Thomas Fleming (1927-2017) was one of the most distinguished and productive historians and novelists of our time. He wrote more than twenty nonfiction books that won prizes and praise from critics and fellow historians, many with a special focus on the American Revolution. His twenty-three novels, many of them bestsellers, explore the lives of men and women in vivid narratives that range from the raw America of the 1730s to the superpower that confronted World War II and endured Korea and Vietnam. He wrote frequently for American Heritage and many other magazines and was often a guest on C-SPAN, the History Channel, and PBS.
Editor’s note: Originally published in JAR in May 2013, this important article about the contribution of African Americans to our nation’s liberty was written by the late Thomas Fleming (1927–2017). African Americans participated in the American Revolution from its first day. That is another reason why it is shameful that for a long time, they […]
New Jersey Governor William Franklin is one of the forgotten major players in the American Revolution. By the fall of 1775, he was the only royal governor in the thirteen rebellious colonies who had not fled or been chased from his post by the mounting tension between the Americans and the mother country. But William’s […]
For contemporary Americans the difference between militia and regular, or “Continental,” soldiers is hard to grasp. Both fought in the war. Both suffered casualties. Both have supporters who claim they won the war. For decades after the Revolution, politicians spouted clouds of hot air on the subject, mostly aimed at denigrating the regular army in […]
Thanks to the porous state of the British lines around Philadelphia and the industry of General Washington’s secret agents, there is little doubt that American officers at Valley Forge were aware of the dramas that a British Army theater company known as Howe’s Strolling Players presented at the Southwark Theater during 1777-78. The Americans considered […]
The first version of “Yankee Doodle” seems to have been written by a British army physician, Dr. Richard Schuckberg, during the French and Indian War. It was a satiric look at New England’s Yankees. Brother Ephraim sold his cow And bought him a commission And then he went to Canada To fight for the nation; […]
As Benjamin Franklin lay on his deathbed in the spring of 1790, he wrote a farewell letter to George Washington. He congratulated the first president “on the growing strength of our new government under your administration.” Then he added a private goodbye. For my own personal ease, I should have died two years ago; […]
“Give me liberty or give me death!” shouted Patrick Henry to the members of the Second Virginia Convention in 1775. His words became the first great war cry of the American Revolution. In 1776 this backwoods lawyer was elected governor of Virginia, the largest state in the new American union. Henry was descended from Scottish […]
In 1775, almost all Americans could read. This enabled young people to follow the political argument that preceded the shooting war. They were enthusiastic independence men and women even though they were too young to vote or fight. Few young men were a better example of this enthusiasm than fourteen year old Joseph Plumb Martin […]
In mid-May of 1778, startling news swept through the Continental Army at Valley Forge. There were Indians in the camp! But they were not killing or capturing Americans as they had often done in battles elsewhere. These Indians had come to fight on the American side. Soldiers who were off duty rushed to get a […]
Everyone has heard about General George Washington. Most people recognize the names of Generals Nathanael Greene, Charles Lee, Anthony Wayne, Sir William Howe, and Sir Henry Clinton. But how many have heard about General George Monck? He came very close to winning the American Revolution for George III. What makes this especially amazing is General […]
Cannon boomed 13 rounds and the stylishly dressed citizens of Annapolis, Maryland, swarmed into the streets. General George Washington was arriving, accompanied by only two aides. The next day, Washington wrote to Thomas Mifflin, the president of Congress, informing him of his desire to resign his commission as commander in chief. The president read Washington’s […]
Instead of working out plans for a peacetime army, in 1783 Congress ordered General George Washington to discharge the remaining regiments in the service, retaining only token garrisons at Fort Pitt to guard the western frontier and West Point, where the army’s artillery and ammunition were stored. This was an extremely unwise decision; the British […]
