The Continental Line, Inc.
By David McKissack — 7thVirginia, Continental Line Saratoga, by Richard M. Ketchum. Hardback. Henry Holt and Company, New York. 1997, 545 pp. $30.00. ISBN 0-8050-4681-X. On June 20, 1777, a body of 7,000 of the 18th century’s most disciplined and experienced troops began a campaign in northern New York which was designed to end the…
By Karen L. Hayden Religious freedom was one of the reasons people left Europe for the New World. It was no accident that each colony was formed around groups of people sharing their beliefs. By the time of the War for Independence, religion was still VERY important. Many speeches were made saying that God would…
By John U. Rees — 2ndNJ, Helm’s Company This collection of miscellaneous accounts was prompted by the discovery of a sutler’s license issued in 1782. While hardly exhaustive, the information shows the uneasy, but necessary, relationship which commanders had with these little-known followers of the army. For an in-depth discussion of sutlers and their role…
By Clarissa F. Dillon, Ph.D. The colonial housewife often functioned as doctor, nurse, and apothecary. There are some eighteenth-century plants which can be used by re-enactrors for minor mishaps. First, you MUST learn to identify weeds and wild plants. There are a number of books with excellent illustrations: Roger Tory Peterson and Margaret McKenny, A Field…
By Eric Chetwynd — 2ndMass. Regt. The following article is based primarily on Baron v. Steuben’s Blue Book, but also references similar instructions in both Cuthbertson’s A System for the Complete Interior Management and Oeconomy of a Battalion of Infantryand Sime’s The Military Medley. As original guards were on duty for 24 hours, I would suggest a…
By Mitch Lee – 3rdNY, DeWitt’s Co. During the American Revolution, the lake was a headwater stream for the Mohawk River and did not exist as a lake until 1908, when the state began to build a reservoir to provide water to the Barge Canal and to avoid spring flooding in the city of Rome.…
By John U. Rees Though women were commonly seen with armies in the 18th century, there are few descriptions of how they looked. No matter what country they came from, the wives, children, and consorts of common soldiers can be grouped together as being of the poorer classes of society. The following documents illustrate some…
By Marjory E. Wienkop — 5thPA Regt. Much has been said about the horrors, negligence, and somewhat medieval state of medicine during the American Revolution, but sometimes we forget to view it in the context of the times and within the limits of supply. Many of the things we view as non-existent during this period,…
By Frank Chamberlain — 10thMass. Light Infantry Here’s a suggestion for solving the problem of deciding who becomes a “casualty” in the sham battles we perform for the public. To the best of my knowledge, this idea was originally broached by Norm Fuss of the 2nd NY and was published a couple of years ago…
By Drew Smith – Kings Rangers The First Occupation:By December of 1776, British Forces pushed General Washington across New Jersey into Pennsylvania. A chain of British posts were spread across New Jersey, Bordentown being one of them. One thousand German and British troops under Count Carl Von Donop were assigned to occupy Bordentown. Immediately after…