British troops in line were not trained to aim their muskets. Speed was emphasized over accuracy by military strategists in the 18th century. Mass volley fire into massed targets and rapid reloading up to four times per minute were emphasized. For many commanders, the volley was a mere formality that was followed by a bayonet …
Cannon were identified by the weight of ball they were capable of throwing. By the 1600’s this became standardized. Their calibers went from the smallest – a two pounder used with swivel guns, mortars and small bore cannon on specially made carriages, to the largest – a fifty pound garrison gun. The distance or range …
In Washington’s army, the role of Adjunct General was to keep all records. All of Washington’s orders were sent though the Adjunct and within the Adjunct’s department, they were registered, made official, and handwritten copies were made. He received multiple general instructions from Washington on a daily basis, whereupon he issued the necessary orders to …
At the start of 1776, General George Washington agreed with most New Yorkers that their city was defenseless. Yet the problem was deeper. In reality, no matter what efforts were taken to strengthen its response to invasion, the city could never be defended. Though every general politician knew it; they were also aware they had no …
The Continental Army of 1776 did not have a chief of staff, one officer charged with making the commander’s requests known. In Washington’s army, one of the major generals was given the assignment each day as “Major General of the Day.” This officer took on many of the Commander-in-Chief’s routine duties, which allowed General Washington …
Just two days after the birth of the Continental Army, Congress approved the position of Quartermaster General and Assistant Quartermaster General on June 16, 1775. The major duties of the Quartermaster General in Washington’s Army were in transportation, forage, camps and the movement of troops. Additional duties encompassed distributing rations, clothing, ammunition within the regiments, …
How does a nation defend a spacious new land to which it just laid claim? Consider a land that began with a trickle of settlers, only to surge into a steady stream of immigrants, each year’s population surpassing the next by leaps and bounds; a territory teaming with merchants, farmers, and artisans, who quickly fanned …
The supply of gunpowder haunted George Washington and the Continental Congress throughout the entire Revolutionary War. The vast quantity of powder came from sources overseas , around 90% from French Colonies in the West Indies. The other 10% was produced domestically. With dwindling powder supplies and only three powder mills in operation in all of …
Wigs were considered of great important in dress in the eighteenth century. The military was no exception. However the fashion of large, curled wigs common among civilians was not practical for the soldier. These periwigs, or perukes, were constantly infested with bugs, were extremely expensive, and unbearably hot. They came in black, brown, or grey, …
The main weapon of choice during the American Revolutionary War was the Long Land Pattern Musket, or smoothbore muzzleloader, used by both the British army and patriotic rebels. This design was developed in the early 1720’s in England and was used by many nations’ infantries throughout the rest of the century until the 1830s. It …