Joseph Lee Boyle

Joseph Lee Boyle was educated at Towson State, University of South Carolina, and Saint Joseph’s University. He worked for the National Park Service for thirty-two years, retiring as Historian at Valley Forge. His first book was From Redcoat to Rebel: The Thomas Sullivan Journal, and he has published versions of the Ephraim Blaine papers, Elias Boudinot letterbook and the Samuel Hodgdon papers. He has also published a two volume compilation of deserters during the American Revolution, taken from newspaper accounts. His eighth volume of documents written from Valley Forge will be published by Heritage Books later this year.

Battles, Diaries and Journals, Primary Sources, The War Years (1775-1783) July 27, 2023 July 27, 2023

The Journal of Thomas Anderson, Delaware Regiment, Part 2, April 1781–April 1782

Thomas Anderson’s journal, covering May 1780 through April 1782, has been lost, but a nineteenth century transcription resides in the Peter Force Collection of…

Battles, Diaries and Journals, Primary Sources, The War Years (1775-1783) July 25, 2023 July 24, 2023

The Journal of Thomas Anderson, Delaware Regiment, Part 1, May 1780–March 1781

In 1867, The Historical Magazine published “Extracts from the Journal of Lieutenant Thomas Anderson.” The original manuscript at that time belonged to the Maryland Historical…

Postwar Conflict (>1783), Weapons September 23, 2021 September 21, 2021

Trophies of War: The Guns at Elk

Elk Landing, Head of Elk and Elkton all refer to the same geographic area in Cecil County, Maryland. Head of Elk was a key…

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Culture, People, Primary Sources, The War Years (1775-1783) April 1, 2021 March 31, 2021

Easy as Falling Off a Horse

Horses have been used for transportation for thousands of years, but have caused countless injuries and deaths. There is a saying that the only…

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Historic Sites, Native Americans, Primary Sources, The War Years (1775-1783) November 10, 2020 November 23, 2020

Native Americans at Valley Forge

At the Bethlehem Hospital near Valley Forge on November 21, 1777, John Ettwein visited a “Narragansett Indian in great distress about his soul, at…

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Illness and Disease, Medicine, The War Years (1775-1783) October 21, 2020 October 18, 2020

Starting from Scratch: Combating “the Itch”

Although it may not have been fatal, scabies brought more patients to British Army hospitals during the Seven Years’ War than any other condition,…

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Memorials, Myths and Legends, People, Primary Sources July 30, 2019 July 21, 2019

A General’s Funeral: The Burial of Enoch Poor Revisted

In the May 30, 2016 issue of this Journal, Todd W. Braisted introduced us to General Enoch Poor of New Hampshire, his death, and…

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Diaries and Journals, The War Years (1775-1783) April 16, 2019 October 18, 2020

Killer Trees of the Revolution

Around a hundred people are tragically killed in the United States each year by falling trees or limbs. Death or injury by trees was…

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Features, The War Years (1775-1783) September 4, 2018 September 3, 2018

Dying to Celebrate

During the American Revolution, hundreds of civilians and military men on both sides were killed or injured by accidents. A number of these occurred…

Features, Primary Sources, The War Years (1775-1783) April 13, 2018 April 10, 2018

The James McMichael Journal, December 29, 1777–May 12, 1778

Editor’s Note: This is the final part of a five-part series. Part one. Part two. Part three. Part four. The final portion of the McMichael…

Features, Primary Sources, The War Years (1775-1783) March 15, 2018 March 14, 2018

The James McMichael Journal, September 12, 1777–December 23, 1777

Editor’s Note: This is part four of a five-part series. Part one. Part two. Part three. This portion of the James McMichael journal begins…

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Features, Primary Sources, The War Years (1775-1783) February 27, 2018 February 27, 2018

The James McMichael Journal, June 11, 1777–September 11, 1777

Editor’s Note: This is part three of a five-part series. Part one. Part two. The portion of James McMichael’s journal covering June 11 through…

Features, Primary Sources, The War Years (1775-1783) February 12, 2018 February 27, 2018

The James McMichael Journal, November 1, 1776–June 3, 1777

Editor’s Note: This is part two of a five-part series. Part one. Part three. The portion of James McMichael’s journal covering November 1, 1776…

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Features, Prewar Conflict (<1775), Primary Sources, The War Years (1775-1783) February 5, 2018 February 27, 2018

The James McMichael Journal, May 27, 1776–October 29, 1776

Editor’s Note: This is part one of a five-part series. Part two. Part three. The “Diary” of Lieutenant James McMichael first appeared in 1890…

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Places July 19, 2017 July 9, 2017

Reamstown Provides: A Pennsylvania Town’s Contribution to Valley Forge

In a cemetery behind the Salem United Church of Christ, in Reamstown, Lancaster County, a boulder stands: This grinding bowl from East Cocalico is…