By Harry Schenawolf, author of the Shades of Liberty Series about African American soldiers in the American Revolution. Once Fort Washington fell on November 16, 1776, Washington’s army was still divided into three sections. General Charles Lee, second in command, remained at North Castle, New York, Westchester County, where the main army had withdrawn nine …
By Harry Schenawolf, author of the Shades of Liberty Series about African American soldiers in the American Revolution. Whenever there existed the possibility that artillery pieces could fall into the hands of the enemy, the weapons were rendered useless, even if only temporarily. The method most common was called spiking. Spiking involved jamming some metal …
During the Revolutionary War, and most likely before and after, officers and gentlemen were prime targets for thieves and blackguards, including drunk or disgruntled rank and file. This could occur either while walking the streets of cities and villages, or in camp or along secluded country roads. Snatching a fattened purse, or taking out their …
Great generals are scarce; there are few Morgans. General Nathanael Greene Bar-room brawler, drinker, gambler, and womanizer; six feet tall and built like a brick yard with arms like tree trunks, Daniel Morgan (1736 – July 6, 1802) was an imposing figure in any time period. Yet beneath this rough frontage, was an honest and passionate …
Kentucky Long Rifle was the weapon of choice for wilderness hunters and during the American Revolutionary War forming rifle corps and ranger outfits. In 18th century warfare, there were two types of weapons carried into battle: the smooth-bore musket and the grove-bore rifle. Both had their strengths and weaknesses. The smooth bore musket could be …
“Glass.” The tall Virginian stood on an outcrop of rock appropriately named Point of Rock. He trained his eyes on the spectacle unfolding below. The four-draw mahogany spyglass with brass scope and brass cap was laid neatly in his open palm. The name “Shuttleworth of London,” indicating its fine workmanship, was engraved on the bottom …
Cover Artwork by leading American Revolutionary War artist Don Troiani. In war and conflict, Europeans had used battle axes and hand held throwing axes for over a thousand years by the time the Americas were colonized [see Tomahawks & Hatches parts 1 & 2 of this series for more detail of this history]. The original …
Europeans and Asians had discovered metals approximately 12,000 years ago and progressed from the Stone Age and into the Bronze and then Iron age. But not so for the Native Americans who were still using stone tools and weapons when the first Europeans arrived. But why, when John Smith landed at Jamestown in 1607 and …
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 impliments 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 …