Author: erwpost

Washington’s March to the Ohio River: April 18, 1754

On By erwpostIn French and Indian War1 Comment

On this date in 1754, a young George Washington penned the letter below to Thomas Cresap explaining the difficulties of procuring supplies for the Virginian’s expedition to the Ohio River Valley. His main objective was to fortify the land at the confluence of the Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio Rivers – the “Forks of the Ohio.” The several hundred mile expedition would have to be made over treacherous terrain and through vast wildernesses, which meant a road needed to be cleared that could carry men, animals, and wagons. Years before, Cresap, while serving as an agent for the Ohio Company, had widened an old Indian trail leading to the west. Washington planned to utilize and improve this same route. That same day, he and 159 men under his command departed Winchester, Virginia, and began their march. Over a month later, they would fire the first shots of the French and Indian War at Jumonville Glen.

“Sir

The difficulty of getting Waggons has almost been insurmountable, we have found so much inconvenience attending it here in these roads that I am determined to carry all our provisions &c. out on horse back and should be glad if Capt. Trent with your Assistance would procure as many horses as possible against we arrive at Wills Creek that as little stoppage as possible may be made there. I have sent Wm Jenkins with 60 Yrds of Oznabrigs [Osnaburg] for Bags and hope you will be as expeditious as you can in getting them made and fill’d.

Majr Carlyle acquainted ⟨me⟩ that ⟨a number of kettles, tomhawks, best gun flints, and axes might be had⟩ from the Companys Store which we are much in ⟨want and s⟩hould be glad to have laid by ⟨for us, Hoes we sh⟩all also want, and several pair of Hand cuffs.

I hope all the Flower [flour] you have or can get you will save for this purpose and other provisions and necessary’s which you think will be of use (that may not occur to my memory at present) will be laid by till our Arrival which I expect will be at Job Pearsalls [20 miles from Wills Creek] abt Saturday night or Sunday next, at present I have nothing more to add than that I am Yr most Hble Servt

Go: Washington[i]“

[i] “From George Washington to Thomas Cresap, 18 April 1754,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/02-01-02-0042. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Colonial Series, vol. 1, 7 July 1748 – 14 August 1755, ed. W. W. Abbot. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1983, pp. 82–83.]

Rev War Revelry: Battle of Paoli with Historian and Author Michael Harris

On By erwpostIn Armies, Battlefields & Historic Places, Battles, Campaigns, Northern Theater, Revolutionary War, UncategorizedLeave a comment

On September 20, 1777 an American force under General Anthony “Mad Anthony” Wayne was surprised and routed by British forces under General Charles Grey. Wayne’s entire division was put to flight losing nearly 300 men (with the British losing just a dozen). Called by many the “Massacre at Paoli”, the fight was one of many that was part of the 1777 Philadelphia Campaign.

Join ERW on Sunday, April 14th at 7pm on our Facebook page as we welcome back historian and author Michael C. Harris, expert on the Philadelphia Campaign, we will discuss the battle, its role in the campaign, the personalities and the myths around Paoli. Harris is now working on his third volume in his much acclaimed Philadelphia Campaign trilogy, that will include the Battle of Paoli. If you can not make the livestream, the Revelry will be posted to our You Tube and Spotify channels.

Encomium for Charles Burke Baxley, Esq.

On By erwpostIn Battlefields & Historic Places, Memory, Monuments, Preservation, Southern TheaterLeave a comment

The following is from David Reuwer, who was a good friend of Charles Baxley and worked with Charles to help preserve and interpret the story of Camden, Hobkirk’s Hill and South Carolina in the American Revolution. Both men shared an unmatched level of passion and enthusiasm for history.

      “I never heard that,” was a common cadence with which this practical lawyer and self-taught historian responded to new information about the American Revolution in South Carolina. He both challenged the statement maker to support it and welcomed the newbie into the fellowship of the Southern Campaigns. This is how Charles B. Baxley operated with both hands – one gladly shaking an entry to join our exploits and the other cautioning you to rise to ever higher and increasing standards. He would push, exacerbate, pull, and uplift you. The Southern Campaigns of the American Revolution was created in 2004 by Charles Baxley and David Reuwer when they delineated the tripod elements of scholarship, fellowship and fun. Charles defined scholarship as building blocks of historic research, inquisition and field evidence; fellowship as to include anyone who would cite source material gone before us while presently lifting others up around us; and fun as joyfully sharing one another’s knowledgeable victories as we pursued historic adventures.

      The substantive virtue Charles practiced daily was broad inclusion – come and join us!  There was always another chair at the table and more room for additional players according to him. However, you had to participate somehow, to care about the commonweal, and to help others with their project needs and requests. You had to give as well as take.

      Charles suffered from PAD – project aggrandizement disorder – in that he cajoled and made each of us go deeper when all the rest of us thought it had been done. He could come up with endless lists of questions when everyone else considered the subject utterly exhausted. History was neither boring, stale nor irrelevant the way Charles viewed and worked it. History is an experience, as much about the present as it was about the past. We must place our “boots on the ground” – the actual locatable sites – in order to fulfill our duties of scholarship and fellowship. Only when a little more (or a lot) is known and understood, that we can pass on, have we accomplished the tasks before us responsibly to the future generations. Charles achieved much of this by writing, sending and responding to multiplicative emails and countless phone calls while sitting in his “war room” den at home late into the night and wee morning hours.

      Charles was inherently an encourager of others making us to think hard about their historic project, to question everything, to counsel with others, to be in mentorship, and to ./explore new thinking about what one is doing. His queries to you could sometimes be unnerving but if you really worked for the answers, the growth toward historic truth was rewarding. No wonder he was awarded the Order of the Palmetto by Governor Mark Sanford in 2006; no surprise in 2022 that Governor Henry McMaster appointed him the Chairman of the South Carolina American Revolution Sestercentennial Commission (SC250). He was one of the key people who took on the gigantuan task of restoring South Carolina’s Revolutionary battlefield stories into their proper place in American history since 1856 when Senator Andrew Butler vociferously debated Charles Sumner of Massachusetts on the floor of the U.S. Senate.    

      It is true that he liked chairing the Round Tables with intervening commentary and being the centrifugal point-man in most other Revolutionary War conversations. His verbal editorials were always engaging and usually enlightening.

      He liked playing “director” and was sincerely effectual at connecting people with other people and endeavors with other projects. His brain was way ahead of most other thinking minds, historically, and he courteously provoked when he did. Perhaps no other single person currently had as much comprehensive breadth-and-depth knowledge about the Revolution in SC as Charles. “Learning is not virtue but the means to bring us an acquaintance with it. Integrity without knowledge is weak and useless, and knowledge without integrity is dangerous and dreadful. Let these be your motives to action through life, the relief of the distressed, the detection of frauds, the defeat of oppression, and diffusion of happiness,” professed 38-year-old General Nathanael Greene, final military commander of the Southern Department during the Revolution. Charles embodied this learning for 70 plus years and shared this way to live with all the rest of us. If you were not about doing a task, he would assign you one. Charles often related that we were only as good as our current task, project or mission and persuasively demanded that we focus on it for the purpose of sharing it with others.

      Our State has lost one most caring advocate of the Revolutionary founding 1770-1783 era – a hero of history. For him, it was about accurately working the historic puzzle and conclusively moving the story forward in truth. Most substantively, many of us State residents, numerous thousands of 250th out-of-state tourists, and untold future generations of all Americans will HEAR and HAVE HEARD of South Carolina’s significant persons, places, battles, and events of the Southern Campaigns because of Charles B. Baxley. Mirroring Christopher Gadsden, he lived for “What I can do for my country, I will do.”

                          David Paul Reuwer

“Rev War Revelry” Revolutionary Blacks, Discovering the Frank Brothers, Discussion with Dr. Shirley L. Green

On By erwpostIn African-American, Common Soldier, Emerging Revolutionary War, Memory, Militia (Patriot) Leadership, Minute Men, Northern Theater, Revolutionary WarLeave a comment

Approximately 5,000 African-American or Black soldiers fought for the patriot cause in the American Revolution. Some joined state militias, some joined the Continental Army, and some sailed the seas with the fledgling navies of the United Colonies. William and Benjamin Frank were two of those 5,000. Both were free Blacks from Rhode Island who enlisted in the 2nd Rhode Island Regiment in 1777. Their father was a veteran of the French and Indian War, so the family was well-established in military tradition.

The 2nd Rhode Island fought and defended Fort Mercer during the campaigns of 1777 and survived harsh winters at Valley Forge and Morristown before returning to Rhode Island to literally defend the hearth and home from the British. Author and historian Dr. Shirley L. Green, adjunct professor at the University of Toledo, a 26-year veteran of the law enforcement community, and current Director of the Toledo Police Museum in Ohio, “takes the reader on a journey based on her family’s history, rooted in its oral tradition.”

Her book Revolutionary Blacks, Discovering the Frank Brothers, Freeborn Men of Color, Soldiers of Independence was published by Westholme Publishing in November 2023.

Furthermore, Dr. Green puts “together the pieces of the puzzle through archival research, interviews, and DNA evidence” to authenticate and expand the family history. The end result is a very readable and needed addition to the historiography of the American Revolution. Her ability to tell “a complex account of Black life during the Revolutionary Era demonstrates that free men of color…demonstrates that free men of color shared with white soldiers the desire to improve their condition in life and to maintain their families safely in postcolonial North America.”

Emerging Revolutionary War looks forward to an engaging and informative discussion with Dr. Green, this Sunday, at 7 p.m. EDT on our Facebook page. We hope you can tune in for this next episode of Emerging Revolutionary War’s “Rev War Revelry.”

For more information about the book and to order a copy, click here.

Tour Opportunity with Historian Michael Harris on Battle of the Clouds and Battle of Paoli

On By erwpostIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

On May 25th, kick off your Memorial Day weekend this year with a Revolutionary Tour led by me. Highlights of this half day tour will include the Battle of the Clouds locations, the Paoli Battlefield, and a visit to Valley Forge to discuss the September 18, 1777 skirmish that took place there.

This car pooling tour will leave from Valley Forge at 8am and end at the same location.

Cost: $35 per person.

I will have copies of my books available to be signed as well (cost of any books additional).

A minimum of 10 people will need to pre-register for this tour to take place.

There is no registration limit though.

To participate, please contact me directly. mharris28thpa@gmail.com

On This Date in 1778: A Treaty with France

On By erwpostIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

On this date in 1778, the fledgling American states officially found their great ally in France. The signings of the Treaty of Alliance and Treaty of Amity and Commerce gave new life to the cause of independence from Britain as Louis XVI pledged his support to the Americans.

An economic and military alliance with Britain’s age-old adversary had been long in the making.  Early in the conflict, the French were hesitant to openly support the rebellion, instead opting to provide covert aid in the form of ammunition, weapons, and clothing. Following the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in July 1776, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, Silas Deane of Connecticut, and Arthur Lee of Virginia, were dispatched overseas to Versailles to engage in diplomatic talks with the French foreign minister, Charles Gravier, comte de Vergennes. The success of these discussions would hinge on the battlefield performances of the American armies.

The following year was full of ups and downs for the Northern Army and Main Army. Although George Washington, commanding the latter force, had lost yet another major city when Philadelphia fell to the British in September 1777, his earlier victories at Trenton and Princeton had already impressed those on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. Furthermore, in October, an audacious offensive by Washington against the British at Germantown, though ultimately a defeat, demonstrated promise to the French that the Americans could sustain the conflict. In the end, however, it was the Northern Army’s victory over General John Burgoyne at Saratoga and the subsequent surrender of over 6,000 British and German soldiers on October 17 that secured the alliance.

The Signing of the Treaty of Amity and Commerce and of Alliance between France and the United States. Photograph of a painting by Charles E. Mills. c[between 1900 and 1920], Library of Congress

When news arrived of the American triumph at Saratoga, Vergennes worked feverishly to persuade King Louis XVI that the time had come to openly support the fight against Britain. On February 6, 1778, the Treaties of Alliance and of Amity and Commerce were officially signed. At its conclusion, Deane and Franklin hastily penned a letter to President Henry Laurens of the Continental Congress to inform the governing body of the world-changing news:

Passy, near Paris, Feby. 8th. 1778.

Honourable Sir,                    

We have now the great Satisfaction of acquainting you and the Congress, that the Treaties with France are at length compleated and signed. The first is a Treaty of Amity and Commerce, much on the Plan of that projected in Congress; the other is a Treaty of Alliance, in which it is stipulated that in Case England declares War against France, or occasions War by attempts to hinder her Commerce with us, we should then make common Cause of it, and join our Forces and Councils, &c. &c. The great Aim of this Treaty is declared to be, to “establish the Liberty, Sovereignty, and Independency absolute and unlimited of the United States as well in Matters of Government as Commerce.” And this is guaranteed to us by France together with all the Countries we possess, or shall possess at the Conclusion of the War; In return for which the States guarantee to France all its Possessions in America. We do not now add more particulars, as you will soon have the whole by a safer Conveyance; a Frigate being appointed to carry our Dispatches. We only observe to you and with Pleasure; that we have found throughout this Business the greatest Cordiality in this Court; and that no Advantage has been taken or attempted to be taken of our present Difficulties, to obtain hard Terms from us; but such has been the King’s Magnanimity and Goodness, that he has proposed none which we might not readily have agreed to in a State of full Prosperity and established Power. The Principle laid down as the Basis of the Treaty being as declared in the Preamble “the most perfect Equality and Reciprocity,” the Privileges in Trade &c. are mutual and none are given to France, but what we are at Liberty to grant to any other Nation. On the whole we have abundant Reason to be satisfied with the Good Will of this Court and the Nation in general, which we therefore hope will be cultivated by the Congress, by every means that may establish the Union, and render it permanent. Spain being slow, there is a separate and secret Clause by which she is to be received into the Alliance upon Requisition; and there is no doubt of the Event. When we mention the Good Will of this Nation to our Cause we may add that of all Europe, which having been offended by the Pride and Insolence of Britain, wishes to see its Power diminished. And all who have received Injuries from her are by one of the Articles to be invited into our Alliance. With our hearty Congratulations, and our Duty to the Congress, we have the honour to be, very respectfully, Sir Your most obedient humble Servants

B Franklin

Silas Deane[1]

When news of the treaties finally reached the American army encamped at Valley Forge, Gen. Washington designated May 6, 1778 as a day for “rejoicing throughout the whole Army.”

[1] “Franklin and Silas Deane to the President of Congress, 8 February 1778,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Franklin/01-25-02-0487. [Original source: The Papers of Benjamin Franklin, vol. 25, October 1, 1777, through February 28, 1778, ed. William B. Willcox. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 1986, pp. 634–635.]

Rev War Revelry: “Their Immortal Honour Made a Brave Defense” Maryland Continental Line

On By erwpostIn Battles, Common Soldier, Emerging Revolutionary War, Memory, Revolutionary War, Uncategorized2 Comments

“Given the order to defend the American withdrawal from Long Island, the Maryland Line saved the Continental Army from annihilation in the first major battle of the war.” wrote historian Ryan Polk.

Tench Tilghman, staff officer to George Washington and a native Marylander wrote about his fellow soldiers, “bore the palm…by behaving with as much Regularity as possible.”

Furthermore, if you Google “Battle of Guilford Court House” the image used by Wikipedia depicts an artist’s rendition of the 1st Maryland defending Nathanael Greene’s last line during the March 1781 engagement. The particular image is below.

The Continental Maryland Line was one of the preeminent stalwarts of the American army, both in the northern and southern theaters of the war. Join Emerging Revolutionary War historians in a discussion about the men from the Old Line State and their military acumen during the American Revolutionary War. The discussion will also highlight their memory and memorialization. We hope you can join us Sunday at 7 p.m. EST on the Facebook page of Emerging Revolutionary War.

Share your history with Emerging Revolutionary War!

On By erwpostIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Emerging Revolutionary War is open to submissions from our readership. Guest submissions can also lead to membership. Articles of varied length and photo essays are welcome. Please be advised that we do not pay for any article submissions. Emerging Revolutionary War is 100% non-profit. We do offer to promote you and your work to the best of our ability, while offering an outlet to explore new ideas and improve as a writer/historian.

We are looking to establish long-term relationships with writers who conduct excellent research and provide a fresh look at an old subject. Any articles that the author submits should offer a new interpretation of or newly discovered information on significant events.

Guest submissions are subjected to a blind peer review process. Members of our editorial board, whose identities are kept anonymous, read and comment on posts. However, they do not necessarily offer a simple up-or-down judgment. In keeping with our mission to provide a platform for emerging voices, our board sees its role as a developmental entity. The board’s general approach is to try and find a way their way to “yes.” This often involves several rounds of revisions based on feedback provided by the board. While there is no guarantee of publication, if an author is willing to put in the time and make a good-faith effort at incorporating feedback, the board is willing to continue helping authors develop pieces.

Word count should be in the 800-1500 range for consideration. Please submit guest posts as Word Document attachments by email to emergingrevolutionarywar@gmail.com with “Guest Post Submission” in the subject line.

Authors will receive an e-mail acknowledgment when their submission has been received. The review process may take up to two/three weeks. Once the process is complete, an editor will contact the author to report the outcome. Just because you submit an article does not mean we will post the article. If your writing is accepted for publication, you will be asked to sign a form stating that the article is your own work and allowing Emerging Revolutionary War to retain first digital rights.

To be considered for authorship, please keep in mind the following guidelines:

  • Any and all topics on the broadly-defined Revolutionary War era are welcomed (French and Indian War, colonial era, American Revolution, War of 1812).
  • If submitting a proposal, be specific about what your article will focus on. Include an outline of the story idea and a professional biography.
  • Any first-time article should be no more than 1,500 words.
  • All works must contain footnotes or endnotes in either Chicago or MLA format or a section citing works referenced.
  • All work must be original by the submitting author.
  • Articles should not be of a general nature but should be written to be enjoyed by a general audience.
  • Articles should have strong leads. The first few paragraphs must capture readers, hold on to them, and then propel them into a story.
  • Article submissions must contain an author’s brief professional biography.
  • Submissions are subject to modification and editorial board review, with the editors having final approval.
  • Previously published work may be considered as long as the author owns the copyright. Previously published submissions must be identified as such at the time of submission.
  • We request authors send at least one image for use in the article, whether taken themselves, within public domain, or from elsewhere with clear publication permission. Any photos or photo essays should set the scene, showing specific items of interest as they relate to your narrative. They must come with captions and photo credits.
  • Please submit all articles in a titled Word or Google Docs document (not PDF). Be sure to put the author’s name at the beginning of the piece.

If you have a passion and love for early American history and an interest in research and writing, we love the opportunity for ERW to help you share that passion!

“Rev War Revelry” American Triumph with Tom Hand

On By erwpostIn Continental Leadership, Emerging Revolutionary War, Memory, Personalities, Revolutionary WarLeave a comment

Welcome to the first “Rev War Revelry” of 2024! To kick off the new year, Emerging Revolutionary War is joined by Tom Hand, author, historian, and founder of Americana Corner. However, in the later stages of 20234, Tom added published book author to his lengthy list of accomplishments. His book, American Triumph is now available via his website.

The book, “masterly blends the personal experiences and historic milestones” of three luminaries of the early Republic, Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, and John Adams. The book, with a plethora of graphics, sidebars, and informational tidbits aims to provide a “captivating collection of stories” for the “everyday American.”

We look forward to a lively and friendly discussion with Tom. Hope you can tune in, to Emerging Revolutionary War’s Facebook page at 7 p.m. EDT this Sunday, January 7th.

Rev War Revelry: “God Save Benedict Arnold” with Author Jack Kelly

On By erwpostIn Emerging Revolutionary War, Northern Theater, Personalities, Revolutionary WarLeave a comment

Join us this Sunday evening at 7:00 p.m. on our Facebook page for an author interview with Jack Kelly to discuss his new book, God Save Benedict Arnold: The True Story of America’s Most Hated Man.

Benedict Arnold committed treason― for more than two centuries, that’s all that most Americans have known about him.

Yet Arnold was much more than a turncoat―his achievements during the early years of the Revolutionary War defined him as the most successful soldier of the era. GOD SAVE BENEDICT ARNOLD tells the gripping story of Arnold’s rush of audacious feats―his capture of Fort Ticonderoga, his Maine mountain expedition to attack Quebec, the famous artillery brawl at Valcour Island, the turning-point battle at Saratoga―that laid the groundwork for our independence.

Arnold was a superb leader, a brilliant tactician, a supremely courageous military officer. He was also imperfect, disloyal, villainous. One of the most paradoxical characters in American history, and one of the most interesting. GOD SAVE BENEDICT ARNOLD does not exonerate him for his treason―the stain on his character is permanent. But Kelly’s insightful exploration of Arnold’s career as a warrior shines a new light on this gutsy, fearless, and enigmatic figure. In the process, the book offers a fresh perspective on the reasons for Arnold’s momentous change of heart.