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Axes were among the earliest tools of man found in the Ice and Stone Age. A lump of flint was hacked into chips to make a hatchet the size of a man’s hand. These early implements were used for chopping, cutting, scraping, and sawing (some had jagged edges) and were found throughout England, Europe, Asia, …
For over a century, prior to and years after the American Revolutionary War, the Kentucky rifle was the premier weapon of the world. It’s grove-bore accuracy and effective distance literally far outshot smooth-bore muskets. It proved the perfect weapon of the huntsmen who could kill game at up to three hundred yards; incredible when compared …
Generations of Americans have recalled with pride these words that were supposedly spoken during the American Revolution. They conger stouthearted citizen soldiers standing firm before the power of oppression. Farmers and merchants answering the call to arms and grabbing their family muskets to defy what they believed to be an authoritarian government in a David …
General George Washington had arrived at Cambridge, Massachusetts on July 3, 1775 to take command of the Continental Army. He had his work cut out for him for he faced a force of unruly and undisciplined amateurs in its infancy. Up against the British army, the finest military machine of its time, this mob of …
Towards the end of 1776, Washington formed what became known as Light Dragoons and Partisan Corps or Legions. Light Dragoons were specifically units of mounted cavalry or horse. Partisan Corps were unique, for unlike dragoons of horse, they were elite units consisting of both cavalry and light infantry of foot. Highly mobile, by the summer …
Two hundred years ago, in 1818, a shocking claim by a distinguished veteran of the Battle of Bunker Hill rocked America. A popular patriot hero and legendary symbol of the battle was questioned – one whose characterization had defined America’s struggle for independence. The evidence was overwhelming; General Israel Putnam did not stand proud before …
Lieutenant John Mansfield (1748 – 1823) was one of the faceless thousands who valiantly served his country from the first to last shots of the American Revolution. It is difficult to encapsulate, in a couple of thousand words, eight years of hardships – the struggle, the bitterly cold winter camps, the hunger and the fear, …
In a normal life, Colonel Return Jonathan Meigs would have remained in obscurity, his name only appearing in town listings. A hatter’s son, he carried on the family tradition, filling the shoes of his father while leading a quiet, unnoticed, humble life in Middletown Connecticut. But he lived during tumultuous times and as such, made …
No man dare speak. They crept through the woods and marshland, silently lowering themselves into the water, knowing if their musket fell from their shoulder, or they hesitated even a moment, orders demanded they be speared to death. And with still a hundred yards to go before reaching the abattis of sharpened stakes that blocked …
We’ve seen images of Continental Soldiers of the American Revolution snap to attention with their right hand, palms down, smartly pressed to the forehead or hat’s brim. And Roman legionaries slapping their chests and thrusting their arms straight out from the body. Or Knights of old lifting their visors as a show of respect to …
The concept of a nation or realm’s citizens being called upon to bear arms and march to combat predates history. An emperor or king’s strength depended not only on his or her professional soldiers’ training into an effective fighting force, but the use of and ease to call upon additional assets provided by the land’s …
In April, 1777, former British Royal Governor William Tryon, newly commissioned major general, led a strong detachment in a raid against an American military depot at Danbury, Connecticut. The Americans were caught off guard and could not bring enough troops to counter the destruction of much needed ammunition and provisions. Within three weeks of the …
The Battle of Hubbardton was unique in that a proud, obstinate officer of the British army, General Simon Fraser, was confident that his highly trained and disciplined regular troops would easily defeat and capture a band of hapless rebels who called themselves Green Mountain Boys. On the morning of July 7, 1777, the proud Highlander …
July 5th, 1777, Fort Ticonderoga, New York, fell to British General Burgoyne’s forces, however the northern army, consisting largely of continental troops, disciplined and experienced fighters, was saved. But perhaps more importantly, New York and all of New England was ignited. There was no solid bastion left to thwart a British invasion from the north. …
For centuries, the redoubt was a well-established type of military fortification, however throughout 18th century America, it often became the stand-alone fortress. In North America, where military fortifications were frequently constructed in relatively remote and inaccessible locations, works built from readily available materials (typically stone, lumber and earth) tended to be more common than the …