I will be in Independence National Park all day on June 1st, 13th, 15th, 19th and 27th as part of the “Once upon a Nation” program run by Historic Philadelphia. I am portraying David Rittenhouse and will be happy to discuss Solar observations in the 18th Century, the US Mint, and any other revolutionary issues you …
Monthly Archives: June 2024
Spy vs Spy: George Washington’s and King George’s Spies (#8)
Proper British Spies — Henry DeBerniere and John Brown In March 1775, Ensign Henry DeBerniere of His Majesty’s 10th Regiment of Foot disguised himself as a land surveyor and headed out of Boston in search of the arms cache of the local militia. He and Captain John Brown of the 52nd Foot, had been ordered …
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If we tried to have a revolution today, would we succeed?
If we tried to have a revolution today, would we succeed? Do we have what it takes? I hear boasts at reenactments all the time and everyone thinks they have what it takes to rebel but are we willing to “dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another,”[1] or are we more likely …
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Thomas Jefferson was a Surveyor
Surveying was a family business for Thomas Jefferson. Both he and his father Peter Jefferson were land surveyors for the King of England. Although Thomas Jefferson didn’t continue to survey as a profession, the skills he acquired as a surveyor were a solid foundation for his subsequent success. In the early 18th century, much of …
Historical Tidbits — British Evacuate Philadelphia
When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. June 18, 1778 British evacuate Philadelphia After almost nine months of occupation, 15,000 British troops under General Sir Henry Clinton evacuate Philadelphia. The British position in Philadelphia became untenable …
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George Washington was a Surveyor
As a boy, George Washington strongly considered a career in the Royal Navy and studying geometry and celestial navigation. To improve his skills, he took up surveying using a set of surveyor’s instruments his father owned for his farm. Early in 1748, Washington accompanied George Fairfax and James Genn, the Royal Surveyor of Prince William …
Spy vs Spy: George Washington’s and King George’s Spies (#7)
No one would suspect “little ole me” of being a spy — Ann Bates Ann Bates was Philadelphia schoolteacher with Loyalist sympathies. She was also married to a British soldier and gunsmith, posted in New York. At the British camp, she met Major Duncan Drummond, the intelligence chief for the British commanding general, who preceded …
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Historical Tidbits — Battle of “Bunker Hill”
When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. June 17, 1775 Battle of Bunker Hill. Well actually, Breed’s Hill… On June 13, 1775, the leaders of the colonial forces besieging Boston learned that the British were planning to send …
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The EIC and Opium, a Deadly Combination
Next time you hear some politician blaming China for all the problems in the world, remember our friends in the East India Company. Unregulated, government and military backed capitalist that they were, started a WAR in order to extract a trade balance with China. Even though Europeans were eager to acquire Chinese tea, silk, and …
Spy vs Spy: George Washington’s and King George’s Spies (#6)
The Black Freeman and his Slave were BOTH Spies! — Hercules and Cato Mulligan Many know Hercules Mulligan as a character in the play Hamilton and ironically, he is the only personae in that play who actually was black. He was also a very successful spy for the American cause. Mulligan was one of the …
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Michael Carver -- Historical Interpreter/Reenactor 