Month: August 2022

2
Books and Publications Posted on

One of the “Powers for Good in the World:” Mercy Otis Warren

Students of history will no doubt have John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, and Benjamin Franklin at the top of their mind when recalling the great leaders of early America and the story of American independence. The thoughtful and considered utility of the words contained within the Declaration of Independence and Constitution cannot be understated. […]

by James M. Deitch
Crime and Justice Posted on

This Week on Dispatches: Louis Arthur Norton on Justice, Deterrence, and Revenge during the American Revolution

On this week’s Dispatches, host Brady Crytzer interviews emeritus professor of history and JAR contributor Louis Arthur Norton on the use of capital punishment and revenge killings as a penalty or deterrent for desertion, espionage, atrocities, or loyalty to one side or the other during the American Revolution. New episodes of Dispatches are available for free […]

by Editors
Prisoners of War Posted on

Hessians: German Soldiers in the American Revolutionary War

BOOK REVIEW: Hessians: German Soldiers in the American Revolutionary War by Friederike Baer (New York: Oxford University Press, 2022) Writing a detailed, authoritative account of the British Army’s German troops has always been a tough climb requiring a combination of several advanced skills. Much of the source material has remained untranslated into English either in whole or […]

by Richard F. Welch
2
Crime and Justice Posted on

Justice, Deterrence, and Fitful Revenge During the Revolutionary War

“War is cruelty, and you cannot refine it.”[1] The application of justice during the Revolutionary War deserves scrutiny. Historic records related to people condemned to death during this period reflect society’s norm for justice, deterrence, and often vengeance. Countless men on both sides of the conflict were executed for treachery, betrayal, or perfidy. Several examples […]

by Louis Arthur Norton
Battles Posted on

This Week on Dispatches: Colin Zimmerman on the Battle of Crosswicks

On this week’s Dispatches, host Brady Crytzer interviews museum curator and JAR contributor Colin Zimmerman about the Battle of Crosswicks, New Jersey, a small but critical battle before the clash at Monmouth. New episodes of Dispatches are available for free every Saturday evening (Eastern United States Time) on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, Amazon Music, and the JAR Dispatches web […]

by Editors
Letters and Correspondence Posted on

The Abdication(s) of King George III

On April 1, 2015, Queen Elizabeth II announced the creation of the Georgian Papers Programme. It is a ten-year project to transcribe, digitize, conserve, catalogue, and disseminate close to 425,000 pages related to England’s Hanoverian monarchs located in the Royal Archives at Windsor Castle. Most of the papers are personal and official correspondence—the remaining are […]

by Bob Ruppert
2
People Posted on

Leading Like the Swamp Fox: The Leadership Lessons of Francis Marion

BOOK REVIEW: Leading Like the Swamp Fox: The Leadership Lessons of Francis Marion by Kevin Dougherty and Steven D. Smith (Philadelphia: Casemate Publishers, 2022) The past decade has seen a resurgence of interest in Revolutionary War hero Francis Marion, the Continental officer turned partisan commander who, along with Thomas Sumter, Andrew Pickens, and several lesser-known officers, […]

by Jim Piecuch
5
Natural History Posted on

Top Ten Weather Interventions

“In war, as in medicine, natural causes not under our control, do much.” Gen. Horatio Gates wrote this about the terrain that so heavily influenced his victory at Saratoga in 1777. Another natural cause that heavily influenced events of the American Revolution was weather. Here are ten instances where unexpectedly uncooperative weather had a major […]

by Don N. Hagist
Culture Posted on

This Week on Dispatches: Aaron J. Palmer on the 1775 Duel between Henry Laurens and John Faucheraud Grimké

On this week’s Dispatches, host Brady Crytzer interviews historian and JAR contributor Aaron J. Palmer on the social and political significance of the 1775 duel between the elite Henry Laurens and the up-start John Faucheraud Grimké. New episodes of Dispatches are available for free every Saturday evening (Eastern United States Time) on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, Amazon […]

by Editors