1
“Under God:” Understanding its Revolutionary Usage
byThe words “under God” have been part of America’s fabric since its inception; any school child will recognize the words in the Pledge of…
Benedict Arnold
1
4
Les Habitants: Collaboration and Pro-American Violence in Canada, 1774–1776
byThe fleeting invasion of Canada in 1775, though often consigned to a bit-part in the American Revolutionary drama, proved vital to the emergence of…
5
Benedict Arnold and James Wemyss: Similar Experiences Contrasting Legacies
byOften, a person’s legacy is defined by decisions made at pivotal moments rather than a lifetime of previous accomplishments. The is especially true for…
16
The Liberty: First American Warship, Among Many Firsts
byOne might think that the first American warship, named the Liberty, would be showered with accolades and articles touting its significant place in American…
Revisiting B. E. Griffiths: Former Slave, Queen’s Ranger, and “Son of Africa”
byIn a recent article, Todd Braisted reconstructed the remarkable story of a black Loyalist soldier, “Trumpeter Barney” of the Queen’s Rangers.[1] Through meticulous archival…
2
The Thunderer, British Floating Gun-Battery on Lake Champlain
byThe radeau (French, singular for “raft”) was co-opted for eighteenth century warfare on and along Lake George and Lake Champlain, to deal with the challenges…
6
Remembering the Lives and Sacrifices of General Richard and Janet Montgomery
byAlmost forty years ago, I led a team of nautical archaeologists in the study of the steamboat Phoenix, which had burned on Lake Champlain…
9
Daniel Morgan: A Revolutionary Life
byDaniel Morgan: A Revolutionary Life by Albert Louis Zambone (Westholme Publishing, 2018) Few figures in the American Revolution contributed more towards victory over Great…
1
Continental Congress vs. Continental Army: Strategy and Personnel Decisions
byWhen the American Revolution became a shooting war, it was left to the Continental Congress to become the body of state for the thirteen…
3
Continental Congress vs. Continental Army: The Officer Corps
byWhen the Continental Congress first met it was intended to bring the American colonies together to find a solution to the growing disputes with…
6
Daniel Granger, Thirteen-Year-Old Soldier
byDuring the American Revolution children were no strangers to the realities of war, but some would find themselves in the very center of the…
14
Finding Edward Wigglesworth’s Lost Diary
byCol. Edward Wigglesworth took part in some of the most consequential actions of the American Revolution, but, like so many such men, we know…
6
The Lost Journal of Private Freeman Judd
byOver the years, historians have located about thirty first-hand accounts of the American expedition into Canada in the fall of 1775. These accounts detail…
21
The Death and Resurrection of Major John Andre
byJohn Andre’s body hung in silence for thirty minutes before being taken down. It was placed carefully in a simple open coffin crudely painted…
7
9
Turncoat: Benedict Arnold and the Crisis of American Liberty
byBook Review: Turncoat. Benedict Arnold and the Crisis of American Liberty by Stephen Brumwell (Yale University Press, 2018) BUY THIS BOOK FROM AMAZON For a…
2
Again the Hero: David Wooster’s Final Battle
byDavid Wooster’s part in the American Revolution began in a slightly embarrassing manner. Wooster commanded the militia at New Haven, Connecticut. On April 22,…
12
Jedediah Huntington of Connecticut
byBrigadier General Jedediah Huntington is an overlooked yet very interesting patriot leader from Connecticut who grew up with Benedict Arnold, fought in several battles,…
13
Benedict Arnold’s Masterplan (for British) Victory
byEven by Victorian standards Great Massingham, Norfolk was a sleepy hamlet. Though it had been a settled community since Norman times, in 1880 it…
5
General Samuel Parsons and the Tory
byDuring the Revolutionary War, there were numerous attempts to entice leaders of the American rebels to return to their British heritage. Members of Congress…
4
Personal Honor and Promotion Among Revolutionary Generals and Congress
byIn the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act, the United States Congress ordered the Department of Defense to conduct a study aimed at wholesale overhaul…
3
Did Benedict Arnold’s fleet plunder an American settlement?
byAs the sun set, Saturday, August 24, 1776, three American schooners, a sloop-of-war, and six gondolas sailed north from Crown Point toward the widest…
4
Benedict Arnold’s Phantom Duel
byThough he was just twenty-two years of age, Walter Stirling already possessed enviable social advantages. He had powerful family connections and enormous personal wealth….
1
March to Quebec and the Fog of War
byOn June 13, 1775, writing from Crown Point on Lake Champlain, Benedict Arnold reported to the Continental Congress that Britain had only 550 “effective…
3
Benedict Arnold: Natural Born Military Genius
byDenouncing the reputation of Benedict Arnold began immediately after he fled West Point and returned his allegiance to the British empire on September 25,…
15
Arnold, Hazen and the Mysterious Major Scott
byIn July 1776, Brig. Gen. Benedict Arnold brought charges against Col. Moses Hazen for disobeying orders and neglecting merchandise seized in Montréal. Hazen was…
5
Disastrous Leadership: Lt. Colonel Joseph Harris at the Battle of New London
byIn early September 1781, General Sir Henry Clinton, the British Commander in Chief in America, found himself facing a combined Franco-American force poised to…
6
The Talented Major Tallmadge
byBenjamin Tallmadge is currently enjoying a burst of posthumous fame. Most of the attention given him in recent publications and the AMC series Turn…
6
For Sale: West Point (Part 2 of 2)
byBenedict Arnold and John André met after midnight on September 22, 1780 to conclude the selling and taking possession of West Point. André, having…
17
For Sale: West Point (Part 1 of 2)
byThe story of General Benedict Arnold and Major John André takes about a minute to convey in a high school classroom. The real story,…
12
The Fate of the Royal Savage
byIn the summer of 1775, the British built two warships at St. John, Quebec, on the outlet of Lake Champlain. That fall, the American…
17
Top 10 American Loyalist Officers
byMany historical accounts over look the impact of American loyalist military leaders and their revolutionary war contributions to the British cause. 50,000 or more…
12
Arnold in Command at Bemis Heights?
byStripped of command and left in camp to drink his sorrows away, Benedict Arnold fumed and ranted in frustration until his aggressive nature took…
17
The 10 Worst Continental Army Generals
byRecently, I offered my choices for the ten most important Continental Army generals. Not the best or the worst, but the most important. But…
8
Revolutionary News: 10 Breaking Stories
byIn April 1775, reports about the bloodshed at Lexington and Concord took five days to reach Philadelphia and nearly three weeks to reach Charleston,…
8
Debating Arnold’s Role at Freeman’s Farm
byIn September of 1777 the Patriots won big by stopping Major General “Gentleman Johnny” Burgoyne dead in his tracks at the battle of Freeman’s…
3
9
Defiant Brides
byIn a period of heightened awareness surrounding liberties and democracy, stories from the age of America’s founding are particularly timely and poignant. Now, a…
50
Top 10 Continental Army Generals
byIn addition to George Washington, during the course of the American Revolution, the Continental Congress commissioned seventy-seven other men as general officers, with four…
10
Grading British General Benedict Arnold
byPrior to September 1780, Benedict Arnold earned a great reputation among Patriots for his bold, brave actions at Quebec, Valcour and Saratoga. In return…
1
Fort Halifax: One Stop on the Way to Quebec
byOn Sunday, September 28, 1975, six hundred Revolutionary War reenactors appeared in Winslow, Maine. Some paddled the eighteen miles up the Kennebec River from…