History of the American Revolution
O, not in vain did Attucks fall, Or Shaw sink on the death-swept wall: We, who have trod the thorny path, And shrank beneath th’ opressor’s wrath, On hill, in dale, on field and flood, They sealed it with there martyr blood! From Centennial Year by Elijah W. Smith Boston, the fifth of March, 1770. …
Brave, Humble, Firm, Dedicated There are two Revolutionary War soldiers of merit who share the same name. Colonel John Nixon of Pennsylvania and Brigadier General John Nixon of Massachusetts. Colonel Nixon of Pennsylvania has received far more attention than General Nixon of Massachusetts. Colonel Nixon, along with his father Richard, were shipbuilders and prominent citizens …
The Continental Army of 1775 This article presents four eyewitness accounts on the condition and general attitude of the American Forces in the summer of 1775. It concludes with six of George Washington’s commentaries on the situation of the army at that time and his personal frustrations. After the battles of Lexington and Concord (April …
The following is a letter addressed by John C. Calhoun (Vice President of the United States) to the Methodist Reverend Alexander McCain in response to McCain’s pamphlet in favor of slavery being ordained by God. “My Dear Sir. I have read with pleasure your pamphlet, entitled, ‘Slavery Defended from the Scriptures Against Abolitionists.’ You have …
It can be argued that the colonial bill of rights stemmed from a reaction to what was considered ‘heavy handed’ powers exerted by the British government’s representatives in America. Many Americans, especially the wealthy and merchants, felt constrained by the ever imposing laws and resolutions that cut into their finances. This filtered down to the …
Captain Robert Rogers (Major Rogers, as listed in his Journals), was one of the more colorful characters in American history. He was an incredible military leader who adapted wilderness tactics which equipped the British in The French and Indian War (or The Seven Years War as it’s known in Europe). From 1754 until 1763, both …
For decades England’s draconian control of American imports and exports demanded that the colonists deal only with British and Scottish agents. Americans had to sell colonial goods to these agents who took a nice cut prior to distribution. The British government also kept a tidy sum. In turn, colonialists had to buy all their necessities …
“The cobbler aproned and the parson gowned, The friar hooded, and the monarch crowned. Or cobbler-like, the parson will be drunk; Worth makes the man, and want of it the fellow. The rest is all but leather or prunella.” Pope, Essay on Man The word shoe is derived form the Anglo Saxon ‘scoh,’ meaning any …
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 …