Non-Profit Dedicated to Historical Education of the American Revolution and the Colonial Period
General William Heath was an excellent administrator. Versed in military training from his militia leadership role during the French and Indian War, he was loyal, hardworking, and dedicated to duty. In fact, it could be said that Heath was everything a good commander could be, except one major flaw; he was rubbish in combat. Early …
The Battle of White Marsh, December 5 – 8, 1777, also known as the White Marsh Affair or Battle of Edge Hill, was a series of large, heated skirmishes that occurred over three days between the main armies of General George Washington and British General William Howe. This series of clashes between opposing forces was …
The Battle of Rhode Island began on August 9, 1778 with an American siege of the British garrison at Newport, Rhode Island. It ending twenty days later on August 29th with the Americans in full retreat and a British attack on their rear-guard. America and France’s first joint effort in the American Revolution had ended …
Champer Ederson was an African American soldier from Rhode Island. In January 1779, during the American Revolution, he enlisted in the Fifth Company of the Hessian Knyphausen Regiment, serving as a drummer. When the British and Hessian troops abandoned Rhode Island in October, 1779, he sailed with them to New York City. He would not …
From early October to mid-November 1777, the main Continental Army, commanded by General George Washington, and main British Army, commanded by General William Howe, were locked in a desperate, on-going battle for control of the Delaware River. For the British and their allies, they would suffer the second largest number of casualties throughout the war …
By Harry Schenawolf, author of the Shades of Liberty Series about African American soldiers in the American Revolution. Twice, General George Washington had led his reduced forces across the Delaware River. The first time occurred on December 8, 1776. He was a beaten man. His army was in tatters. And of his army, less than …
The Battle of White Plains was fought on Oct. 28, 1776. The Americans had suffered a major defeat at the Battle of Long Island on August 27th, 1776, and a third of Washington’s army barely escaped from Brooklyn across the East River to New York City. General Washington and his army were forced to wait …
The Battle of Red Bank saw four hundred Americans defend Fort Mercer, New Jersey, against 2,000 Hessians resulting in the second most costly defeat for the British forces after the Battle of Bunker Hill. It was an incredible feat of gallantry and determination by Rhode Island ‘rebels’ who doggedly faced the Hessian attackers’ promise that …
“I never in my life saw better rifles, or men who shot better, than those in America.” Lt. Colonel George Hanger, 4th Baron Coleraine, considered one of the finest marksmen in all of Europe. Lt. Colonel Hanger served with Hessian Jaegers, German huntsmen who all carried rifles, and later with Banastre Tarleton’s Legion. At the …
DESCRIBING STATEN AND LONG ISLAND 1776 The following was taken from a letter written by Lieutenant Johann von Hinrichs (later Captain) of a company of Hessian Jaeger riflemen or chasseurs (taken from the French which literally means ‘hunter’) to Professor Schlozer. Hinrichs (1752-1834) briefly describes his travels from Bremerlehe to the American colonies via Portsmouth …
The summer of 1777 saw General Howe transporting a substantial part of his army south from New York to the Chesapeake Bay. His goal was to capture Philadelphia. After the Battle of Brandywine Creek, Sept. 11th, 1777, the Americans abandoned Philadelphia and General Cornwallis’ troops occupied the city on Sept. 26th. On Oct. 3rd, Washington …