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. December 31, 1775 — Patriot forces under Colonel Benedict Arnold and General Richard Montgomery attempted to capture the British-occupied city of Quebec and with it win support for the …
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When the Spanish expelled the Jews in 1482, many came to the “New World” is search of freedom and safety. Not surprising, many turned to piracy as both a means of income and as retribution for their mistreatment in Spain. Similarly, many Jews, already heavily involved in shipping and trade, began to arm merchant ships …
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. December 29, 1778 Savannah taken by the British In 1778, British policymakers and strategists decided to refocus their efforts on the southern colonies, where they believed the crown would …
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Yesterday we discussed Mordecai Sheftall’s career during the Revolution. There were two other Jewish soldiers that became staff officers in the Continental Army – David Salisbury Franks and Solomon Bush. When General Richard Montgomery took Montreal from the English, David Salisbury Franks (then a Canadian civilian) lent the American Army money and sold them supplies, …
In South Carolina of at least thirty-four Jewish soldiers served in what would become known as the “Jew Company” under Captain Richard Lushington. The Jews who served in Lusington’s company did not constitute a majority, but since most of them had been conscripted as a group from the King Street shopkeepers of Savanah, they all …
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. December 26, 1776 1st Battle of Trenton Having successfully crossed the Delaware on Christmas day, the Continental Army attacked a Hessian garrison at Trenton on December 26, 1776. Although …
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Francis Salvador owned a large plantation South Carolina’s Ninety-Six District. Salvador soon emerged as a Whig leader. In a time when only men who had accepted Christian oaths were allowed to serve in military and political office, Salvador was the first unconverted Jew to serve in an American legislature. He was elected to the provincial …
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. December 25, 1776 Washington crosses Delaware On blustery Christmas Day in late 1776, George Washington led a daring attack on the Hessian garrison in Trenton. After a series of …
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Since the quartermaster department of the Revolutionary armed forces was primitive and inadequate, the government turned to civilian purveyors for badly needed supplies. Many, if not most, Jewish merchants of that day were purveyors on a large or small scale, offering the government clothing, gunpowder, and lead. Harassed for lack of funds, the authorities took …
I am going to conclude this short series with a note on someone I consider to be one of the nation’s unrecognized Founding Fathers for without the sacrifices of Mr. Salomon, the Revolutionary War would have likely ended in New Jersey in 1776 as the Continental Congress ran out of funds to support the army. …
Michael Carver -- Historical Interpreter/Reenactor 