Winning Hearts and Minds: Pardons and Oaths of Allegiance
by“I, A. B.do promise and declare that I will remain in a peaceable Obedience to His Majesty, and will not take up Arms, nor…
Battle of Long Island
This Week on Dispatches: Chip Langston on Captain James Morris
byOn this week’s Dispatches, host Brady Crytzer interviews JAR contributor Chip Langston on the life of Captain James Morris of the Connecticut Light Infantry who…
Captain James Morris of the Connecticut Light Infantry
byIn 1812 when the British attacked the United States for the second time, Captain James Morris of the South Farms District of Litchfield, Connecticut,…
5
Top Ten Weather Interventions
by“In war, as in medicine, natural causes not under our control, do much.” Gen. Horatio Gates wrote this about the terrain that so heavily…
4
The Brothers Bliss: A Soldier’s Account Behind the New York Lines
byThe Bliss Family roots run deep in Connecticut. Born in England around 1618, Thomas Bliss became a founder of Hartford and Norwich, Connecticut before…
This Week on Dispatches: David M. Griffin on the Brooklyn Line Forts of 1776
byOn this week’s Dispatches, host Brady Crytzer interviews architect and JAR contributor David M. Griffin on his research to determine the possible appearance and…
3
Terrain and Tactics: Detailed Perspectives From William Howe’s War Plan of 1776
byThe objective of the 1776 British campaign was straightforward: capture New York and crush the American rebellion. The plan was the brainchild of British…
3
What Were the Brooklyn Line of Forts in 1776?
byThe planned capture of New York City in 1776 by British forces set the stage for what was to become the largest battle of…
Thomas Knowlton’s Revolution
byThe story of Thomas Knowlton in the American Revolution is brief but meaningful. He was only thirty-five at his death, arguably a full-fledged hero…
20
George Washington’s Culper Spy Ring: Separating Fact from Fiction
byThe efforts of a group of self-taught Patriot spies who would later become known as the Culper Spy Ring played an important role in…
6
A Fatal Dispute Among the Guards
byThe British evacuation of Philadelphia had been under way for several days. Given the honor to be among the last units to leave, the…
3
Delaware’s Colonel John Haslet (1727–1777)
byBorn in Straw Dungiven, County Londonderry, Ireland,[1] thirty-year-old John Haslet was the young, widowed minister of Ballykelly Presbyterian Church. Arriving in America in 1757, he…
4
Fiasco: The Disastrous Raid on Montresor’s Island
byBy the evening of September 30, 1776, George Washington was, as he put it, “bereft of every peaceful moment.” During the previous month, his…
1
Henry Champion: An Officer Resigns
bySome people are drawn to flame, perhaps just a momentary fascination, but it can get one scolded, especially by the Commander-in-Chief. “I had just…
1
Contributor Question: What Scene Do You Wish Had been Depicted Accurately by an Artist?
byWe asked our contributors what seemed like a simple question: What scene from the American Revolution or the Founding Era (1765–1805, approximately) do you…
2
The Extraordinary Life of Isaac Grant of Judea, Connecticut
byThe old man stepped out into the sun, shut his door, and turned north, leaving his home in Gainesville, New York, for the county…
Maintaining Normalcy in British-Occupied Brookhaven, Eastern Long Island, New York
byIn August 1776, the Crown’s disciplined forces easily displaced the unprepared Continental resistance in the Battle of Long Island, also known as the Battle…
6
One Soldier’s Story: Isaac Lewis of the Flying Camp, 1776
byIn a quiet Baptist cemetery in Hilltown Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, repose the remains of Isaac Lewis. Lewis served under Gen. George Washington during…
3
Forgotten Warrior: The Brave and Meritorious Robert Kirkwood
by“Solid obedience is always the fruit of the confidence, respect, and affection, which a corps has for its chief.”[1] For the armies of the…
3
Did Generals Mismanage the Battle of Brooklyn?
byOutmaneuvering and overwhelming the Patriots during the 1776 Battle of Brooklyn, the British won a huge victory by executing a daring night march around…
7
The 25 Deadliest Battles of the Revolutionary War
byName calling, fearing mongering and demonizing the enemy were all on the propaganda menu during the American Revolution. Once hostilities commenced, another game played…