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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Only a tiny fraction of any soldier’s time was spent in combat. The vast majority of the time, the army was in camp. Camp life was exactly a time of rest and idleness. Uniforms and arms required daily attention, food had to be cooked, firewood collected, shelters built and the near endless work that caring …
In discussions on the American Revolutionary War, the contributions of Texas are seldom brought up.[1] But in the 1770s, Texas, inhabited by Spaniards and Native Americans, was a hub of activity. While the signing of the Declaration of Independence occurred on July 4, 1776 in Philadelphia, Tejanos (Texans) manned outposts, guarded New Spain’s claims, and reconnoitered neighboring …
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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Isaac Franks, became a lieutenant colonel in the Pennsylvania militia, but that was after the war. In 1776, at the age of seventeen, he enlisted in a regiment of volunteers, arming and equipping himself at his own expense. After the Battle of Long Island, when his company retreated to New York City, he was captured …
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 …
Continue reading “Historical Tidbits — 1st Battle of Trenton”
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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Joseph Smith enlisted in the Third Maryland Regiment at the age of twenty-three. Apparently illiterate, Smith signed his enlistment and the company payroll with his mark. Smith saw service in Pennsylvania, New Jerseys, and the South. He was wounded at Camden in 1780 and captured. He remained a prisoner until the end of the war …
In Georgia it was a Jew who took the lead in establishing the first “American” government in that colony. Mordecai Sheftall was a second-generation Jewish resident of Savannah and in the late summer of 1774, he became the head of the Parochial Committee of Christ Church Parish. He worked hard to fully implement the Non-Importation …
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 …
Michael Carver -- Historical Interpreter/Reenactor 