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Patriot’s End: Uncovering the Tar Bluff Battlefield Where John Laurens Fell

by Peter
written by Peter

The Battlefield Where Patriot John Laurens Died

Discovery of the Tar Bluff Battlefield

Archaeologists with the South Carolina Battlefield Preservation Trust (SCBPT) have uncovered the battlefield where Revolutionary War officer John Laurens lost his life in 1782. The site, now part of a private quail hunting preserve, was located using a combination of historical evidence and modern technology.

A hand-drawn map by a British officer, LIDAR scans of the terrain, and metal detectors led the team to the battlefield on the banks of the Combahee River. Artifacts such as musket balls, a bayonet, and howitzer grapeshot helped them retrace the battle and pinpoint the spot where Laurens fell.

John Laurens: A Reckless Patriot

Born into a wealthy slave-trading family in 1754, Laurens was educated in Europe before joining George Washington’s “military family” as his aid-de-camp in 1777. Despite his reckless bravery, he befriended Marquis de Lafayette and Alexander Hamilton.

At the Battle of Tar Bluff, Laurens was supposed to be bedridden with malaria. However, when he heard of the upcoming skirmish, he left his sickbed to fight. Despite his weakened state, he led 50 men to secure the Combahee River.

The Ambush at Tar Bluff

While Laurens’ troops were setting up their howitzer artillery, the British spotted them and set up an ambush overnight. In the morning, as Laurens and another soldier attempted to deploy the howitzer, the British struck. Laurens was killed in the ensuing battle, and the howitzer was captured.

Preserving the Battlefield

The Tar Bluff battlefield will be preserved as part of the South Carolina Liberty Trail, a driving route that highlights Revolutionary War battlefields in the state. The trail also includes the path that Laurens took to Tar Bluff, known as “Laurens’ Run.”

Laurens’ Legacy

Laurens’ advocacy for manumission, or the freeing of enslaved people, made him an outspoken abolitionist in South Carolina. He argued for the formation of “black battalions” in the Continental Army, and for the emancipation of enslaved people after the war.

Conclusion

The discovery of the Tar Bluff battlefield sheds new light on the life and death of John Laurens, a brave and reckless patriot who fought for the ideals of the American Revolution. The preservation of the battlefield and its inclusion in the South Carolina Liberty Trail ensures that his legacy will continue to inspire generations to come.

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Harry Washington: An Enslaved Man’s Unwavering Pursuit of Liberty

by Peter
written by Peter

Harry Washington: An Enslaved Man’s Quest for Freedom

Escape from Slavery

Harry Washington, an enslaved man at George Washington’s Mount Vernon plantation, escaped to freedom in 1771. He fled again in 1776, joining the British forces in the American Revolutionary War.

Emancipation

In 1775, British Governor John Murray issued a proclamation offering freedom to enslaved people who joined the British army. Harry seized this opportunity, becoming one of over 20,000 self-emancipated people who fought for the British.

The Role of Enslaved People in the War

Despite the Patriots’ rhetoric of freedom, enslaved people were excluded from the Continental Army until 1776. However, Black soldiers played a significant role in the war, participating in major battles such as the Siege of Yorktown.

The Treaty of Paris

The Treaty of Paris (1783) ended the war and stipulated the withdrawal of British troops without enslaved people. However, British General Guy Carleton interpreted this to include self-emancipated individuals who had previously been freed.

Flight to Nova Scotia

To avoid re-enslavement, Harry fled to Nova Scotia with the British in 1783. He was listed in the Book of Negroes as a 43-year-old man who had escaped from Washington seven years earlier.

Resettlement in Sierra Leone

Faced with poverty and discrimination in Nova Scotia, Harry and 1,200 other former slaves sailed to Sierra Leone in 1792. The Sierra Leone Company promised equal rights and land ownership, but the colony faced challenges and imposed oppressive measures.

Harry’s Legacy

Harry Washington’s story highlights the complex experiences of enslaved people during and after the American Revolutionary War. He defied the boundaries of slavery and fought for the liberty that was denied to him and others.

Contradictions of Loyalist Refugees

Harry Washington and other Loyalist refugees were caught in a web of contradictions. They were British subjects who supported the King, but they also resisted imperial authority. They were Americans who rejected the republic, but they later returned to the United States after the War of 1812.

The Meaning of Liberty

Harry Washington’s lifelong pursuit of freedom demonstrates the enduring value of liberty. He risked everything to escape slavery and live as a free man, a goal shared by countless enslaved people throughout history.

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The History of the New England Patriots Mascot: From the Revolutionary War to Today

by Peter
written by Peter

The History of the New England Patriots Mascot

The New England Patriots may have only been founded in 1960, but their mascot, Pat Patriot, has a history that stretches back to the foundation of the United States. The term “patriot” was first popularized by Benjamin Franklin in the years leading up to the Revolutionary War, and it came to refer to those colonial soldiers fighting for independence from Britain.

The Founding Fathers and the Patriots

Pat Patriot is a minuteman, a citizen-soldier who was ready to fight at a moment’s notice. This is a fitting mascot for the Patriots, as the team is named after the patriots who fought for American independence.

The Revolutionary War was a time of great upheaval and change. Families were torn apart as some members fought for independence while others remained loyal to the British Crown. Even in the midst of war, however, there were moments of humanity and compassion.

The Role of Women in the Revolutionary War

One of the most famous female patriots was Margaret Corbin. When her husband was killed in battle, she took over firing the cannon. She was severely wounded, but she survived and became the first female combat veteran of the war to receive a military pension.

The Native Americans and the Revolutionary War

The Native Americans were far from being monolithic when it came to where they stood in the war. Some tribes, like the Mohawks, fought for the British, while others, like the Delawares, tried to remain neutral. The Treaty of Fort Pitt in 1778 established “perpetual peace and friendship” between the Delawares and the Americans, but this was broken when the patriots killed noncombatant Moravian Delawares.

The Culper Spy Ring

George Washington had a reputation as a great general and exemplary first president, but he was also heralded for his work as a spymaster. The Culper Spy Ring, which he directed, was a network of spies who listened in on British conversations and spread misinformation about the size of the Continental Army.

The Battle of Cowpens

One of the most critical battles of the Revolutionary War was fought in the South, not New England. The Battle of Cowpens was a major success for the patriots, thanks in part to the help of spy and messenger Catherine Moore Barry.

The Legacy of the Patriots

The Revolutionary War was a long and bloody conflict, but it ultimately resulted in the birth of a new nation. The patriots who fought for independence are remembered as heroes, and their legacy continues to inspire Americans today.

Long-Tail Keywords

  • The history of the New England Patriots mascot stretches back to the Revolutionary War.
  • Benjamin Franklin popularized the term “patriot” in the years leading up to the war.
  • The Revolutionary War was a time of great upheaval and change for American families.
  • Margaret Corbin was the first female combat veteran of the war to receive a military pension.
  • The Native Americans were far from being monolithic when it came to where they stood in the war.
  • George Washington directed a network of spies known as the Culper Spy Ring.
  • The Battle of Cowpens was a major success for the patriots, thanks in part to the help of spy and messenger Catherine Moore Barry.
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The Raid on Bermuda: How Gunpowder from an Unguarded Magazine Fueled the American Revolution

by Peter
written by Peter

The Raid on Bermuda That Saved the American Revolution

The American Revolution

In the midst of the American Revolution, General George Washington’s Continental Army faced a dire shortage of gunpowder, their essential ammunition for waging war against the British. As British forces besieged them in Boston, their supply dwindled to a mere nine bullets per soldier.

Bermuda: A Hidden Ally

Enter Henry Tucker, a Bermudan merchant eager to find new business opportunities. He traveled to Philadelphia, where the Continental Congress met, seeking an exemption from the embargo against British colonies that Congress had imposed. Tucker argued that Bermuda heavily relied on American food imports and that trade would benefit both parties.

The Unguarded Magazine

Tucker’s sons revealed a secret: an unguarded magazine containing a substantial cache of gunpowder just north of Bermuda’s main town, St. George’s. Franklin realized that Bermuda could negotiate an exemption from the embargo if Tucker brought gunpowder for trade.

The Raid

On the night of August 14, 1775, Tucker and his loyal conspirators infiltrated the gunpowder magazine. They gained entry through an air vent and subdued a single guard, if there was one at all. Inside, they retrieved 126 kegs of gunpowder, weighing a total of 3,150 pounds—enough to quadruple Washington’s ammunition supply.

The Escape

The conspirators faced the challenge of transporting the gunpowder silently without alerting the population. Accounts differ, but it is believed they carried the kegs up a hill and down to Tobacco Bay, where the American ship Lady Catherine awaited.

The Aftermath

Governor George James Bruere, loyal to the Crown but related to the American-sympathizing Tuckers, was furious at the theft. He dispatched a customs ship to chase down the Lady Catherine, but it failed, leaving Bruere humiliated. No one was convicted for the raid, and Bermuda continued to trade with the American colonies for years.

The Impact

The gunpowder from Bermuda arrived at Boston just in time to bolster Washington’s forces. The British, unable to maintain their siege, evacuated the city in March 1776. The Bermudan gunpowder supply lasted through the end of that campaign and into June, when it was used to successfully defend Charleston from British invasion. This victory was crucial in preventing the British from choking off the American rebellion.

The Legacy

The Raid on Bermuda stands as a testament to the ingenuity and determination of the American revolutionaries. It also highlights the role of unlikely allies, such as Bermuda, in the fight for independence. Today, Tucker’s house in Bermuda is a museum, and the island nation remains an important partner for the United States.

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Unveiling a Treasure: Discovery of Rare Madeira Wine from the Revolutionary Era at Liberty Hall Museum

by Peter
written by Peter

Discovery of Rare Madeira Wine at Liberty Hall Museum

Historical Significance

During a renovation project at the Liberty Hall Museum on the campus of New Jersey’s Kean University, historians stumbled upon a treasure trove of American wine history: nearly three cases of Madeira wine dating back to 1796, the year John Adams was elected president.

The fortified wine, originating from the Portuguese island of Madeira, played a significant role in the development of the United States. Its high alcohol content and durability during long sea voyages made it the preferred beverage of gentlemen and ladies in the New World during the 17th and 18th centuries.

Revolutionary Connections

Madeira wine was intertwined with the American Revolution. John Hancock famously smuggled ships of Madeira into the colonies, defying British taxation. The seizure of his ship Liberty, laden with contraband Madeira, sparked riots in Boston and contributed to the growing tensions that led to the Revolution.

Legend has it that Thomas Jefferson toasted the Declaration of Independence with Madeira, and George Washington celebrated the British evacuation of New York City with the fortified wine.

Discovery and Preservation

The workers at Liberty Hall discovered the historical beverage, along with 42 demijohns of wine from the 1820s, hidden behind a wall constructed during Prohibition. Unlike most old wines that deteriorate over time, Madeira’s fortified nature allows it to remain indefinitely if stored properly.

Value and Provenance

Some of the bottles included Madeira produced for the personal use of millionaire wine importer Robert Lenox. These Lenox bottles are incredibly rare and could be worth as much as $20,000 each, according to Mannie Berk of the Rare Wine Co.

The Liberty Hall Museum owns the wine and will decide whether to allow anyone to sample the Revolutionary libation.

Liberty Hall’s History

Liberty Hall itself was originally built in 1772 and has grown over time from a 14-room house owned by New Jersey’s first elected governor to a 50-room mansion owned by the Livingston and Kean families. It was eventually transformed into a museum on the campus of Kean University.

Alexander Hamilton is known to have stayed in the house in 1773, where it is likely he enjoyed a taste of Madeira (although the founding father was more partial to coffee).

Legacy and Significance

The discovery of this rare Madeira wine provides a tangible connection to the founding era of the United States. It sheds light on the role of Madeira in shaping American history, from its role in fueling the Revolution to its presence at momentous celebrations.

The Liberty Hall Museum’s collection of Madeira wine serves as a reminder of the rich history and heritage of the United States and the enduring legacy of this fortified beverage.

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