Author: Editors

What do you think was the strangest or most unconventional moment, battle or event of the Revolution?   The “Salem Alarm” occurred when Gen. Gage heard a rumor that rebel cannon were hidden in a Salem blacksmith’s shop, north of Boston. Gage sent Lt. Col. Alexander Leslie and troops on a secret nighttime sail to […]

Which individual made the single greatest sacrifice, other than death, for their cause?   In 1774, Philadelphia importer Robert Morris was arguably the wealthiest man in America. He could have sat out the war in relative luxury or certainly even, as some merchants did, made a profit during the war. Instead, hearing the call to […]

Which two people let their personal dislike of each other interfere the most with their working relationship?   It was quite obvious that generals, Charles Cornwallis and his superior officer Henry Clinton didn’t care for each other. As early as Oct. 1776 after White Plains, Clinton said some bad things about Howe (their overall commander-in-chief), […]

Which two people leveraged their friendship into a positive working relationship that delivered strong results?   The personal relationship Paris Commissioners Benjamin Franklin and Silas Deane had with Edward Bancroft give him total access to all of America’s activities and plans with France before and during their formal alliance. It was this trusting relationship that […]

Name one major misconception about the American Revolution that you would like to dispel.   Nathan Hale is perhaps the best known American spy in our history. Yet, almost everything we have been told about him is incorrect or inaccurate. Even the numerous statues of Hale placed around the country are nothing more than an […]

Luckiest? Who should have bought a lottery ticket? Who benefited most from being in the right place at the right time? Explain.   I believe the luckiest man in the Revolution by far was George Washington – not because he could have been killed a number of times in the war and wasn’t, but rather […]

Most famous weapon? What was the most popular, deadliest, strangest or most intimidating weapon of the Revolution? Why?   There are many candidates, but my own favorite is Francis Marion’s use of a siege tower to force the surrender of Fort Watson in South Carolina in April 1781. Unable to assault the fort by conventional […]

Best counterpunch? What was the best or most effective return-action of the Revolution? A case where the Americans or British moved first, but the enemy reacted better. Explain.   Major General Nathanael Greene’s decision after he lost the battle of Guilford Courthouse. Lord Cornwallis invaded Virginia, convinced that if he smashed the Revolution in that […]

Most shocking or unexpected moment of the Revolution?   The most shocking moment unfolded slowly, not quickly. It was the shock the British got in late August and September 1781 when they realized that Washington had cleverly redistributed his forces to confront the British army in Virginia rather than attacking New York City. Washington’s deception […]

Biggest jerk of the Revolution? Who seemed to be the most despicable person of the era? Why?   This award goes to Benedict Arnold, but not because he changed sides (lots of people did that); instead, the reasons are twofold: Regardless of his tactical skills and overall abilities on the battlefield, many of his peers […]

What’s the funniest thing you’ve come across in researching this period?   In Paris, while negotiating the treaty with France, Ben Franklin stopped for a bite to eat in a popular cafe. On the other side of the room he saw Edward Gibbon, member of Parliament and author of the already famous Decline and Fall […]

What two people from the Revolutionary period who never met (so far as we know) do you wish you could introduce? Why?   I would like to have seen Dr. Joseph Warren, who died tragically at Bunker Hill, meet Dr. Benjamin Rush. Warren would have soon concluded Rush was an airhead and not even a […]

Since you began studying the American Revolution, how has your perspective on it changed?   My perspective has become more complex. As I followed Ben Franklin to France, I saw the war become an international struggle. As I watched Washington think his way to the strategy that won the war in America, he emerged as […]

Outside of the big four (Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Charleston), which city was most critical to the success of the Revolution? Why?   Newport. British land and naval forces garrisoned in the rebellious nation’s fifth largest city for four years. Although the Continental Army failed to dislodge them in 1778, Newport served no great […]