Tag «Washington»

Major General Robert Howe and the Southern Continental Army

Maryland line at Camden volley.

Major General Robert Howe (c. 1732 – December 14, 1786) is not known for his accomplishments, but what he had failed to achieve. In fairness to the only major general in the Continental Army from North Carolina, he was given an impossible task that few men could press on to success. Unfortunately, General Howe was not one …

Canteens of the American Revolution

Battle of Trenton reenactment. Photo by Ken Bohrer at American Revolution Photos.

A man will retain things for the preservation of his own life longer than he will retain things for the taking of life…In other words, the soldier will include his canteen as one of his best friends.  Lt. Colonel Philip Reade, History of the Military Canteen, 1901. Simple in design but critical to hydrate a …

Arguments for a Southern British Invasion

The summer of 1778 saw Supreme British commander General Henry Clinton with troop concentrations in three major locations; Newport, Rhode Island, New York City, and East Florida at St. Augustine. New York City and East Florida would remain in British hands, but Rhode Island’s troops would soon be contested by an expedition that combined French …

Battle of the Chesapeake Bay: Gateway to Yorktown

Line of Battle with British on the right and French on the left. Artwork by Auguste Jugelet.

Fought on September 5, 1781, the Battle of Chesapeake Bay (Battle of the Capes) was a French victory that set the stage for British General Lord Charles Cornwallis’ surrender at Yorktown, Virginia, October 19, 1781. On August 15th, a French fleet commanded by Rear Admiral Francois Joseph Paul, the Comte de Grasse, sailed from Hatti …

General John Sullivan Soldier and Congressman

General John Sullivan of New Hampshire commanded troops in most of the American Revolution’s major battles. An ardent loyalist turned patriot; he was a member of the First New Hampshire Provincial Congress. He was voted to represent his state at the First and Second Continental Congress where he was commissioned as a Brigadier General, even …

The Continental Army’s Virginia Line Marches 800 Miles to Save Charleston: Just in Time to be Surrendered

Siege of Charleston by Alonzo Chappel

BY MARK MALOY FIRST POSTED ON EMERGING REVOLUTIONARY ERA ON APRIL 7, 2021 It is a pleasure to feature Mark Maloy;s scholarly work on Revolutionary War Journal. Mark is a historian currently working for the National Park Service in Virginia. He is the author of Victory or Death: The Battles of Trenton and Princeton, December 25, 1776 …

Best Ghost Stories of the American Revolution

Growing up in the late 50’s and 60’s in New Jersey, just across the river from New York City, nearly every evening I was glued to one of our three local TV stations: channel five, nine, or eleven. Every night they showcased a plethora of black and white classics from the 30’s and 40’s. Besides …

Alexander Hamilton: Myth and the Man Part 2: He Was Not a Hero at the Battle of White Plains.

a Article 1 stated that Alexander Hamilton’s role during the Battle of White Plains had been fabricated and grossly exaggerated over the decades. The author of this three part series has traced this misinformation to Hamilton’s son who published several biographical texts; each one expanding on his father’s courage acts in combat. John Church Hamilton …

Battle Tactics of the American Revolution

Military literature was of little or no value to the early colonists. There were no vast spreads of farmlands and meadows where massive armies could deploy. The terrain was wilderness and their forces small. Militias of farmers and merchants, properly armed to protect themselves from the “savages,” adopted the same methods of fighting as their …