Part of an ongoing series about the Continental Army in Morristown, New Jersey. To read previous posts, click here. During the winter encampment, in 1777, at Morristown, George Washington ordered the inoculation for smallpox of the Continental Army. Although knowing the probability that some of his men would succumb to the disease when infected with …
Continue reading Uncovering the Continental Army in Morristown
Part of an ongoing series of about the Continental Army in Morristown, New Jersey. For the first post, click here. Across the street from the Ford Mansion, the elegant home of the Jacob Ford, Jr. and his family, and the headquarters for George Washington during the winter encampment of 1779-1780, sits a small boulder with …
Continue reading Uncovering the Continental Army in Morristown
Part of an ongoing series about the Continental Army in Morristown, New Jersey. To read previous posts, click here. All that remains is a historical marker, on the side of North Park Place across the street from Morristown Green. For a few months, between January 1777 and May 1777, in this location, the headquarters of …
Continue reading Uncovering the Continental Army in Morristown
Part of an ongoing series of about the Continental Army in Morristown, New Jersey. For the first post, click here. “The smallpox has made such head in every quarter that I find it impossible to keep it from spreading thro’ the whole army the natural way.” General George Washington wrote in February 1777. By the …
Continue reading Uncovering the Continental Army in Morristown
Approximately one month ago, I took a temporary detail assignment to Morristown National Historical Park. The national park preserves the winter cantonments of the Continental Army during the American Revolution; including the harshest winter, weather-wise, of the entire war, in 1779-1780. For parts of multiple winters and even during the campaigning season, Washington’s forces would …
Continue reading Uncovering the Continental Army in Morristown
One of the most difficult tasks when researching the French and Indian War is uncovering primary sources that can answer the age-old question in military history: Why did men fight? What were their motives for answering the call and sustaining the struggle? What were their observations and opinions regarding the events that surrounded them? …
Over the next few months, we will be highlighting the speakers and topics for our 2021 Symposium, Hindsight is 2020: Revisiting Misconceptions of the Revolution, taking place on May 22nd. Due to the COVID 19 pandemic, the Symposium will be virtual. Today we highlight historian Travis Shaw who will be covering the role of American …
Over a week had passed since Major John Andre became the Continental Army’s prisoner near Tarrytown, New York, captured by three ragged militiamen who were probably more interested in robbing him than uncovering his intentions. For a time he had been incarcerated at Robinson House, the now defector Benedict Arnold’s former Hudson Highlands headquarters, and …
Continue reading Arnold’s Treason: 240 Years Later – The Execution of Major Andre (October 2, 1780)
In today’s fifth installment of the September 28, 2019 symposium Before They Were Americans interview series, Katherine “Kate” Egner Gruber takes the spotlight. Gruber is the special exhibition curator for the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation. She earned her B.A. in historic preservation and classical humanities from the University of Mary Washington, and her M.A. in early American …
About the Book “I have now nothing to trouble your Lordship with, but an affair that happened on the 19th instant . . .” General Thomas Gage penned the above line to his superiors in London, casually summing up the shots fired at Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775. The history of the Battles …
Emerging Revolutionary War Era 