An American Perspective on the Guard Boats of the Hudson
bySgt. Benjamin Gilbert of the 5th Massachusetts Regiment awoke near Verplanck Point on May 31, 1779 with cause to celebrate: it was his birthday,…
1779
1
Crossing the Great Divide: The Battle at Van Creek, Georgia, February 11, 1779
byDue to the work done by many people since 1976 in uncovering the lost history of the American Revolution, for the first time in…
11
The Real Immortal Words of John Paul Jones
byDear Mr. History: Please tell me if Continental Navy Captain John Paul Jones was as tough as folklore makes out. I’ve read that he…
12
The Unsuccessful American Attempt on Verplanck Point, July 16-19, 1779
byIn the early morning hours of July 16, 1779, Brigadier General Anthony Wayne and the Continental Corps of Light Infantry successfully stormed and carried…
4
Ambushed! Victim’s Bones at Fort Laurens
byFor a few terrifying minutes the air was filled with the sound of gunshots, war-whoops and the screams of the dying. It was over…
Gallows Hill: The 1779 Executions of Edward Jones and John Smith
byDuring the winter of 1778-1779 General Israel Putnam and about 3,000 troops of the Continental Army encamped in Redding, Connecticut. The harsh winter brought…
2
Samuel Smedley and Prize Division
by“I never Emplored my pen in writing more Disagreeable News than at this time,” wrote Samuel Smedley, captain of the Connecticut state ship Defence,…
Von Steuben’s Continentals
byThe DVD, “Von Steuben’s Continentals: The First American Army,” is a great introduction to the life of the American soldier during the Revolutionary War….
Loyalist Leadership in the Revolutionary South
byThe historical debate concerning the Loyalists in the Revolutionary South has generally focused on matters such as the Loyalists’ numbers and motivations. While these…
4
9
Washington and the Final British Campaign for the Hudson River, 1779
byIn 1779 General George Washington and British Lieutenant-General Sir Henry Clinton were locked in a stalemate around New York City. Clinton desperately wanted to…
16
General Gold Silliman: Snatched from Home
bySometime around midnight on May 1, 1779, British soldiers smashed through the wooden door of General Gold Selleck Silliman’s Fairfield, Connecticut home. They snatched…
6
The Nicknaming of General “Mad” Anthony Wayne
byDear Mr. History: How did General “Mad” Anthony Wayne get his nickname? Was he some kind of lunatic in battle? I’ve also heard that…
21
Tarleton: Before He Became “Bloody Ban”
byBefore he became “Bloody Ban,” Banastre Tarleton fought in New York and learned the difficulties of cornering seasoned Continental cavalry. “Surrender you damned rebel,…