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Prior to the Battle of Long Island, the general orders issued by supreme commander General George Washington on August 20th, 1776 included instructions detailing the use of cockades. This was early in the war when the rebellious colonists’ main army was basically made up of militias, still in civilian attire. The section read: ‘As the …
At the time of the American Revolution the British Army was not overly concerned with efficiency in the common soldiers’ attire. They had yet to equate the value of utility and practicality with what they required their enlisted men wear and carry into battle. Appearance was of far more concern than adaptability. During the Seven …
Determining conditions for deploying and targeting field artillery on the battlefield was akin to decisions a chess master would employ prior to making a move, whether on offense or defense. Gun officers had to make quick, determined decisions and hope they chose correctly. In 1776, many factors came into play when American or British gun …
Boston, November 25, 1775: besieged British sent several boatloads of men, women and children, three hundred in all, across the Back Bay. They were left on the shore near Cambridge and the transport quickly departed. Ragged, weak, distraught, many sick and dying, it was a heartbreaking tableau to the rebels who came upon them. “The …
For thousands of photos on the American Revolution, Visit Ken Bohrer here. If you were to ask someone on the street what was the ordinary British soldier was like during King George’s time, he or she might say something like: dregs, scoundrels, scum from the streets of London, debtors, drunks, common criminals or sweepings from …
We’ve all seen movies of Daniel Boone-like characters whip their powder horn around and pour black powder down a muzzle before ramming home a lead ball. Many believe that during the Revolutionary War, muskets were only primed this way with separate powder and ball and that the use of cartridge, where ball and powder are …
It is the summer of 1775. Hostilities have erupted between England and her colonies in America. Among a host of concerns and preparations by New York City’s patriots and Provincial Congress is the defense of Manhattan and the surrounding region. On June 26th, 1775, the New York Provincial Congress met as a body for the …
When the British abandoned Boston, George Washington and his generals knew King George was far from listening to the colonist’s demands. They would be back, and in force. But where? All information and common sense pointed to New York City. Though smaller in size than Philadelphia and not the center of the fledgling rebel government, …
Mankind discovered the amazing qualities of flint long before written history. The introduction of steel to what became known as the tinder box brought ready flame for quick use. People became adept at sparking dried tinder to start fires, but ingenuity lead to quicker and more practical means to achieve the same end. In the …
During the mid 1700’s, New York City catered to the darker side of life with its many ‘disorderly houses’, ‘tipling shops’, and brothels. They were all located in a seething slum of shacks and portable houses on land owned and leased by the largest Anglican Parish in the city: Trinity Church. It was for that …
The Weedon Tavern, Fredericksburg, Virginia, was named for George Weedon, a man who fought in the French and Indian War and was later named a Brigadier General in the American Revolutionary War. He was a friend of George Washington and many of the influential men of the time. He married into the tavern business and …
It is common knowledge that the Ministerial Forces of King George the Third stationed in America during the War of Independence were as much absorbed in quarreling with one another as in fighting the rebel army, not due to differences over strategy, but because of personal friction. Simply put, there was little, if any cooperation …
Washington’s Retreat Through New Jersey. Nov 9 – Dec 8, 1776 Supreme British Commander Major General Sir [1]William Howe’s efforts to ‘bag the fox’ had failed. ‘The Fox”, first termed by British General Charles Cornwallis in and around New York City the fateful summer of 1776, was the ‘rebel’ General George Washington. Mr. Washington, as the …
Paradox of a New Nation’s Cause for Liberty & Its Acceptance of Slavery Till the mind of the slave has been educated to perceive what are the obligations of a state of freedom, and not confound a man’s with a brute’s, the gift would insure its abuse… slaves were bequeathed to us by Europeans. George …
Lord Dunmore, Royal Governor of Virginia, lays his knife and fork onto the plate before settling back in his chair. What seemed like tight quarters when he first set foot on the frigate HMS Fowey some months back, his cabin has now become quite comfortable like an old hunting frock. Accepting his second glass of …