counterfeiting Archives - Journal of the American Revolution

Posted on August 18, 2022August 17, 2022

Justice, Deterrence, and Fitful Revenge During the Revolutionary War

“War is cruelty, and you cannot refine it.”[1] The application of justice during the Revolutionary War deserves scrutiny. Historic records related to people condemned to death during this period reflect society’s norm for justice, deterrence, and often vengeance. Countless men on both sides of the conflict were executed for treachery, betrayal, or perfidy. Several examples […]

by Louis Arthur Norton

Posted on April 26, 2021April 25, 2021

Amicus Reipublicae; or, Abraham Bancker, Friend of the Republic

Abraham Bancker gave in to temptation on September 10, 1789, when he petitioned George Washington for a federal appointment as compensation for his service during the American Revolution. He had been reluctant to write for some time, feeling as though his competitors were superior in ability and more reasonable in their requests. “This Application proceeds […]

by Charles Dewey

Posted on February 13, 2020

Maj. Gen. John Sullivan and the Occupation of Easton, Pennsylvania, May 7–June 18, 1779

For a brief seven weeks, the Pennsylvania frontier village of Easton became the second largest community within the state. With an estimated 25,000 inhabitants, Philadelphia was the largest city in Pennsylvania (and North America); under normal circumstances, Lancaster was second with between 3,000-3,500 inhabitants followed by York with under 2,000.[1] In 1752 it was estimated that […]

by Andrew A. Zellers-Frederick

Posted on January 21, 2019January 21, 2019

Continental Congress vs. Continental Army: Paying For It All

When the Second Continental Congress met in June 1775, they were not prepared for what they found. Several months earlier on April 19 the war of words with Great Britain had become a shooting war. The individual colonies found themselves at war with one of the greatest military powers of the age. It would fall […]

by Stuart Hatfield

Posted on October 7, 2015August 28, 2016

Faking It: British Counterfeiting During the American Revolution

The American Revolution was very much a case of David versus Goliath. A relatively small group of colonists decided that they wanted to break free of the home government, which in this case just happened to be one of the most powerful nations on the globe. Almost overnight the thirteen separate colonies had to form […]