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Major Lawrence Washington of Mount Vernon
byMuch has been written about George Washington’s lack of formal education and his eager grasp of learning from other men, especially those of status…
George Washington
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Jacob Duché: Mixing Religion and Politics During the Revolution
byIn a country in which one of the main constitutional principles is separation of church and state, it is counter-intuitive to find that there…
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The Tragedy of Henry Laurens
byIt wasn’t really their fault, they said. Slavery, men of the founding generation liked to argue, was brought to the colonies by Britain. It…
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“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…
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Cabal!: The Plot Against General Washington
byCabal! The Plot Against General Washington by Mark Edward Lender (Westholme, 2019) While the winter at Valley Forge is ingrained in American lore, less…
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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…
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George Washington Dealmaker-in-Chief
byGeorge Washington Dealmaker-In-Chief: The Story of How the Father of Our Country Unleashed the Entrepreneurial Spirit in America by Cyrus A. Ansary (Lambert Publications,…
This Week on Dispatches: Harlow Giles Unger on Robert Morris and the American Revolution
byIn this week’s Dispatches host Brady Crytzer interviews distinguished journalist and historian Harlow Giles Unger about Robert Morris and his critical role in financially supporting the…
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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…
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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…
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Hamilton’s Revenge
byHaving just attained his thirteenth (or eleventh) birthday, he found himself confined to a bed on the second floor of a small two-story house…
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Captain Septimus Noel: Ordnance Fleet Commodore
byHistory occasionally provides a pleasant surprise by revealing the record of an ordinary person who, thrust into a unique role, performed extraordinary services for…
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How Robert Morris’s “Magick” Money Saved the American Revolution
byThe year 1780 ended badly, and the new year boded worse for America’s War of Independence. Maj. Gen. Benedict Arnold’s treason and defection to…
This Week on Dispatches: Colin G. Calloway and The Indian World of George Washington
byYou won’t want to miss this week’s Dispatches, which will be available beginning Sunday evening, February 24. Host Brady Crytzer’s guest is distinguished historian…
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Henry Knox’s “Noble Train of Artillery:” No Ox for Knox
byThe best-known scene of Col. Henry Knox’s train of artillery in the winter of 1775-1776 is Tom Lovell’s painting The Noble Train of Artillery….
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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…
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Stephen Moylan: More than a War Hero
byServing on George Washington’s staff were many talented young men, including some who became famous later. Alexander Hamilton served on the staff ably for…
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Alexander Clough: Forgotten Patriot Spymaster
byTelevision series and popular books such as TURN: Washington’s Spies and Alexander Rose’s Washington’s Spies: The Story of America’s First Spy Ring recreate and immortalize the exploits…
Interview with Ramin Ganeshram, author of The General’s Cook: A Novel
byJAR: In a nutshell, can you give us a basic overview of The General’s Cook? RG: The General’s Cook is about George Washington’s enslaved chef, Hercules,…
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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…
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General Thomas Conway: Cabal Conspirator or Career Climber?
by“French Officers hate him” and “none of the English Officers . . . love him.”[1] The American Revolution produced the names of great individuals who…
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Washington in the Hurricane’s Eye: An Interview with Nathaniel Philbrick
byIf not for a series of devastating hurricanes in the Caribbean Sea in 1780, George Washington might not have met Lord Cornwallis at the…
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Revisiting the Prayer at Valley Forge
byWhen George Washington died in 1799, partisan infighting and international crises threatened the survival of the American experiment. Many Americans believed in Washington’s unique…
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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…
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Unlocking the Mystery of Ten Revolutionary Generals’ Signatures
byDocuments that contain the original signatures of more than one Continental Army general are rare. During the eight years of the Revolutionary War, generals…
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The Curious Case of Zacheus Holmes
byThe United States pension and land bounty records furnish us with a multitude of fascinating stories. It is important, however, to weight them against…
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Armed and Equipped at Continental Expense: The Birth of the Continental Navy
byGeorge Washington realized early in the Revolutionary War that the British Navy provided the King’s army with an advantage in mobility. Not long after…
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Continental Army Lieutenant Generals: The Rank that Never Was
byAs commander-in-chief of the Continental Army, George Washington was involved in many battles, both military and political, during the revolution. A battle with both…
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The Indian World of George Washington
byBook Review: The Indian World of George Washington by Colin G. Calloway (Oxford University Press, 2018) BUY THIS BOOK FROM AMAZON In writing The Indian…
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Washington, Congress, and War Strategy, 1779
byIf you think that 1779 was a quiet year during which Gen. George Washington carefully kept his army out of reach of his British…
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A Phantom at Middle Brook: Washington in the New Jersey Short Hills
byMost of the stories told of George Washington are tales of complete fiction. He never chopped down a cherry tree, at least not in…
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The General, the Corporal, and the Anecdote: Jacob Francis and Israel Putnam
byOn August 18, 1832, a seventy-eight-year-old New Jersey man named Jacob Francis went before Hunterdon County officials and described his military service in the…
Happy Birthday, George Washington!
byToday, February 22, 2018, is George Washington’s 286th birthday. We asked some of our editors and contributors to reflect on George Washington, his role…
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George Washington’s 1781 Campaign Design Revealed
byGeorge Washington closed a July 31, 1788 letter to Noah Webster noting that Webster’s “desire of obtaining truth is very laudable, I wish I…
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Washington’s Rules of Civility and Decent Behavior: Outrageous Offenders
byLong before he became the father of his country, a young George Washington copied out 110 maxims governing appropriate conduct for young gentlemen. Handwritten…
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George Washington: A Life in Books
byBook review: George Washington: A Life in Books by Kevin J. Hayes (Oxford University Press, May 2017) [BUY NOW ON AMAZON] In the introduction…
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From Wannabe Redcoat to Rebel: George Washington’s Journey to Revolution
byFrom the ministry’s point of view, affairs in America really were quite appalling. The unpardonable brashness of a cocksure young provincial had instantly escalated…
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General George Washington: Diplomat
byAn important facet of Washington’s generalship has gone largely unexplored by historians: his role as a diplomat. For a top-level military leader in a…
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Experience, Policies, Failures: President Washington & the Native Americans
byExperience had taught George Washington a great many things. His father had passed away at a young age, denying him the chance for the…