Tag «Battle of Bunker Hill»

Philip Abbot: Slave Who Fought and Died for America’s Liberty at Bunker Hill

Philip Abbot (also spelt Phillip Abbot or Phillip Abbott) fought and died at the Battle of Bunker Hill, June 17, 1775, Charlestown, a hefty stone throw over the Charles River to Boston, Massachusetts.  Philip was a slave, owned by Nathan Abbott who survived the carnage. We don’t know much about Philip. Except he was there; …

Minuteman and Militia: Lousy Shots Who Indeed Could Not Hit the Side of a Barn

Militia and Continental firing

“Contrary to general opinion, only thirteen percent of colonial Americans owned a gun at the start of the American Revolution and of those, clearly half did not work.” Michael Bellesiles, noted author and researcher The Myth of Minutemen looms large in legends surrounding the American Revolution. Statues with robust colonials grasping their musket line New …

Road to Bunker Hill and General Artemas Ward – America’s First Commander-in-Chief

“Who?”… is the most common response when mentioning Artemas Ward. With the popularity of sixties iconic TV shows, another’s reply might be, “Don’t you mean Artemas Gordon?”…referencing Ross Martin’s sidekick role on the Wild Wild West TV series that ran four seasons starting in 1965. Of course there might be the more smug response, “Oh, …

Fact or Fiction: Don’t Fire Until You See the Whites of Their Eyes

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 …

Redoubts – America’s Forts During the Revolutionary War

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 …

Peter Salem’s Courage at Bunker Hill

Peter Salem, a slave who was freed to fight in his master’s militia, is credited for stepping forward at a critical point in the Battle of Bunker Hill outside Boston in 1775; he fired the shot that killed British Royal Marine Major John Pitcairn. At the time of the battle, Salem was already a veteran …

Forgotten Warrior Brigadier General John Nixon

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 …