Tag «Continental Army»

The Enduring Valley Forge National Historical Park

My good friend Ken Bohrer of American Revolution Photos allowed me to share his February 2021 blog on Valley Forge – #32. I highly recommend you view his other blogs along with thousands of great photos of the many American Revolutionary War reenactments he has chronicled over the years. Please click here and enjoy: American …

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, …

Top 10 American Revolution Reenactment Photos Numbers 1 – 5

Revolutionary War Journal is published by Harry Schenawolf, author of the Shades of Liberty Series about African American soldiers in the American Revolution.  It is a continued pleasure to offer my good friend Ken Bohrer, University Educator and Renowned Photographer of American Revolution Reenactments, this platform to help share his incredible photographs.  They are truly …

African American Soldiers in the American Revolution – A Brief History

Black soldier.

By Harry Schenawolf, author of the Shades of Liberty Series about African American soldiers in the American Revolution. We all have seen the pictures and portrayals of Continental soldiers struggling with disease and malnutrition during the severe winter at Valley Forge – sacrificing all for liberty. And always, it is a white army that gazes …

American Revolution Officer Commissions: Money, Not Merit Mattered Most

By Harry Schenawolf, author of the Shades of Liberty Series about African American soldiers in the American Revolution. Scholars have agreed that 18th century regular troops, the private and non-commissioned soldiers who stood firmly while massed musketry tore through their ranks, expected to be led by officers of society’s gentry. It was believed that these …

December 1776: Washington and the Continental Army in Crisis

By Harry Schenawolf, author of the Shades of Liberty Series about African American soldiers in the American Revolution. “A thick cloud of darkness and gloom covered the land and despair was seen in almost every countenance…” an officer in the Continental Army, December, 1776. Another wrote, “…strong apprehensions are entertained that the British will soon …

Washington’s Retreat Across New Jersey: A British Fox Chase

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 …

American Revolutionary War Artillery: Spiking Cannon so the Enemy Was Unable to Use

Hessian artilery by Don Troiani.

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 …

General Mordecai Gist and the Maryland Line Were Among the Best Troops in Washington’s Army

Colonel Mordecai Gist actively recruited some of the finest young men from good Maryland families to form a regiment which, like the famed Highlanders of the Black Watch, were to forge its own legend in a war of rebellion that gave birth to a new nation. In the very first contest of the American Revolution …