Author Archives: Mark Maloy
An Irish Catholic Hero of the Revolution
One of the great unsung heroes of the American Revolution was an Irish Catholic colonel in the Continental Army who called Alexandria, Virginia home. His name was John Fitzgerald and he would be by George Washington’s side during some of … Continue reading
Victory or Death
Early on the morning of December 26, 1776, George Washington and his 2,400 man army went running into the Hessian occupied village of Trenton, New Jersey. It was snowing hard that morning and the one American soldier recalled that “we … Continue reading
‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, 1776
There was perhaps no darker Christmas Eve in American history than in 1776. The cause of American liberty and independence was on the very verge of disintegration. General George Washington’s army (that had once had more than 20,000 soldiers) had … Continue reading
“I die hard; but I am not afraid to go.” – George Washington’s Final Battle
George Washington died on December 14, 1799. On December 12, 1799, the celebrated Revolutionary War general and former president rode around his beloved Virginia plantation, Mount Vernon. Despite the fact it was snowing and sleeting, Washington spent five hours in … Continue reading
Is the Mercer Legacy Secure?
In one of the songs of the Broadway hit Hamilton, the character of Aaron Burr says: “Did ya hear the news about good old General Mercer? You know Clermont Street? They renamed it after him. The Mercer legacy is secure.” … Continue reading
Hugh Mercer’s Last Companion
While walking through the Willis cemetery, located at the top of Marye’s Heights in Fredericksburg, Virginia, I encountered the grave of an American patriot from the Revolutionary War, George Washington Lewis. Lewis, as it turns out was George Washington’s nephew … Continue reading
March 17: Evacuation Day
Boston is typically thought of as a quintessential place to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Interestingly though, the celebration in Suffolk County (which encompasses Boston) is officially referred to as Evacuation Day, and the parade that meanders through South Boston is … Continue reading
New Year’s Eve, 1776: “Your country is at stake”
On New Year’s Day 1777, Robert Morris wrote to George Washington and said: “The year 1776 is over, I am heartily glad of it and hope you nor America will ever be plagued with such another.” While many of us … Continue reading
The Maryland 400
On August 27, 1776, in Brooklyn, New York, a small contingent of Maryland soldiers showed the world what valor and patriotism looked like. During one of the largest and bloodiest battles of the Revolutionary War, the actions of these brave … Continue reading
America’s Dunkirk
In 1940, during World War II, the British and French armies were completely surrounded by the Nazis at Dunkirk. The Allies made a successful evacuation, lived on to fight another day, and gained a newfound resolve to resist the Nazi … Continue reading