October 2018 - Journal of the American Revolution

Politics Posted on October 30, 2018October 29, 2018

Continental Congress vs. Continental Army: The Officer Corps

When the Continental Congress first met it was intended to bring the American colonies together to find a solution to the growing disputes with Great Britain, mainly through protest, petitions and boycotts. When it convened again, the time for those measures had passed. On April 19, 1775 fighting between local militias and British regulars turned […]

by Stuart Hatfield

Conflict & War Posted on October 29, 2018October 29, 2018

General Thomas Conway: Cabal Conspirator or Career Climber?

“French Officers hate him” and “none of the English Officers . . . love him.”[1] The American Revolution produced the names of great individuals who performed distinguished deeds we treasure and honor today. As there are historical heroes, there are also antagonists with adversarial roles who fall into the category of “all but forgotten.” Among the […]

by Andrew A. Zellers-Frederick

Conflict & War Posted on October 25, 2018October 24, 2018

Daniel Granger, Thirteen-Year-Old Soldier

During the American Revolution children were no strangers to the realities of war, but some would find themselves in the very center of the action. One such case was that of Daniel Granger who began his service in the Continental Army at the age of thirteen. While sending sons and apprentices as substitutes upon receiving […]

by Lindsey Wood

Arts & Literature Posted on October 23, 2018October 22, 2018

Rome’s Heroes and America’s Founding Fathers

Throughout the course of history, the ancient civilization of Rome has been widely discussed, praised, and emulated by writers, statesmen, and philosophers alike. Rome has no shortage of admirers, and arguably some of its most enthusiastic supporters were the American Founding Fathers who were enamoured of the Roman past largely because of Rome’s unique form […]

by Paul Meany

Reviews Posted on October 22, 2018October 21, 2018

Gibraltar: The Greatest Siege in British History

Book Review: Gibraltar: The Greatest Siege in British History by Roy Adkins and Lesley Adkins, (Viking, 2017). BUY THIS BOOK FROM AMAZON It is natural to think of the American Revolution in terms of events on the Atlantic coast of North America. But the American Revolution was a truly global war. King George III and […]

by Eric Sterner

Conflict & War Posted on October 18, 2018October 15, 2018

Who was Captain Marsh?

Many people involved in the American Revolution played but a short role in the long war. A John Babcock, for example, apparently served as an ensign in Capt. Peter Ruttan’s Company of the 4th Battalion, New Jersey Volunteers, but was taken prisoner previous to his actually being commissioned, and he never served again. All that […]

by Todd W. Braisted

Features Posted on October 16, 2018October 14, 2018

Washington in the Hurricane’s Eye: An Interview with Nathaniel Philbrick

If not for a series of devastating hurricanes in the Caribbean Sea in 1780, George Washington might not have met Lord Cornwallis at the Battle of Yorktown and America may never have gained her independence. This serendipitous scenario comes to the fore in Nathaniel Philbrick’s fascinating new book In the Hurricane’s Eye: The Genius of […]

by David Kindy

Features Posted on October 15, 2018October 14, 2018

Revisiting the Prayer at Valley Forge

When George Washington died in 1799, partisan infighting and international crises threatened the survival of the American experiment. Many Americans believed in Washington’s unique ability to unite the country, and his death exacerbated national uncertainties. Enter Mason Locke Weems, whose contributions to Washington mythmaking dwarf those of any individual then or since. As national yearning […]

by Blake McGready

News Posted on October 12, 2018October 12, 2018

Help Save the Spitfire

Our article about Edward Wigglesworth’s diary has brought a lot of attention to the Spitfire gunboat, a well-preserved Revolutionary War warship that is in danger of destruction by ecological changes. Readers of the journal have asked how they can help. The Lake Champlain Maritime Museum is on the case, and while there are no guarantees of what will […]

by Editors

Diaries and Journals Posted on October 11, 2018October 10, 2018

Finding Edward Wigglesworth’s Lost Diary

Col. Edward Wigglesworth took part in some of the most consequential actions of the American Revolution, but, like so many such men, we know little about him. Happily, Wigglesworth left a diary which was once presumed lost, but has now has been found. The manuscript provides more details concerning Wigglesworth’s extraordinary military career. A Brief […]

by C. E. Pippenger

Conflict & War Posted on October 9, 2018October 7, 2018

What Strategy Could Either Side Have Used to Win the War in 1776?

Open warfare began in America in 1775, and the colonies declared independence from Great Britain in 1776. We asked our contributors to speculate on this critical time during the conflict: “What strategy could either side have used to win the war in 1776?” Eric Sterner The British might have shaken things up with a political […]

by Editors

Loyalists Posted on October 8, 2018October 7, 2018

Joshua Huddy: The Scourge of New Jersey Loyalists

New Jersey is known as the “Crossroads of the Revolution” because its location between New York and Philadelphia, as well as its strategic importance for troop movements by both the British and Continental armies, made it a hot bed for Patriot and Loyalist activities. Fighting between these two groups in New Jersey became so intense […]

by Matthew H. Ward

News Posted on October 4, 2018

Revolution Road with the Journal of the American Revolution

On the first Friday of each month those who have Sirius XM radio can listen to a new program, Revolution Road with the Journal of the American Revolution, as part of the Dave Nemo Show, 7–11 AM Eastern on Sirius/XM146. This Friday, October 5, at 8 AM, J.L. Bell will discuss the 250th anniversary of the […]

by Editors

Culture Posted on October 4, 2018October 3, 2018

John Row and Jenny Innes

John Row was a British officer in the 9th Regiment of Foot, and he was in love with Jane Innes. For six years their courtship was maintained largely by correspondence due to separations caused by his military obligations. Dozens of their letters survive in the National Archives of Scotland, revealing a touching love story conflicting […]

by Don N. Hagist

People Posted on October 2, 2018October 4, 2019

James Grant’s American Confession

In American history, the name James Grant became synonymous with advocacy for British supremacy in colonial matters. For much of Grant’s early military career, he was stationed in North America where he participated in the French and Indian War. His time spent on the continent allowed for him to form his own opinions on the […]

by George Kotlik

Reviews Posted on October 1, 2018September 30, 2018

Eliza Hamilton: The Extraordinary Life and Times of the Wife of Alexander Hamilton

Book Review: Eliza Hamilton: The Extraordinary Life and Times of the Wife of Alexander Hamilton by Tilar Mazzeo (Simon and Schuster: 2018). BUY THIS BOOK FROM AMAZON In this intelligent and insightful biography, Eliza Hamilton: The Extraordinary Life and Times of the Wife of Alexander Hamilton, Tilar Mazzeo makes it nearly impossible for the reader not […]

by Megan King

Month: October 2018