and launch a counterstrike that saved the Revolution, the theory posits that “patriots” (Trump, military/intelligence allies) would use the Durham investigation as the vehicle to cross the “storm” of corruption, expose “bad actors,” and deliver justice—turning the tide against perceived election rigging and deep-state forces.

The post’s questions about military intelligence, state secrets, Flynn, POTUS control, and fighting corruption reinforce this allegory of a hidden, high-stakes patriotic operation.

The “Durham boat” reference is viewed as an early breadcrumb hinting at future events.

Indeed, in May 2023, Special Counsel John Durham released his 300+ page report examining the origins of the FBI’s “Crossfire Hurricane” investigation into possible Trump campaign–Russia ties during the 2016 election.

Main Findings:

• The FBI lacked sufficient predicate to launch a full investigation and relied on raw, unanalyzed, and uncorroborated intelligence.
• Investigators exhibited confirmation bias, downplayed exculpatory evidence, and failed to apply the same scrutiny used in similar matters involving the Clinton campaign.
• Serious procedural issues were identified, including in FISA warrant applications.
• Durham criticized the FBI’s lack of analytical rigor and recommended reforms for handling politically sensitive cases.

In certain online communities, Durham was nicknamed “Mr. Punisher” and memed with the Marvel vigilante’s skull logo.

Written with the help of AI.