Category Archives: Revolutionary War

FOURTH OF JULY MUSICAL: 1776

1776-musical-movieIt may be my fondness for mythology that makes me love to watch particular movies around particular holidays.  I say that because many of the well- known myths were recited on ancient holidays when their subject matter was relevant to those holidays. The stories helped accentuate the meaning of the special events and that’s the way I use various movies. At Christmas I watch countless variations of A Christmas Carol, around Labor Day I watch Eight Men Out, at Halloween The Evil Dead and the original Nightmare On Elm Street, Thanksgiving Eve I do Oliver! and for Frontierado (which is just a month away now) I do Silverado.

Since the actual 4th of July is loaded with activity I always show 1776 on the night before. It’s a great way to get in the mood for Independence Day. It’s a musical but with brilliant dialogue portions and the story involves the political maneuvering  surrounding the Original Thirteen Colonies at last announcing their independence from Great Britain, more than a year after Continue reading

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REVOLUTIONARY WAR: PART TWO OF NEGLECTED NAVAL BATTLES

Revolutionary War naval battlesBalladeer’s Blog continues its examination of neglected naval clashes of the Revolutionary War.

MAY 21st, 1777 – Off St Augustine, FL the USS Comet waged an all-night battle with the HMS Apalachicola until the British ship had lost all sails and riggings and was forced to surrender.

APRIL 27th, 1778 – THE John Paul Jones, leading a detachment from the USS Ranger, raided the British port of Whitehaven. The detachment’s commando-style raid resulted in Continue reading

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REVOLUTIONARY WAR FAQ

Fife and drum picThe Fourth of July is rapidly approaching! Some people get puzzled about the actual Thirteen Original Colonies of America. They know for instance that Daniel Morgan’s Kentucky Rifles were one of the most storied units of the war and saw action from Canada to the American South. Yet, Kentucky is not listed as one of the original colonies.

Similarly they know that Ethan Allen and his Green Mountain Boys were a Vermont unit and that Chillicothe in Ohio was the site of the REAL last battle of the war, yet neither Vermont nor Ohio were original colonies, either. The reason for all that is this: Continue reading

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ELIZABETHTOWN: REVOLUTIONARY WAR BATTLE

Elizabethtown New Jersey Revolutionary WarIn the spirit of the 4th of July season here’s a neglected battle from the American Revolution.

BATTLE OF ELIZABETHTOWN

Date(s): January 5th-7th, 1777

Location: Elizabethtown and Springfield, NJ

American Commander: General William Maxwell

British Commander: Colonel Charles Mawhood

The Battle: On January 5th American Rebels attacked a British Cavalry patrol, killing one man and wounding another. The next day some cavalrymen and 50 infantrymen set out from the town to kill or capture any Rebels in the area. Continue reading

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REVOLUTIONARY WAR: THE FIGHTING QUAKER

Thomas Carpenter House

*** *** *** *** *** ***  The Thomas Carpenter House

THE FIGHTING QUAKER, THOMAS CARPENTER: The Fourth of July is fast approaching! As always Balladeer’s Blog will be marking the occassion with plenty of seasonal posts.  

Though his Quaker principles prevented him from taking on a combat role in the Revolutionary War, Thomas Carpenter became a Paymaster of militia units on March 19th, 1777.   Continue reading

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1776: THE 4th of JULY MUSICAL

1776-musical-movieIt may be my fondness for mythology that makes me love to watch particular movies around particular holidays.  I say that because many of the well- known myths were recited on ancient holidays when their subject matter was relevant to those holidays. The stories helped accentuate the meaning of the special events and that’s the way I use various movies. At Christmas I watch countless variations of A Christmas Carol, around Labor Day I watch Eight Men Out, at Halloween The Evil Dead and the original Nightmare On Elm Street, Thanksgiving Eve I do Oliver! and for Frontierado (which is just a month away now) I do Silverado.

Since the actual 4th of July is loaded with activity I always show 1776 on the night before. It’s a great way to get in the mood for Independence Day. It’s a musical but with brilliant dialogue portions and the story involves the political maneuvering  surrounding the Original Thirteen Colonies at last announcing their independence from Great Britain, more than a year after Continue reading

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NAVAL BATTLES OF THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR

American navy -revolutionary warWelcome back to Balladeer’s Blog! As always I am big on seasonal articles and here is another one of my examinations of a neglected aspect of Revolutionary War history. With the 4th of July coming up quickly enjoy this look at some forgotten naval battles from the war for our country’s independence.

AUGUST 7th, 1775 – The Commerce raided the HMS Betsy and successfully made off with over 17,000 lbs of gunpowder for the rebel cause.

AUGUST 10th, 1775 – In Gloucester, MA the town militia fired on the HMS Falcon and drove it off, killing 35 British sailors and forcing the ship to Continue reading

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ELIZABETHTOWN: FORGOTTEN REVOLUTIONARY WAR BATTLE

Elizabethtown New Jersey Revolutionary WarIn the spirit of the 4th of July season here’s another neglected battle from the American Revolution.

BATTLE OF ELIZABETHTOWN

Date(s): January 5th-7th, 1777

Location: Elizabethtown and Springfield, NJ

American Commander: General William Maxwell

British Commander: Colonel Charles Mawhood

The Battle: On January 5th American Rebels attacked a British Cavalry patrol, killing one man and wounding another. The next day some cavalrymen and 50 infantrymen set out from the town to kill or capture any Rebels in the area. Continue reading

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SPANKTOWN: FORGOTTEN REVOLUTIONARY WAR BATTLE

William MaxwellThe 4th of July is fast approaching! In the spirit of the season here’s another neglected battle from the American Revolution.

BATTLE OF SPANKTOWN

Date: February 23rd, 1777

Location: Spanktown, NJ (Now Rahway)

American Commander: General William Maxwell

British Commander: Colonel Charles Mawhood

The Battle: Colonel Mawhood, with 2,000 men, was roaming the New Jersey No-Man’s Land with orders to destroy any American forces he encountered. At Spanktown Mawhood’s troops came upon American Militiamen herding livestock for supplies while being accompanied by Continental Army Regulars. The American forces totaled fewer than 900 men.  Continue reading

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MILLSTONE: FORGOTTEN REVOLUTIONARY WAR BATTLE

General Philemon Dickinson

General Philemon Dickinson

The 4th of July is fast approaching! As usual Balladeer’s Blog is posting relevant material and in keeping with my blog’s overall theme here’s a forgotten American victory from the Revolutionary War.

BATTLE OF MILLSTONE

Date: January 20th, 1777

Location: Weston, NJ (Now called Manville)

American Commander: General Philemon Dickinson (Younger brother of John Dickinson)

British Commander: Colonel Robert Abercromby

The Battle: The forces of the United States and the British Army (augmented by their Hessian allies) clashed frequently in the winter of 1777. These battles were often the result of both armies attempting to provision themselves off the increasingly barren New Jersey No-Man’s Land. Continue reading

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