The British Redcoat

Thomas Jefferson Born

2011-04-13T09:55:00.000-07:00

Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson of Virginia was born on this date in 1743. Our third President, Jefferson was instrumental in writing our Declaration of Independence from Great Britain. He served as Ambassador to France and was a prominent Francophile in the years after our sucessful Revolution.

As President he is most famous for the "Louisiana Purchace", a purchase of land west of the Mississippi from Napoleon Bonaparte of France, which included the modern states of Louisiana and many other states. Jefferson considered the deal to be outside the powers of the presidency, but felt it was too important for the future of the young nation to ignore.

Jefferson also was responsible for rebuilding the U.S. Navy and engaging in a naval war against the Barbary Pirates. Thomas Jefferson died on July 4, 1826 just a few hours before his old rival and former President John Adams of Massachusetts.

Winston Churchill Born

2010-12-01T08:23:00.000-08:00

Winston S. Churchill
(1874-1965)

Sir Winston Spencer Churchill was born on November 30, 1874 at Blenheim Palace, the home built for his famous ancestor the 1st Duke of Marlborough, John Churchill, who led an allied victory against the French at the Battle of Blenheim in 1704. As the future Prime Minister of Great Britain, Winston Churchill would lead his nation to win even greater battles, first in the Battle of Britain and later in the ultimate defeat of Germany and Japan in World War II.

Winston Churchill was a soldier, journalist, writer, politician, historian and even an artist. A brilliant orator and a man of genius, he made many grave mistakes in his career but he was instrumental in keeping Great Britain and its Empire in the fight against Hitler's Germany in the early years of the Second World War when a Nazi victory seemed certain. When the United States finally declared war against the Axis powers (Germany, Japan, Italy) in December of 1941 Churchill knew that although the fighting was far from over, the war was all but won.

Throughout his life Churchill was a fervent supporter of the British Empire. As a soldier and a journalist he fought on the North-West frontier of India and took part in the Sudan expedition that culminated in the Battle of Omdurman in 1898. He was taken prisoner in the Boer War and escaped to write about his exploits. During the First World War he fought again as an officer on the Western Front.

Following in his fathers footsteps, Lord Randolph Churchill, he became a member of Parliament. He was First Lord of the Admiralty in both World Wars before becoming Prime Minister in 1940. He served as Prime Minister from 1940-1945 and again in 1951-1955.

Upon his death in 1965, Sir Winston S. Churchill was given an official state funeral, an honor generally reserved for royalty in Great Britain.

Veterans Day

2010-11-11T09:06:00.000-08:00

An American Cemetery in France

Today, Thursday November 11, 2010, is Veteran's Day, a national holiday to commemorate all past and present war Veterans and the sacrifices they made for this country. The actual date marks the end of hostilities in the First World War (1914-1918) which was at the time called "the war to end all wars". Of course this common desire to bring an end to all wars has not yet borne fruit.

A lot of great poetry was inspired by that brutal conflict and many of the authors of that poetry did not survive the war. Alan Seeger was an American living in Paris when World War One began. He joined the French Foreign Legion and was subsequently killed in battle. A monument in Paris is dedicated to those Americans who volunteered to fight for France in the years before the U.S. entered the war. Some of Seeger's words are inscribed on the monument:

They did not pursue worldly rewards; they wanted nothing more than to live without regret, brothers pledged to the honor implicit in living one's own life and dying one's own death. Hail, brothers! Goodbye to you, the exalted dead! To you, we owe two debts of gratitude forever: the glory of having died for France, and the homage due to you in our memories.

This poignant poem, published posthumously, is his most famous work:

Rendezvous With Death

Alan Seeger (June 22, 1888 - July 4, 1916)

I HAVE a rendezvous with Death
At some disputed barricade,
When Spring comes back with rustling shade
And apple-blossoms fill the air—
I have a rendezvous with Death
When Spring brings back blue days and fair.

It may be he shall take my hand
and lead me into his dark land
And close my eyes and quench my breath—
It may be I shall pass him still.
I have a rendezvous with Death
On some scarred slope of battered hill,
When Spring comes round again this year
And the first meadow-flowers appear.

God knows 'twere better to be deep
Pillowed in silk and scented down,
Where love throbs out in blissful sleep,
Pulse nigh to pulse, and breath to breath,
Where hushed awakenings are dear...
But I've a rendezvous with Death
At midnight in some flaming town,
When Spring trips north again this year,
And I to my pledged word am true,
I shall not fail that rendezvous.

Happy Birthday Marines!

2010-11-10T08:32:00.000-08:00

Today, November 10, 2010, is the 235th anniversary of the birth of the United States Marine Corps. The Corps was created in 1775 to serve as naval infantry during the American War for Independence. The Marines are America's shock troops. They have served in all of our nations wars, both declared and undeclared and in many "police actions" all over the globe.

There is a old saying in the U.S. Marine Corps that basically says that there is no such thing as a former Marine: "once a Marine, always a Marine." Those words, along with the Marine Corp motto, "Semper Fidelis- Always Faithful" are truly words to live by.

The Battle of the Red Horse Tavern

2010-10-27T08:45:00.000-07:00

"The Red Horse Tavern"

This Saturday, October 30, 2010, the last major Revolutionary War reenactment in New England will take place in Sudbury, Mass. Billed as "The Battle of the Red Horse Tavern", reenactors from all over the region portraying American, British and French soldiers from America's War for Independence will engage in two different battle scenarios for the public on the ample grounds of Longfellow's Wayside Inn.

The first action is scheduled to start at 11:00 a.m., followed by an intermission for lunch, with the final battle to take place at 1:15 p.m. The reenactment should be concluded by 2:30 p.m. As always after large events like these, there will be a meet-and-greet with the general public on the part of the reenactors to answer questions and perhaps pose for photos.

This event is sponsored by the 4th King's Own, the Sudbury Companies of Militia and Minute and our generous hosts at the Wayside Inn.

Old Ironsides Celebrates A Birthday

2010-10-21T09:57:00.000-07:00

"Old Ironsides" is celebrating it's birthday today. The Boston Globe has a story here.

On October 21, 1797 the U.S.S. Constitution was officially launched from Edmund Hartt's shipyard in Boston. The U.S. frigate took part in actions against the Barbary Pirates in the Mediterranean, but the ship is most famous for the role it played in the War of 1812.

Old Ironsides defeated five British warships in a bitter war where the U.S. Navy was vastly outgunned by a superior British Navy. The U.S.S. Constitution was never defeated in war and has never been forgotten by the American people in peacetime.

The U.S. S. Constitution is the oldest commissioned Naval vessel still afloat and is open to the public for tours. The tours are given by U.S. Navy personnel at the old Boston Navy Yard in Charlestown, now a National Park.

George III Proclaims American Colonies to be in Rebellion

2010-08-25T10:35:00.000-07:00

George III

On the 23 of August 1775 King George III of Great Britain issued this proclamation declaring the American Colonies to be in open rebellion and how he meant to deal with the rebels:

Whereas many of our subjects in divers parts of our Colonies and Plantations in North America, misled by dangerous and ill designing men, and forgetting the allegiance which they owe to the power that has protected and supported them; after various disorderly acts committed in disturbance of the publick peace, to the obstruction of lawful commerce, and to the oppression of our loyal subjects carrying on the same; have at length proceeded to open and avowed rebellion, by arraying themselves in a hostile manner, to withstand the execution of the law, and traitorously preparing, ordering and levying war against us: And whereas, there is reason to apprehend that such rebellion hath been much promoted and encouraged by the traitorous correspondence, counsels and comfort of divers wicked and desperate persons within this realm: To the end therefore, that none of our subjects may neglect or violate their duty through ignorance thereof, or through any doubt of the protection which the law will afford to their loyalty and zeal, we have thought fit, by and with the advice of our Privy Council, to issue our Royal Proclamation, hereby declaring, that not only all our Officers, civil and military, are obliged to exert their utmost endeavours to suppress such rebellion, and to bring the traitors to justice, but that all our subjects of this Realm, and the dominions thereunto belonging, are bound by law to be aiding and assisting in the suppression of such rebellion, and to disclose and make known all traitorous conspiracies and attempts against us our crown and dignity; and we do accordingly strictly charge and command all our Officers, as well civil as military, and all others our obedient and loyal subjects, to use their utmost endeavours to withstand and suppress such rebellion, and to disclose and make known all treasons and traitorous conspiracies which they shall know to be against us, our crown and dignity; and for that purpose, that they transmit to one of our principal Secretaries of State, or other proper officer, due and full information of all persons who shall be found carrying on correspondence with, or in any manner or degree aiding or abetting the persons now in open arms and rebellion against our Government, within any of our Colonies and Plantations in North America, in order to bring to condign punishment the authors, perpetrators, and abetters of such traitorous designs.

Given at our Court at St. James's the twenty-third day of August, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five, in the fifteenth year of our reign.

GOD save the KING.

Redcoats and Rebels

2010-08-06T14:57:00.000-07:00

Old Sturbridge Village
One Old Sturbridge Road
Sturbridge, Mass. 01566

This weekend (August 7-8) Old Sturbridge Village is hosting its annual Redcoats and Rebels event. Revolutionary War re-enactors from all over New England will be on hand to demonstrate drill and musketry, the firing of cannon, camp life and mock battles for the viewing public. This is a great opportunity to visit OSV (or re-visit) to view this living history open-air museum.

1,000 Great Places to Visit in Massachusetts

2010-07-13T09:58:00.000-07:00

Massachusetts State House

It was announced today that a special committee in the Massachusetts legislature has compiled a list of 1,000 great places to visit in the state. This list was taken from an original entry of 2,000 places and was approved by Gov. Patrick. Coming from a political entity the list is perhaps more inclusive than one would expect and seems to be geared towards including sites from every city and town in the state. Here is the complete list from the WHDH Channel 7 News website.

The list has quite a number of entries for Colonial and Revolutionary War sites, to include the battlefields of Lexington and Concord, the Longfellow House in Cambridge and many of the historic sites on Boston's Freedom Trail.

There are many more places on the list with not quite as long a history - for instance the original Kelly's Roast Beef on Revere Beach makes the list. I'm glad Kelly's made the list because I have been going there for years - I highly recommend the seafood and roast beef sandwiches.

Freedom Trail Players

2010-07-07T09:06:00.000-07:00

"Captain of the Guards"

An article in the Boston Globe regarding local tourist sights has created a small firestorm in the Boston areas Revolutionary War re-enacting community. The article concerns the Freedom Trail Players, a company that for the past few years has specialized in giving walking tours of Boston's famous Freedom Trail. The Freedom Trail Players tour guides are noteworthy because the guides wear 18th century clothing and portray Colonial and Revolutionary War figures from the past.

Recently the company has added a small contingent of actors portraying soldiers of the British 10th Regiment of Foot, which was part of the garrison occupying the port of Boston from 1774-1776. Unfortunately, their portrayal of British soldiers belonging to an actual Regiment is to put it mildly, abysmal and is demeaning to the history of that Regiment, the British Army and the important role that Boston played in America's early history.

As a Revolutionary War re-enactor myself, I can easily spot the many errors in the drill, the uniforms and the general appearance of the actors as shown in the short video attached to the article. In fact the actors appear more suited to a "Pirates of the Caribbean" exhibit at Disneyworld than as actual British soldiers of the early Revolutionary War period.

What is really unfortunate in this, is that the tourists coming to Boston who happen to see their staged performances may mistake what they see as a real portrayal of British soldiers from that time period. For many years Revolutionary War re-enactors in this area have worked hard to create historically accurate portrayals of the British soldiers who served in the Boston garrison and fought valiantly at the Battles of Lexington and Concord and at Bunker Hill. "Street theater" of this caliber truly sets back that effort.

Battle of Waterloo

2010-06-18T10:02:00.001-07:00

Battle of Waterloo

This is the 195th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo. On Sunday 18 June 1815, near the town of Waterloo, in what is now Belgium, a coalition of British, Dutch and German forces under British commander Arthur Wellesley, the Duke of Wellington and his ally Marshall Blucher commanding a Prussian army, combined together to defeat the Emperor Napoleon and his French Imperial Army.

The Battle of Waterloo, along with the Battle of Gettysburg from the American Civil War, are perhaps the two most debated and written about battles in world history. As the Duke of Wellington aptly described the battle, it was "a near run thing".

The allied army was able to hold against severe French assaults throughout a long day giving time for the Prussian forces to join them in the late afternoon. The order for an army-wide advance was then given and the ranks of the French Grande Armee collapsed and either surrendered or fled from the field, only to be chased by vengeful Prussian soldiers and cavalry. The exception to this general rout was Napoleon's Old Guard which stubbornly retired from (and died on) the field with honor.

Napoleon surrendered to his enemies and spent his last days in captivity on the island of St. Helena. He died in 1821. The "Iron Duke" was showered with honors, ultimately serving as both the Prime Minister of England and at the time of his death in 1852 was Commander-in-Chief of the British Army.

Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death!

2010-03-23T19:39:00.000-07:00

Patrick Henry
(1736-1799)

On this date in 1775 Patrick Henry gave his most famous speech in the Virginia House of Burgesses. Revolutionary fervor was sweeping the colonies and by late 1774 the colony of Massachusetts, for just one example, was almost in open rebellion. Patrick Henry took to the floor of the Virginia legislature and in part, spoke these fiery words:

"Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!"

Just a month later on the 19th of April the fighting at Lexington and Concord took place and a shooting war between Great Britain and its thirteen colonies had begun.

Stamp Act Passes in Parliament

2010-03-22T09:33:00.000-07:00

The Stamp Act

The Stamp Act was passed in the British Parliament in London on this date in 1765. This bill was designed to help pay for the huge debt created by the recently concluded Seven Years War (the French and Indian War in North America) by taxing the American Colonies. The act required that all legal documents, legal licenses, broadsides, newspapers, decks of playing cards, etc. , printed in the Colonies had to have a special embossed stamp. The stamped papers were to be sold by the British Colonial authorities with the tax varying according to the particular item.

The passage of this bill created a huge protest in the colonies, which surprised the members of Parliament and the King's cabinet. (A similar stamp act had already gone into effect in England). The colonists were used to paying special taxes, but expected the taxes to be levied by their own elected or appointed legislatures and Governors. This act was viewed as "taxation without representation" and many throughout the Colonies called for its immediate repeal. The Stamp Act was the beginning of the radicalization of America and its first movements towards independence.

Paramount Theater Re-opens

2010-03-19T21:55:00.001-07:00

Paramount Theater
549-69 Washington St.
Boston, Mass.

A small piece of Boston's 20th century history reopened this month with the completion of the renovations of the Paramount Theater in downtown Boston. First built in 1932 and owned by Paramount Studios the original theatre was designed in a classic art deco style and seated as much as 1500 patrons. The theater is now owned and run by Emerson College and will stage live theater productions. The modern interior design has been done in the exact style of the original theatre, which closed in 1976.

When I was growing up back in the sixties and seventies it was still quite common to go into downtown Boston and watch movies at one of several converted (or original) movie theaters with just one large screen. I can actually remember the last time I went to the old Paramount Theatre. It was to see the movie "Kidnapped", which was based upon the famous Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson's novel and starred Michael Caine. This had to be in 1971 when the movie first came out.

Not long after the showing of "Kidnapped" the Paramount fell on hard times and began showing R-rated and then X-rated adult movies. Although the downtown shopping area is still lacking a lot of the life and vibrancy that it once had, this is a good step in the right direction for Boston.

Happy St. Patricks Day!

2010-03-17T08:32:00.001-07:00

St. Patrick

Today is St. Patrick's Day, not only a state holiday in Ireland but also a popular holiday in the U.S. and Great Britain due to the diaspora of the Irish from Ireland in the 19th century. St. Patrick's Day is also the anniversary of the British Army and Navy beginning the evacuation of occupied Boston in 1776 during the American Revolution. This is celebrated as Evacuation Day in Massachusetts and is considered a state holiday in Suffolk County and for many state employees.

The importance of St. Patrick's Day and the juxtaposition of Evacuation Day in the city of Boston and its environs today is somewhat ironic in that during the time of the Revolution, Catholicism was very unpopular. There were many reasons for this, to include King Henry VIII's bitter break with the Roman Catholic Church, the constant threat of attack from the French-Catholic settlements in Canada (a threat which ended at the conclusion of the French and Indian War) and most importantly the founding of Boston by the Puritans of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

For many years Bostonians celebrated Popes Day on November 5 (Guy Fawkes Day in England). The day was marked by bonfires and the dragging around of a stuffed dummy that represented the Catholic Pope. Anti-Catholic feeling was to continue for many years in Boston and even led to street riots and attacks upon our French allies during America's War for Independence on the occasion of military set-backs during the war.

The old ways changed along with the demographics of Boston and many of America's city's when the Irish began to emigrate to the New World in large numbers. This was to have a great affect on America and especially its politics. The effects were most pronounced in the nations big city's and eventually led to the election of two Presidents of Irish-American descent. The influx of Irish immigrants also was to greatly aid the Union Army during America's Civil War.

The Boston Massacre

2010-03-05T10:22:00.000-08:00

The Boston Massacre

On this date in 1770 British soldiers of the 29th Regiment of Foot opened fire upon a unruly crowd of Boston citizens. Five Bostonians died and eleven more were wounded. This event came to be popularly referred to as the Boston Massacre and was memorialized for years afterward on this date.

The tradition continues tomorrow when a number of events are taking place at the Old State House including a reenactment of the actual "massacre". The reenactment starts at 6:30 p.m. at the Old State House at the head of State St.(formerly known as King St.). J.L. Bell does his usual excellent job and gives a fuller account of the days events in his blog Boston 1775.

The British soldiers and their officer were placed on trial for the "murder of Crispus Attucks, Samuel Gray, Samuel Maverick, James Caldwell, and Patrick Carr". They were defended in part by John Adams of Braintree, who became an ardent supporter of American independence and a future U.S. President. The soldiers were acquitted of all charges, except two soldiers who were found guilty of manslaughter. They were branded with the letter "m" on their thumbs and released.

The Brattle Book Shop on 9 West St. in Boston, interestingly enough, has a copy of the account of the trial for sale in their rare book section.

Colonel Loammi Baldwin

2010-02-18T10:11:00.000-08:00

Col. Loammi Baldwin
(1740-1807)

Col. Loammi Baldwin was a noted soldier, politician and has been called the Father of American Civil Engineering because of his role in surveying and building the Middlesex Canal and his other public works projects.

Born in Woburn, Massachusetts, Baldwin was a friend and fellow student at Harvard College with Benjamin Thompson, also of Woburn. Thompson later became better known as Count Rumford.

Baldwin joined the Woburn militia in 1774. On April 19, 1775 Baldwin was a major in the Woburn militia and took part in the fighting on that date. He joined Col. Gerrish's regiment and was later promoted to the command of that regiment. Baldwin fought in the Battle of Brooklyn Heights and crossed the Delaware with Gen. Washington to join in the attack on the Hessian troops at Trenton. He retired from the Army in 1777 due to health concerns.

Col. Baldwin became Sheriff of Middlesex County and served in the Massachusetts House. He was a member of the American Academy of Sciences and contributed papers to the society. The Baldwin apple is named for him.

The War of the Roses

2010-02-14T07:27:00.001-08:00

The War of the Roses (1445-1485) was a bitter civil war fought between the House's (noble families) of Lancaster and of York, who were each contending to place their own heirs on the throne of England. Supporters of the House of Lancaster wore red roses on their livery, while the House of York wore white roses.

On 22 August 1485 in the Battle of Bosworth Field King Richard III of the House of York was killed, effectively ending the War of the Roses. (This event was the inspiration of Shakespeare's famous lines from Richard III, "A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!"). The victor of the battle Henry Tudor was crowned Henry VII, King of England. The Tudor dynasty took as its symbol a red rose with a white center. The Tudors, which included King Henry VIII and Elizabeth I, ruled England for 118 years and set the nation on the path to become a great naval and world power.

Abraham Lincoln Born

2010-02-12T09:44:00.000-08:00

Abraham Lincoln

On this date in 1809 Abraham Lincoln was born in a log cabin in Kentucky. Although largely self-taught, Lincoln became a lawyer, legislator and Representative from the state of Illinois. In 1860 he was elected as the first Republican President of the United States.

Viewed as a strident abolitionist, his election led to a declaration of secession first by the state of South Carolina and then by several other southern slave states. This was the beginning of a bitter four year long civil war. Abraham Lincoln was assassinated in Fords theatre in Washington, D.C. on April 14, 1865 by John Wilkes Booth a famous stage actor and southern sympathizer. This was just five days after the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox Courthouse, Virginia. He died the next day as a result of his wounds.

Elmwood

2010-02-11T10:14:00.000-08:00

Elmwood

33 Elmwood Avenue

Cambridge, Mass.

Currently owned by Harvard University, Elmwood, this Georgian mansion in Cambridge, has had ties to Harvard College throughout its almost 250 year history. Elmwood was built in 1767 by Thomas Oliver, a wealthy merchant born in Antigua who graduated from Harvard College in 1753. Appointed by King George III to the position of Lt. Governor of Massachusetts, he left Cambridge in 1774 for Boston as revolutionary fervor swept the colony. His home was confiscated by Revolutionary authorities. Oliver died in Brighton, England in 1815.

In 1787 Elbridge Gerry bought the estate, which included some 34 acres attached to the "homestead". Elbridge Gerry, born in Marblehead, Mass. , was also a graduate of Harvard College. He was an important member of the First and Second Continental Congress during the Revolution, signed the Declaration of Independence, was a diplomat and served as Governor of Massachusetts. In March 1813 he took the oath of office for Vice-President of the United States here at Elmwood. He died in 1814.

James Russell Lowell was born at Elmwood on 22 February 1819. Lowell, a famous poet and diplomat, lived most of his life at Elmwood. A graduate of both Harvard University and Harvard Law School, he was also a Professor of Languages at Harvard. Like his fellow Cantabrigian and friend, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Lowell often wrote about Cambridge and its environs in his poetry. Elmwood was also a frequent topic. Unfortunately, much as he loved his home and property, over time he was forced to sell off a good portion of the estate to meet his financial needs. Lowell died in 1891.

Elmwood is currently occupied by the President of Harvard and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Boy Scouts of America Founded

2010-02-08T09:10:00.000-08:00

On this date in 1910 the Boy Scouts of America was founded. The BSA is based on the British Scouting organization founded in 1907 by General Robert Baden-Powell, who won fame in the Boer War. According to a famous story, William D. Boyce of Chicago visited London and had been given some aid and directions by a British Scout. This made such an impression on him that upon his return to the U.S. he decided to start an American version of the youth group.

The Boy Scouts of America presently has a membership of 4 million. Many years ago I was a member of a Boy Scout troop, an experience from which I have a lot of great memories. To this day I can still recite from memory the Boy Scout Law: "A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent."

Stolen Plaque Recovered

2010-01-29T10:19:00.000-08:00

The Old Belfry Plaque

Some good news for the Lexington community and for history buffs everywhere - the bronze plaque that marked the site of the Old Belfry that was stolen recently from Lexington Battle Green has been recovered safe and sound as reported here in the Wicked Local News from the Lexington Minuteman. Apparently a sharp eyed passerby spotted the plaque lying in some overgrown bushes a few feet from the edge of the road on Waltham St. in Lexington. With the help of Sgt. Chris Barry of the Lexington police the plaque was picked up and is now back in its rightful hands. It is not known how long the plaque had been laying there before being found.

History Under Fire

2010-01-26T10:01:00.000-08:00

Brandywine National Park

The latest issue of Preservation magazine has this story, entitled "History Under of Fire", which reports that many states are responding to budget deficits by closing important historic sites. The magazine, published by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, focuses on Pennsylvania where a number of important Revolutionary War battlefields and other historic sites have been closed. Volunteer organizations have stepped into the breach to keep these important places open to the public, but there is real fear that the loss of funding will lead to deterioration of the properties and even permanent closings.

Historic Plaque stolen from Lexington Green

2009-12-16T22:00:00.001-08:00

Bronze Plaque Stolen

A nearly 100-year old bronze plaque marking the former site of the Old Belfry on Lexington Green was stolen sometime last week, as reported in the Boston Globe and elsewhere. The plaque was mounted on a large boulder on the Green in 1910. The 20-inch by 20-inch plaque was inscribed with a drawing of the Old Belfry and the following inscription: ''The site of the Old Belfry from which the alarm was rung, April 19, 1775. This tablet was erected by the Lexington Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution 1910."

The original belfry was moved to a nearby hillside where it was destroyed by a storm. A new belfry was built in its stead where it still stands today. It is assumed that the plaque was stolen by vandals for the intrinsic value of its metal, but it may very well end up in the hands of an unscrupulous collector.

Attack on Pearl Harbor

2009-12-07T09:49:00.001-08:00

Pearl Harbor

On December 7, 1941, on a Sunday morning, aircraft from the Japanese Imperial Navy attacked the U.S. Army and Naval forces stationed in Hawaii. Most notably the attack centered on the naval ships at Pearl Harbor. Over two thousand soldiers and sailors were killed in the surprise attack and several warships were sunk or damaged.

Speaking to a joint session of the U.S. Congress, President Franklin Roosevelt on December 8 called for a declaration of war upon Japan and famously referred to December 7 as "a date that will live in infamy". With the declaration of war by Nazi Germany on December 11 the United States was finally, reluctantly drawn into a world war.

Samuel Clemens born

2009-11-30T09:37:00.000-08:00

Samuel L. Clemens
(1835- 1910)

Samuel Langhorne Clemens was born on this date in 1835 in Florida, Missouri. His family moved to Hannibal, Missouri when he was four and it was growing up in this small town on the banks of the Mississippi that formed the basis for his famous novels Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Clemens later achieved his childhood dream of becoming a pilot on a Mississippi river steamboat.

When the Civil War shut down river traffic Clemens went west and began his career as a newspaper reporter and writer in earnest. He adopted the pen name Mark Twain, a term used on the Mississippi for water depth (two fathoms). During his lifetime Samuel Clemens achieved world wide fame for his novels and writings. He died on April 21, 1910 in Redding, Connecticut.

Semper Fidelis

2009-11-10T06:26:00.001-08:00

Today is the Marines Corps Birthday. On November 10, 1775 the Second Continental Congress authorized the raising of two battalions of Continental Marines. Tradition has it that Captain Samuel Nicholas began the first recruiting drive at Tun Tavern in Philadelphia.

The U.S. Marines have fought with distinction in all of the nations wars but in modern times their reputation was cemented by their actions at Belleau Wood in World War One and in the Pacific theatre of World War Two. The bloody actions on Guadalcanal, Tarawa and most famously the fighting and the raising of the flag over Iwo Jima have ingrained the memory of their sacrifice in the minds of the American people. Semper Fi!

The Spirit of '76

2009-10-22T09:33:00.001-07:00

"The Spirit of '76"

This famous painting, The Spirit of '76, was painted by Archibald M. Willard, an amateur painter from Ohio. (Several versions of this painting were made, but this is the most famous version). The painting was made in time to be exhibited at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, Penn. in 1876. Commonly referred to as Yankee Doodle, it was then transported and exhibited across the country before being purchased by General John Devereux of Marblehead. The painting is on permanent display in the selectman room at Abbott Hall, in Marblehead, Mass.

A number of other paintings are on display in the room, along with a marble bust of Elbridge Gerry, a signer of the the Declaration of Independence. Many other items relating to the history of Marblehead are on display throughout the building. A small maritime museum is located on the first floor, with viewing hours by appointment and by chance. Abbott Hall is located at 188 Washington St. Marblehead, Mass. 01945 Abbott Hall is closed on Sundays.

Lord Cornwallis surrenders at Yorktown

2009-10-19T10:06:00.000-07:00

On this date in history in 1781 British General Lord Cornwallis surrendered his command to a combined American and French force led by General George Washington at Yorktown, VA. This effectively ended the war for America's Independence, although a formal peace treaty was not signed until 1783 in Paris.

The Mayflower Compact

2009-07-31T08:10:00.000-07:00

Signing the Mayflower Compact
Bradford St.
Provincetown, Mass.

After a torturous three month crossing of the Atlantic Ocean a small group of Pilgrims (separatists from the Puritan Church of England) found themselves in a new land. Having taken a more northerly course than originally planned the crew and the passengers of the Mayflower began to survey the harbor and the surrounding land of what is now Provincetown, Mass.

They found the area unsuitable to their needs and went on to establish their settlement in what is now Plymouth, Mass., but while still in the harbor the Pilgrims wrote and signed the Mayflower Compact. This compact or agreement was meant to establish a new form of governance for their new colony under the auspices ands authority of their sovereign King James I. It was signed by 41 of the colonists. The text is as follows:

In the name of God, Amen. We whose names are under-written, the loyal subjects of our dread sovereign Lord, King James, by the grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, etc.

Having undertaken, for the glory of God, and advancement of the Christian faith, and honor of our King and Country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern parts of Virginia, do by these presents solemnly and mutually, in the presence of God, and one of another, covenant and combine our selves together into a civil body politic, for our better ordering and preservation and furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof to enact, constitute, and frame such just and equal laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions and offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good of the Colony, unto which we promise all due submission and obedience. In witness whereof we have hereunder subscribed our names at Cape Cod, the eleventh of November [New Style, November 21], in the year of the reign of our sovereign lord, King James, of England, France, and Ireland, the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fifty-fourth. Anno Dom. 1620.

This bas-relief of the signing can be found on Bradford St. in Provincetown at the base of the Pilgrim Monument.

American Independence Festival

2009-07-17T08:36:00.001-07:00

American Independence Museum
One Governors Lane
Exeter, New Hampshire 03833

This Saturday (July 18) the American Independence Museum is sponsoring a street festival in Exeter, New Hampshire. This popular annual event will consist of a number of family oriented activities, food and craft vendors and will center on the events of July 1776 when American Independence was first declared in the former British colony of New Hampshire. In addition to a reading of the Declaration of Independence, General George Washington of the Continental Army will be speaking at this event.

Revolutionary War re-enactors (including the 4th King's Own) will be on hand to engage the public in a spirited debate about the merits of rebelling against King George III. Artillery firing and 18th century tactical demonstrations are once again scheduled throughout the day. The festival will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. in downtown Exeter. A fireworks display sponsored by the Town of Exeter will take place in the evening.

"Weekend With the Glovers"

2009-07-09T10:17:00.000-07:00

Glover's Encampment
Fort Sewall
Front St.
Marblehead, Mass.

This weekend (July 10-12) Col. Glover's regiment will be hosting their annual summer encampment at Fort Sewall in Marblehead. Starting on Friday, re-enactors from all over New England will turn this former colonial era fort into an Revolutionary War encampment, with units representing Colonial militia, the British Navy and British Regulars (to include the King's Own) on hand.

The highlight of the weekend for the viewing public will be, as always, the pitched battles through the streets of Marblehead between the Colonial militia and the armed forces of His Majesty King George III. There are two battles scheduled for Saturday, one in the morning at 10:15 and another in the afternoon at 2:00.

Fort Sewall is open to the public until sunset and public facilities are available. Parking in the area adjacent to the Fort is very limited.

Phineas Upham House Tour

2009-06-23T10:29:00.000-07:00

Phineas Upham House

255 Upham Rd.

Melrose, Mass.

Recently the caretaker of the Phineas Upham house was kind enough to give me a tour of the property. Three rooms in the house have been restored to their 18th-century appearance and have been decorated with many original family artifacts.

The "great room" and an adjoining room on the first floor both have the large fireplaces typical of First Period homes. This is where much of the family cooking was done. The bedroom upstairs is furnished with a four poster bed and also has some family memorabilia on display. The original beams are exposed throughout the house and the rooms are comfortably sized with 7 foot (approx.) ceilings. The Upham house was built in 1703 and is still owned by lineal descendants of Phineas Upham. The property is managed as a non-profit entity and is open to the public on a limited basis for tours.

The "New" Massachusetts State House

2009-06-19T07:56:00.001-07:00

Massachusetts State House
Beacon Hill
Boston, Mass.

The "new" Massachusetts State House on Beacon Hill was completed in 1798, replacing the Old State House on State Street, as the new seat of state government. The building was designed by Charles Bullfinch and was located on land originally owned by John Hancock, the first governor of Massachusetts. The cornerstone of the building was laid by Samuel Adams, Paul Revere and other prominent Masons.

The buildings gold dome was originally just wood. The structure leaked so in 1802 it was overlayed with copper sheathing from Paul Revere's own company. The gold leaf was added in 1874 giving the dome its distinctive appearance.

The statues in front of the main structure of the building are of Horace Mann and Daniel Webster. In front of the visitors entrance, on the lower lawn, is a statue of Civil War General Joseph Hooker mounted on horseback. There are also statues of Anne Hutchinson, Mary Dyer and President John F. Kennedy. Inside the original building on the second floor can be found murals depicting scenes of early Massachusetts history and the Hall of Flags. On display in the Hall of Flags are Massachusetts Regimental flags from the nations wars.

The Massachusetts State House is open for tours Monday - Friday from 10:00 to 4:00 p.m. The building is closed on weekends and holidays.

Battle of Bunker Hill

2009-06-17T09:58:00.001-07:00

Battle of Bunker Hill
Charlestown, Mass.

Today is the 224th anniversary of the Battle of Bunker Hill, the first major battle of the American Revolution. Although
the British won the battle, it was a very costly victory that gave hope to the American cause, as it showed Colonial troops could stand against Britain's best soldiers. The battle is also significant, I believe, for what might have happened to the new Rebellion if events had turned out just a little bit differently.

The initial plan was for the Colonial militia to fortify Bunker Hill, which is a higher promontory and is closer to the mainland than Breeds Hill on the Charlestown peninsula. For reasons unknown today it was decided to build a redoubt on Breeds Hill and this is where most of the actual fighting on that day took place. This placed the militia in a (potentially) very precarious position. It would have quite easy for the British Army, under the cover of the British Navy, to have made its amphibious landings behind the redoubt and attacked the fortification from the rear. This plan was advanced by General Clinton, but he was overruled.

The actual landings on the peninsula were made in front of the redoubt. The British troops were sent in a broad frontal attack, carrying full backpacks, that failed miserably. An attempt was made to turn the flank of the militia, but due to the timely arrival of Col. Stark and his men from New Hampshire, this also failed. It wasn't until a final third assault was made that the British finally succeeded in sending the militia fleeing to the rear. British forces had removed the threat to their position in Boston, but at a great cost.

What was a Pyrrhic victory for the British could easily have been a major disaster for the Colonial militia. If the assault had been made in a more timely matter and if a landing closer to the land bridge to the peninsula had been made, then the American forces would have found themselves trapped. They would have been forced to surrender in total or have been killed. A defeat of this size and nature, at this early date, may have been fatal to the American colonies fight for independence.

The "First Shot" Opens in Lexington

2009-06-10T10:14:00.000-07:00

Lexington Battle Green

This Saturday a new documentary film entitled "First Shot: The Day the Revolution Began" will be shown at the Lexington Flick theatre at 7:30 p.m. The short 14 minute film was filmed in Lexington by Lexington resident Rick Beyer and was financed by the Lexington Historical Society.

The documentary portrays the historical events in Lexington leading up to the morning of April 19, 1775 when the "first shot" of the American Revolution was fired on Lexington Green. The film was made possible by the efforts of hundreds of volunteers, including members of the Lexington Minutemen and reenactors wearing the British uniform from the 1st, 4th, 5th and 10th Regiments. The Boston Globe has the story here. The Lexington Flick theatre is located at 1794 Mass. Ave in Lexington center. Tickets are $5 and seats are available in advance by calling 781-862-1700.

D-Day - 6 June 1944

2009-06-06T15:53:00.001-07:00

Landing on the Beach
Today is the 65th anniversary of D-Day, the Allied invasion of Normandy, France during World War II. On this date in 1944 British, American and Canadian army divisions landed on the beaches of Normandy and airborne forces dropped from the skies or landed in glider transports in the countryside. Although German forces knew the invasion was coming, tactical and strategic surprise was achieved.

The German high command delayed their efforts to throw back the invaders into the sea for fear this landing was a ruse with the real invasion coming later to attack the port of Calais. (Calais is only 21 miles from England versus the 110 miles to Normandy). The delay allowed the Allies to gain their foothold on the continent and to ultimately achieve their goal of liberating occupied France and then invade the German homeland. The successful landings at Normandy were the beginning of the defeat of Hitler and the German armies in Western Europe.

General Petraeus Visits the Old North Bridge

2009-06-04T19:55:00.000-07:00

The Concord Minuteman
Daniel Chester French

U.S. Army General David Petraeus paid a visit to the Old North Bridge in Concord this morning for a very special occasion - the General and his wife Holly pinned two new gold 2nd Lieutenants bars on the uniform of his son Stephen at the foot of the statue of the Concord Minuteman. Stephen Petraeus is graduating from MIT in Cambridge with a Bachelors degree in Science and with his successful completion of MIT's ROTC program will also be commissioned as a Reserve officer in the U.S. Army.

As the former commanding General in Iraq, General Petraeus is credited with making marked improvements in U.S./Iraqi security operations in the aftermath of that countries invasion by U.S. led forces. He is currently serving as Commander-in-Chief of Central Command (CENTCOM) which is responsible for U.S. military forces in both Iraq and Afghanistan. General Petraeus has been invited to speak at graduation events at both Harvard and MIT this week.

A Night To Remember

2009-06-02T10:50:00.000-07:00

RMS Titanic

The last survivor of the sinking of the passenger ship RMS Titanic on 14-15 April 1912, Elizabeth Gladys Milvina Dean died on Sunday at the age of 97. Sunday happened to be the anniversary of the launching of the famous steamship in 1911. (Story on Elizabeth Dean here.) Struck by an iceberg in the North Atlantic on its maiden voyage from Southampton, England to New York City, over 1,500 passengers lost their lives when the ship sank in less than three hours.

According to the popular lore of the time, the Titanic was supposedly unsinkable. The catastrophe has been blamed on the negligence of the Captain, traveling at a speeds that was unsafe given the time of year and conditions and even the faulty manufacture of the ships steel and rivets. The loss of life was greatly increased due to a lack of a sufficient number of lifeboats onboard the Titanic.

The Washington Family Tomb

2009-05-27T09:22:00.000-07:00

A View Inside the
Washington Family Tomb
Mount Vernon Estate, Va.

Prior to his death in 1799, George Washington directed that a new family tomb was to be constructed on the grounds of Mount Vernon, his Virginia estate. The new family tomb was built in 1831 and the remains of George and Martha Washington were placed in the new tomb. Requests to move President Washington's sarcophagus to a chamber under the U.S. Capitol building, specifically constructed for Washington's entombment, were denied by the family following the desired wishes of Washington as laid out in his will.

As you face the entrance to the tomb - which is temporarily opened in this photo - George Washington's sarcophagus is on the right, the sarcophagus on the left is, of course, Martha Washington's.

Remembering the Veteran on Memorial Day

2009-05-25T19:54:00.001-07:00

"The Supreme Sacrifice"
Oak Grove Cemetery
230 Playstead Road
Medford, Mass.

This statute of an American Doughboy, entitled "The Supreme Sacrifice", is dedicated to those Americans from Medford who lost their lives in the First World War. The soldier is holding his arms out as in the manner of a cross and is looking up towards the sky. Unlike most statues of this kind the soldier is not holding a weapon. The statues creator, Emilius R. Ciampa (1896-1996) was born in Italy but grew up in Boston's North End.

The bronze statue overlooks the headstones of the Medford Veterans of that long ago war, arranged in neat rows with American flags marking every grave. All of our Veterans of the First World War are gone now, just as in the not too distant future, all of the Veterans of the Second World War will also be gone. That last great war in Europe ended in May 0f 1945 and we owe the men and women who fought in those wars and have kept the peace since then a great debt. Especially those who made the supreme sacrifice.

Grand Re-Opening for Hancock-Clarke House

2009-05-14T09:53:00.000-07:00

Hancock-Clarke House
36 Hancock St.
Lexington, Mass.

The Lexington Historical Society will conduct a grand re-opening celebration for the Hancock-Clarke House in Lexington on Sunday May 17 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The property has just undergone a year long extensive renovation. There will be a ribbon cutting ceremony at 2:00 p.m. and tours of the house will be conducted. Everyone is invited to attend.

George Washington's Mount Vernon Estate

2009-05-09T14:56:00.001-07:00

Mount Vernon
3200 Mt. Vernon Memorial Highway
Mount Vernon, Va.

If the old saying, "home is where the heart is" is true, then George Washington's Mount Vernon estate in Virginia is certainly where his heart could be found.

Originally built in 1757 (upon the foundations of an earlier farmhouse) Mount Vernon is beautifully situated on a bluff overlooking the Potomac River. It was given the name Mount Vernon by Washington's older half-brother Lawrence in honor of British Admiral Edward Vernon.

The mansion and the surrounding outbuildings were extensively renovated throughout Washington's life. Through inheritance, purchase and his marriage to the widower Martha Custis, George Washington eventually became the proprietor of five farms comprising some 8,000 acres of land. Washington spent much of his life overseeing all aspects of the management of his property, determining what crops to grow, hiring artisans and managers, landscaping and later in life, deciding to have a grist mill and distillery built.

Called away to serve his country in the American Revolution (1775-1783) and as the nations first President (1789-1797) Washington gratefully returned to Mount Vernon and spent his last years there. He died on December 14, 1799 after a brief illness and is buried in the family tomb on the estate alongside his wife Martha.

After his death Mount Vernon was not as ably managed and over time the mansion itself fell into disrepair and much of the property was sold off or given to family members. By the 1850's Mount Vernon was desperately in need of new ownership. The property was offered for sale to both the Federal government and the State of Virginia, both of whom declined.

Ann Pamela Cunningham of South Carolina subsequently founded the Mount Vernon Ladies Association in 1853 and in 1858 the Association purchased Mount Vernon, along with 200 acres, from George Washington's heirs. Mount Vernon was given much needed repairs and was first opened to the public in 1860. Since that time George Washington's Mount Vernon has been owned and operated by the Mount Vernon Ladies Association as a non-profit organization operating under the public trust.

Mount Vernon is open to the public 365 days of the year and in addition to tours of the mansion and the grounds, there are shops, a food court, restaurant, a visitors center and museum. Parking is free.

"They Came Three Thousand Miles, and Died..."

2009-04-27T14:19:00.000-07:00

Grave for British Soldiers
Old North Bridge
Monument St.
Concord, Mass.

Not far from the foot of the Old North Bridge there is a stone grave marker for the fallen soldiers of the 4th King's Own Light Company, killed nearby on 19 April 1775. Two British flags are placed in front of the memorial. The marker reads as follows:

Grave of British Soldiers
"They came three thousand miles, and died,
To keep the Past upon its throne:
Unheard, beyond the ocean tide,
Their English mother made her moan."
April 19, 1775

These lines are taken from the poem by James Russell Lowell (1819-1891) of Cambridge, Mass. a graduate of both Harvard College and Harvard Law and an ardent abolitionist.

"Lines, Suggested By the Graves of Two English Soldiers On Concord Battle-Ground" (1849)

The same good blood that now refills
The dotard Orient's shrunken veins,
The same whose vigor westward thrills,
Bursting Nevada's silver chains,
Poured here upon the April grass,
Freckled with red the herbage new;
On reeled the battle's trampling mass,
Back to the ash the bluebird flew.

Poured here in vain;--that sturdy blood
Was meant to make the earth more green,
But in a higher, gentler mood
Than broke this April noon serene;
Two graves are here: to mark the place,
At head and foot, an unhewn stone,
O'er which the herald lichens trace
The blazon of Oblivion.

These men were brave enough, and true
To the hired soldier's bull-dog creed;
What brought them here they never knew,
They fought as suits the English breed:
They came three thousand miles, and died,
To keep the Past upon its throne:
Unheard, beyond the ocean tide,
Their English mother made her moan.

The turf that covers them no thrill
Sends up to fire the heart and brain;
No stronger purpose nerves the will,
No hope renews its youth again:
From farm to farm the Concord glides,
And trails my fancy with its flow;
O'erhead the balanced hen-hawk slides,
Twinned in the river's heaven below.

But go, whose Bay State bosom stirs,
Proud of thy birth and neighbor's right,
Where sleep the heroic villagers
Borne red and stiff from Concord fight;
Thought Reuben, snatching down his gun,
Or Seth, as ebbed the life away,
What earthquake rifts would shoot and run
World-wide from that short April fray?

What then? With heart and hand they wrought,
According to their village light;
'Twas for the Future that they fought,
Their rustic faith in what was right.
Upon earth's tragic stage they burst
Unsummoned, in the humble sock;
Theirs the fifth act; the curtain first
Rose long ago on Charles's block.

Their graves have voices; if they threw
Dice charged with fates beyond their ken,
Yet to their instincts they were true,
And had the genius to be men.
Fine privilege of Freedom's host,
Of humblest soldiers for the Right!
--Age after age ye hold your post,
Your graves send courage forth, and might.

Jason Russell House Reenactment

2009-04-17T20:31:00.000-07:00

Jason Russell House
7 Jason St.
Arlington, Mass.

This Sunday (April 19) from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. there will be an reenactment of the brutal fighting that took place at the Jason Russell house, in what is now Arlington, on April 19, 1775. On that date eleven members of the Colonial militia and two British Regulars were killed on the property. Jason Russell was among those killed. This event is being hosted by the Arlington Historical Society and the Menotomy Minutemen.

Battles of Lexington and Concord

2009-04-15T10:41:00.000-07:00

The Concord Minuteman
Minuteman Nat. Historical Park
Concord, Mass.

This coming weekend (April 18-20) will be a very busy weekend for Revolutionary War Reenactors and the general public interested in viewing several events marking the Battles of Lexington and Concord fought on 19 April 1775.

On Saturday morning there will be an event at the Old North Bridge, Concord in Minute Man National Historical Park where again Colonial Militia will drive off the British Regulars. This will be followed by action near the Hartwell Tavern in Lincoln where retreating British soldiers will be subject to harassing "fire" from several companies of militia. Finally a battle reenacting the meeting up with Percy's relief column will take place in Tower Park, Lexington at around 3:00 p.m.

Very early Monday morning, April 20 (Patriot's Day) the Lexington Training Band will defy the odds and make their brave stand against the British Regulars representing His Royal Majesty, King George III. Their efforts will again be in vain as the Regulars clear Lexington Green before continuing onto their mission in Concord. The Lexington Green reenactment is followed by short intermission (a pancake breakfast) and then there will be a special event at the Old North Bridge in Concord to commemorate those who lost their lives on April 19, 1775, at the original bridge.

The King's Own will be in the midst of all this action, along with many other units representing British Regulars and Colonial militia. A full schedule of these events and many more is listed here.

Barrett Farm

2009-04-13T08:01:00.000-07:00

Barrett Farm
448 Barret's Mill Road
Concord, Mass.

There will be an open house at Barrett Farm in Concord this Sunday and Monday (April 19-20) from 10 to 3 p.m. This historic farm house, built in 1720, was home to Col. Barrett of the Middlesex Militia on 19 April 1775 when British Regulars searched his property for military munitions and stores. The household had already been warned of the approaching soldiers and had managed to hide gunpowder and even some brass cannon in the newly plowed fields. Col. Barrett led his men in an attack against the Regulars at the North Bridge and "the shot heard round the world" was fired.

Legislation was passed in the Senate March 30 to allow Minute Man National Historical Park to extend its boundaries and to purchase the Barrett Farm and other nearby properties. This Friday various dignitaries, including Congresswoman Tsongas, will be at Barrett Farm to celebrate the new legislation. The public is invited. These stories here.

The Barrett Farm is currently undergoing extensive renovations and is owned and operated by the Save Our Heritage, Inc. .

Col. Smith Receives His Orders

2009-04-12T10:41:00.000-07:00

Lt. Gen. Thomas Gage

On 18 April 1775 Gen. Gage, commander of British forces in Boston, gave his orders to Col. Smith of the 10th Regiment of Foot to lead an expeditionary force to Concord and seize the Colonial "Artillery, Ammunition, Provisions, Tents, Small Arms, and all Military Stores" that were being kept there.
His orders were as follows:

To Lieut. Colonel Smith
10th Regiment of Foot
Boston, April 18, 1775

Sir,

Having received intelligence, that a quantity of Ammunition, Provisions, Artillery, Tents and small Arms, have been collected at Concord, for the Avowed Purpose of raising and supporting a Rebellion against His Majesty, you will March with a Corps of Grenadiers and Light Infantry, put under your Command, with the utmost expedition and Secrecy to Concord, where you will seize and distroy all Artillery, Ammunition, Provisions, Tents, Small Arms and all military Stores whatever. But you will take care that the Soldiers do not plunder the Inhabitants, or hurt private property.

You have a Draught of Concord, on which is marked the Houses, Barns, &c, which contain the above military Stores. You will order a Trunion to be knocked off each Gun, but if its found impracticable on any, they must be spiked, and the Carriages destroyed. The Powder and flower must be shook out of the Barrels into the River, the Tents burnt, Pork or Beef destroyed in the best way you can devise. And the Men may put Balls of lead in their pockets, throwing them by degrees into Ponds, Ditches &c., but no Quantity together, so that they may be recovered afterwards. If you meet any Brass Artillery, you will order their muzzles to be beat in so as to render them useless.

You will observe by the Draught that it will be necessary to secure the two Bridges as soon as possible, you will therefore Order a party of the best Marchers, to go on with expedition for the purpose.

A small party of Horseback is ordered out to stop all advice of your March getting to Concord before you, and a small number of Artillery go out in Chaises to wait for you on the road, with Sledge Hammers, Spikes, &c.

You will open your business and return with the Troops, as soon as possible, with I must leave to your own Judgment and Discretion.

I am, Sir,
Your most obedient humble servant
Thos. Gage.

Interestingly enough, although Col. Smiths orders were quite explicit, there is no mention in these orders to seek out and capture the two rebel leaders Samuel Adams and John Hancock. This was one of the concerns uppermost in the minds of the members of the Committee of Safety and Paul Revere had been dispatched on April 18 to warn the two men who were staying in Lexington at this time.

Lincoln Shot on Good Friday

2009-04-10T09:21:00.000-07:00

Tonight at 9:00 p.m. on PBS Channel 2 in Boston, Bill Moyer hosts a special on Abraham Lincoln on his show, Bill Moyer's Journal. This special event program, Lincoln's Legend and Legacy, has been created and is being brought to television through the efforts of actor Sam Waterson and historian Harold Holzer.

Today being Good Friday is an anniversary of sorts as Abraham Lincoln was shot on Good Friday, April 14, 1865 at Fords Theatre in Washington, D.C. Lincoln was seated in his private balcony box watching a performance of "Our American Cousin" when the stage actor and Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes Booth fired a single shot into his head. Booth escaped from the theatre and was later caught and killed after a massive manhunt.

President Abraham Lincoln died from his wound on April 15, 1865, just six days after Gen. Robert E. Lee had surrendered his Army of Northern of Virginia at Appomattox Court House in Virginia.

"To the Shores of Tripoli."

2009-04-08T20:52:00.000-07:00

"From the halls of Montezuma,
To the shores of Tripoli;"

The second line in the first stanza of the Marine Corps hymn refers to the the port of Tripoli in North Africa and the role the U.S. Marines played in the Barbary Wars, a conflict where a reborn U.S. Navy fought against the Barbary Pirates. The Pirates of the Barbary Coast for hundreds of years preyed on the merchant shipping in the Mediterranean demanding ransom and tribute from the nations of Europe. Once the 13 American colonies became independent of Great Britain, the American merchant fleet was also subject to attack from the North African corsairs.

Upon the conclusion of hostilities with Britain, it was felt that there was no longer a need for an American navy. The fighting men of the Navy were cashiered and their ships were sold or given away. But as a new nation with a long coastline and a large merchant marine the United States found itself in a very vulnerable position. Americas first threat was from French privateers, which led to an undeclared war against France (1798-1800). The U.S. then had to deal with the Barbary pirates.

The large American merchant fleet sailing in the Mediterranean was a tempting target for the pirates. American sailing ships were captured and the men on board were held for ransom and kept in dungeons, subject to horrible living conditions. In response to these events and others in 1794 the U.S. had passed an act authorizing a new American Navy. Six large heavy frigates, including the U.S.S. Constitution, were ordered to be built and the American Navy and its Corps of Marines was reborn.

The Foot of the Rocks

2009-04-04T07:13:00.000-07:00

The Foot of the Rocks
Lowell St. and Mass. Ave.
Arlington, Mass.

Some of the heaviest fighting to take place on April 19, 1775 between British Regulars and Colonial militia took place at the Foot of the Rocks (and the Jason Russell house) in what was formerly the village of Menotomy. In this small park in Arlington a plaque marks the site of the Foot of the Rocks and states, in part: "The valor of all those who fell and those who fought on, consecrated the Foot of the Rocks in 1775. We dedicate this field to their memory so that their courage will live on. The Arlington Bicentennial Planning Committee April 19, 1976."

Phineas Upman House

2009-04-03T09:11:00.000-07:00

The Phineas Upham House
255 Upham Road
Melrose, Mass.

The Phineas Upham House is a Colonial Salt box style home built in 1703 in what was then called North Malden. Phineas Upham was a descendant of John Upham who arrived in Boston in 1635.

At one time in the early 1900's the house served as a "Tea Room" that offered on its menu light refreshments, lunches and "six o'clock suppers".

With the aid of a $400,000 grant from the Massachusetts Historical Commision, in the past few years the property has undergone extensive renovations. A new barn, built using the old joint and mortice style, was added to the property in 2007. That story here.

The Phineas Upham House is owned and maintained by the Upham Family Trust, an organization with over two hundred members nation wide. The property is listed with the
National Register of Historical Places.

Boardman House

2009-04-01T21:07:00.000-07:00

Boardman House
17 Howard St.
Saugus, Mass. 01906

The Boardman House in Saugus is an excellent and rare example of a surviving first period home. Built by William Boardman in 1692, many of its original features are still intact. The home is registered as a National Historic Landmark and is owned and maintained by Historic New England . The house is open to the public for tours six days a year. The next public tour will be on Saturday June 6 from 11:00 to 3:00 p.m. when admission to the house will be free.

Paul Revere Capture Site

2009-03-30T10:39:00.000-07:00

Minute Man Nat. Historical Park
Marrett Rd. (Rt. 2A)
Lincoln, Mass.

Inside Minute Man National Historical Park , right on Route 2A, is this small display that marks the approximate spot where Paul Revere, William Dawes and Dr. Samuel Prescott were stopped by a British patrol as the three men were headed towards Concord in the early morning hours of 19 April 1775. Both Dawes and Prescott managed to escape but Revere was taken prisoner by the British soldiers. The marker in the center of the display reads as follows:

"At this Point, on the old Concord road as it then was, ended the midnight ride of Paul Revere". He had, at about two o'clock of the morning of April 19, 1775, the night being clear and the moon in its third quarter, got thus far on his way from Lexington to Concord, alarming the inhabitants as he went, when he and his companions, William Dawes, of Boston, and Dr. Samuel Prescott, of Concord, were suddenly halted by a British patrol, who had stationed themselves at this bend of the road. Dawes, turning back, made his escape. Prescott, clearing the stone wall, and following a path known to him through the low ground, regained the highway at a point further on, and gave the alarm at Concord. Revere tried to reach the neighboring wood, but was intercepted by a party of officers accompanying the patrol, detained and kept in arrest. Presently he was carried by the patrol back to Lexington. There released, and that morning joined Hancock and Adams. Three men of Lexington, Sanderson, Brown and Loring, stopped at an earlier hour of the night by the same patrol, were also taken back with Revere.

Paul Revere's version of this story, from a written and corrected deposition taken down in 1775, is a little more colorful:

We set off for Concord, and were overtaken by a young gentleman named Prescot, who belonged to Concord, and was going home. When we had got about half way from Lexington to Concord, the other two stopped at a house to awake the men, I kept along. When I had got about 200 yards ahead of them, I saw two officers as before. I called to my company to come up, saying here was two of them, (for I had told them what Mr. Devens told me, and of my being stopped). In an instant I saw four of them, who rode up to me with their pistols in their bands, said ''G---d d---n you, stop. If you go an inch further, you are a dead man.''

Immediately Mr. Prescot came up. We attempted to get through them, but they kept before us, and swore if we did not turn in to that pasture, they would blow our brains out, (they had placed themselves opposite to a pair of bars, and had taken the bars down). They forced us in. When we had got in, Mr. Prescot said ''Put on!'' He took to the left, I to the right towards a wood at the bottom of the pasture, intending, when I gained that, to jump my horse and run afoot. Just as I reached it, out started six officers, seized my bridle, put their pistols to my breast, ordered me to dismount, which I did. One of them, who appeared to have the command there, and much of a gentleman, asked me where I came from; I told him. He asked what time I left . I told him, he seemed surprised, said ''Sir, may I crave your name?'' I answered ''My name is Revere. ''What'' said he, ''Paul Revere''? I answered ''Yes.'' The others abused much; but he told me not to be afraid, no one should hurt me. I told him they would miss their aim. He said they should not, they were only waiting for some deserters they expected down the road. I told him I knew better, I knew what they were after; that I had alarmed the country all the way up, that their boats were caught aground, and I should have 500 men there soon. One of them said they had 1500 coming; he seemed surprised and rode off into the road, and informed them who took me, they came down immediately on a full gallop.

One of them (whom I since learned was Major Mitchel of the 5th Reg.) clapped his pistol to my head, and said he was going to ask me some questions, and if I did not tell the truth, he would blow my brains out. I told him I esteemed myself a man of truth, that he had stopped me on the highway, and made me a prisoner, I knew not by what right; I would tell him the truth; I was not afraid. He then asked me the same questions that the other did, and many more, but was more particular; I gave him much the same answers. He then ordered me to mount my horse, they first searched me for pistols. When I was mounted, the Major took the reins out of my hand, and said ''By G---d Sir, you are not to ride with reins I assure you''; and gave them to an officer on my right, to lead me. He then ordered 4 men out of the bushes, and to mount their horses; they were country men which they had stopped who were going home; then ordered us to march. He said to me, ''We are now going towards your friends, and if you attempt to run, or we are insulted, we will blow your brains out.'' When we had got into the road they formed a circle, and ordered the prisoners in the center, and to lead me in the front. We rode towards Lexington at a quick pace; they very often insulted me calling me rebel, etc., etc. After we had got about a mile, I was given to the sergeant to lead, he was ordered to take out his pistol, (he rode with a hanger,) and if I ran, to execute the major's sentence.

When we got within about half a mile of the Meeting House we heard a gun fired. The Major asked me what it was for, I told him to alarm the country; he ordered the four prisoners to dismount, they did, then one of the officers dismounted and cut the bridles and saddles off the horses, and drove them away, and told the men they might go about their business. I asked the Major to dismiss me, he said he would carry me, let the consequence be what it will. He then ordered us to march.When we got within sight of the Meeting House, we heard a volley of guns fired, as I supposed at the tavern, as an alarm; the Major ordered us to halt, he asked me how far it was to Cambridge, and many more questions, which I answered. He then asked the sergeant, if his horse was tired, he said yes; he ordered him to take my horse. I dismounted, and the sergeant mounted my horse; they cut the bridle and saddle of the sergeant's horse, and rode off down the road. I then went to the house were I left Messrs. Adams and Hancock, and told them what had happened; their friends advised them to go out of the way; I went with them, about two miles across road.

After resting myself, I set off with another man to go back to the tavern, to inquire the news; when we got there, we were told the troops were within two miles. We went into the tavern to get a trunk of papers belonging to Col. Hancock. Before we left the house, I saw the ministerial troops from the chamber window. We made haste, and had to pass through our militia, who were on a green behind the Meeting House, to the number as I supposed, about 50 or 60, I went through them; as I passed I heard the commanding officer speak to his men to this purpose; ''Let the troops pass by, and don't molest them, without they begin first.'' I had to go across road; but had not got half gunshot off, when the ministerial troops appeared in sight, behind the Meeting House. They made a short halt, when one gun was fired. I heard the report, turned my head, and saw the smoke in front of the troops. They immediately gave a great shout, ran a few paces, and then the whole fired. I could first distinguish irregular firing, which I supposed was the advance guard, and then platoons; at this time I could not see our militia, for they were covered from me by a house at the bottom of the street. s/PAUL REVERE.

Adjacent to the Capture site is a small parking lot and a dirt foot path that leads into the Park.

Isaac Hall House

2009-03-29T10:35:00.000-07:00

Isaac Hall House
43 High St.
Medford, Mass.

This historic building on High St. in Medford was built in 1720 and was home to Captain Isaac Hall, the company commander of the Medford Minute Men in 1775. Paul Revere stopped here on the night of 18 April 1775 and awoke Capt. Hall, warning him that the "Regulars" were out.

Here is the stanza from Longfellow's famous poem "Paul Revere's Ride", that describes Revere passing through Medford that evening:

It was twelve by the village clock
When he crossed the bridge into Medford town.
He heard the crowing of the cock,
And the barking of the farmer's dog,
And felt the damp of the river fog,
That rises after the sun goes down.

This building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. The Isaac Hall house is currently the site of the Gaffney Funeral Home.

Historic Museums Re-open for the Season

2009-03-28T08:16:00.000-07:00

Buckman Tavern
One Bedford St.
Lexington, Mass.

Next Saturday (April 4) the Lexington Historical Society's three Revolutionary War era museums in Lexington will re-open for the season offering tours to the general public.

Buckman Tavern, located just across from Lexington Green, will be open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., with tours every half hour. The Hancock-Clarke house at 36 Hancock St. and the Munroe Tavern, 1332 Mass. Ave, will only be open weekends, but starting June 15 they will be open daily with tours on the hour. The Hancock-Clarke house opens at 10:00 am and Munroe Tavern opens at noon.

Tickets good for all three (First Shot Tickets) are available at any one of the three house museums and are $10.00 for a adult and $6.00 per child. Children under the age of six and Lexington Historical Society members are admitted free of charge. Tickets to visit just one of the properties are also available. Tours of these historic house museums will end (until next season) on November 1. You can call 781-862-5598 for more information.

The Old Belfry

2009-03-27T06:54:00.000-07:00

The Old Belfry
Belfry Hill
Clarke St. and Mass. Ave.
Lexington, Mass.
The Old Belfry in Lexington was first built on its present day site in 1761. The bell in its peak was intended to be used as an alarm bell to warn of imminent attack, fire and other emergencies as well as the death of a member of the community.

The Belfry was moved in 1768 to Lexington Green. On the morning of April 19, 1775 the bell was rung to call out the Lexington militia and to warn of the approaching British Regulars.

The Old Belfry finally was moved back to its original location overlooking Lexington Green in 1891 by the Lexington Historical Society. In 1909 it was destroyed by a strong gale. It was rebuilt in 1910.

Lock, Stock and Barrel

2009-03-25T22:06:00.000-07:00

Lock, Stock and Barrel
Crowne Plaza Hotel
King of Prussia, Pennsylvania

The Friends of Valley Forge Park is hosting a symposium this weekend (March 27-29) on the American Revolution. Guests will be staying at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Prussia, Pennsylvania which is a short distance from Valley Forge National Historical Park.

Well-known writers and historians such as Thomas Fleming, James L. Kochan and Tom McGuire will be in attendance. In addition to attending the lectures and programs at the hotel, a visit to Valley Forge and an exclusive look-behind-the-scenes of its museum is included in the weekend. More information about the weekend can be found here.

Subjects to be covered include programs on General George Washington, the making of the American Army and the roles played by African-Americans and women during America's War for Independence. All of these sessions are taught by experts in the field.

Unfortunately I won't be in attendance this weekend, but if I was there are two programs in particular that I would want to sit in on. (As it so happens, they are being held at the same time so I would have had to choose.)

The first program deals with the Lexington and Concord alarm of 19 April 1775 and it examines the primary evidence for the events of that day. Jim Hollister from Minute Man National Historical Park here in Massachusetts is the guest speaker.

The second program deals with the dress and accoutrement's of the British Army in Philadelphia in 1777. Here is the program description:

Howe’s Redcoats: The Dress and Military Equipage of the British Army during the 1777 Philadelphia Campaign. James L. Kochan presents the uniforms, arms, and personal gear of the British soldier during this session from initial procurement and issue to field modification, using 18th century records and correspondence, surviving artifacts, and period artwork.

This sounds like a great weekend for historians, teachers, reenactors and for anyone else interested in the history of the American Revolution. Maybe next year (if there is a similar event) I'll give a first-hand review of the weekend.

The Hartwell Tavern

2009-03-23T10:01:00.001-07:00

The Hartwell Tavern
Minute Man Nat. Historical Park
Marrett Rd. (Rt. 2A)
Lincoln, Mass.

The Hartwell Home and Tavern, located in MMNHP in Lincoln, was built by Ephraim Hartwell in 1732-33. Situated right on Battle Road on April 19, 1775 British Regulars passed by the tavern both going to Concord and on the way back to Boston. The Hartwell Tavern has been restored by the National Park Service to its original 18th. century appearance.

The Golden Ball Tavern

2009-03-19T20:56:00.000-07:00

Golden Ball Tavern
662 Boston Post Road
Weston, Mass. 02493
781-894-1751

The Golden Ball Tavern in Weston was built in 1768 and was operated as a tavern on the old Boston Post Road from 1770 -1793. The original owner, Isaac Jones, was an important man in his community but in 1775 he was also a well-known Tory.

In February of 1775 Isaac gave tea and comfort to two British Army officers, Captain John Brown and Ensign Henry De Berniere along with their "batman" John, who had been sent out of Boston by General Gage on a secret mission to scout the countryside. Gen. Gage was seeking intelligence on the state of the roads in anticipation of sending an expeditionary force either to Concord or Worcester to seize colonial stores of powder and arms.

Having almost been discovered and captured in their mission, returning from Worcester in a winter storm the three men again received the hospitality of the Golden Ball's tavern keeper. He allowed the men to warm up and get some rest before guiding them back onto the road to Boston. Jones later had a change of heart and became a supporter of independence and worked for the Continental Army during the Revolution.

The Golden Ball Tavern remained in the Jones family until the 1960's when the Golden Ball Tavern Trust was established. The Tavern is open for tours (by appointment only) and for special events, such as their annual outdoor antique show and sale. A more complete history of the Tavern is told here.

St. Patrick's Day

2009-03-17T09:39:00.000-07:00

Today is March 17 the traditional date commemorating St. Patrick's Day, the official Saint of Ireland. St. Patrick was born in what is now England and was a citizen of the Roman Empire. He was kidnapped by Irish raiders and then taken back to Ireland where he lived for six years. Escaping back to England he became a Christian and then returned to Ireland to "spread the word". At the time of his death Ireland, formerly an island dominated by pagan Celtic tribes, had become almost totally Christian.

Today is also Evacuation Day, a holiday celebrated in Boston and Suffolk County in Massachusetts. Evacuation Day marks the anniversary of the British Army and Navy's forced withdrawal from the occupied town of Boston in 1776. This was Gen. Washington's first victory of the American Revolution.

Tales of a Wayside Inn

2009-03-14T21:31:00.001-07:00

The Wayside Inn
72 Wayside Inn Rd.
Sudbury, Ma. 01776

The Wayside Inn and Tavern has been in existence since 1716 when David Howe first opened his home to travelers. Located on the old Boston Post Road the Inn was ideally located for farmers bringing their livestock and produce to market and to travelers from Connecticut, New York and other points south.

In the period just before the American Revolution the proprietor of the Inn was Ezekiel Howe, a Lt. Colonel in the Sudbury militia. The Howe Tavern, as it was known then, was a popular gathering spot for the local militia as talk of insurrection spread throughout Massachusetts. On the morning of 19 April 1775, in response to a call out to arms, Col. Howe led the Sudbury militia to Concord Bridge to fight the British Regulars. The present-day Sudbury Militia recreates this in a pre-dawn march through Sudbury and Wayland every year on April 19. The recreated Sudbury
Militia holds its meeting at the Wayside Inn and the metal tankards of its retired Colonels can be found hung from the rafters in the Inn's taproom.

George Washington passed by the old Inn in June of 1775 as he made his way to Cambridge to accept command of the new Continental Army. A slate marker just in front of the Wayside Inn commemorates this event.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, the Cambridge poet and professor at Harvard College, wrote a series of poems set in the Inn. The poems, called "Tales of a Wayside Inn", consisted of a series of stories spun by fictional characters at a Sudbury Inn where "The Red Horse prances on the sign." The Inn formerly know as Howe's Tavern became the Wayside Inn in recognition of Longfellow's poem.

With the advent of the stage coach as a regular means of travel the Inn again became an important way-station between Worcester and Boston. But in the early 1900's as the automobile became more and more popular, an historic Inn like the Wayside was easily bypassed by travelers who were able to make much better time on the road with the new "horseless carriages".

Ironically it was Henry Ford, the founder of Ford Motor Company, who gave the Inn new life when he acquired the property. Fords plans to create a "living history" community never came to fruition but he established the charter under which the Inn operates today. He also was responsible for moving the old school house and the chapel onto the property and had the grist mill built. The mill still is in operation today and has a miller on site.

The British Union flag flying at the entrance is part of another old tradition at the Wayside. The British flag is flown daily until the 19th of April of every year when a new revolutionary (American) flag is flown.

Visitors to the Wayside Inn on "Patriot's Day" have been known to meet up with "William Dawes" (actually a re-enactor) who stopped in for a pint after his exertions of alerting the citizens throughout the countryside to the fact that the "Regulars were out".

The Wayside Inn is located just off Boston Post Road (Rt. 20) in Sudbury on its own private road. The Inn is still operated as a non-profit enterprise with an educational purpose. The Inn welcomes overnight guests as well as those who enjoy the Wayside's restaurant, which serves excellent New England style fare, its gift shop, the tap room and its historic ambiance.

British Soldiers Graves Found in Charlestown?

2009-03-11T08:49:00.000-07:00

Bunker Hill Monument
43 Monument Sq.
Charlestown, Mass.

A recent article in the Boston Globe relates the story of the work being done by two men in surveying the layout of present day Charlestown and its relationship to the same landscape during the Battle of Bunker Hill on June 17, 1775. Local Charlestown historian Chris Anderson and Erik Goldstein, a curator at Colonial Williamsburg, have located what they believe to be the gravesites of British soldiers killed during the fighting in the backyards of several Charlestown residents. The British soldiers were buried in the aftermath of the battle in a massgrave in some of the trenches constructed by the Colonial militia. J.L. Bell does his usual excellent work discussing this story in his blog Boston 1775.

Tea for Two...

2009-03-06T09:51:00.000-08:00

Hancock-Clarke House
36 Hancock St.
Lexington, Mass.

The Lexington Historical Society is offering what they are calling a Once-in-a-Lifetime opportunity to dine at the historic 1737 Hancock-Clarke house in Lexington. As part of a fund raising effort to support the recent extensive renovation of the property, the Historical Society is opening the house on Sunday March 29 from 3 to 5 p.m. to a limited number of people. Participants will have the opportunity to tour the home and enjoy gourmet tea and finger food in the Rev. Clarke's dining room or the Hancock-Adams room. Tickets are $75 for members, $85 for non-members. Call 781-862-1703 for reservations.

Boston Massacre Reenactment

2009-03-05T09:25:00.000-08:00

The Boston Massacre
Old State House
Boston, Mass.
Today marks the 239th anniversary of the infamous Boston Massacre where British Regulars opened fire upon an unruly Boston mob, killing five civilians. To mark this event the Boston Historical Society is hosting its annual reenactment of the Massacre this Saturday (March 7). The reenactment is free to the public and takes place just outside the Old State House from 7:00 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. The Old State House is located at the intersection of Washington and State St. (formerly King St.) in downtown Boston.

George Washington Born

2009-02-22T07:11:00.001-08:00

George Washington at Princeton
Charles Wilson Peale (1779)

On this date in 1732 George Washington was born in Westmoreland County, Virginia. Often referred to as the "Father of our country" Washington was the Commanding General of the Continental Army during the American Revolution and was instrumental in winning our independence from Great Britain. He was called upon yet again by his countrymen when he was unanimously elected as our first President in 1789. Washington served two four-year terms in office before retiring a final time to his Mt. Vernon, Va. estate. He died on 14 December 1799 after a brief illness.

"The Patriot"

2009-02-19T14:31:00.000-08:00

The Patriot
Great Road
Bedford, Mass.

This statue, titled The Patriot, represents a Bedford Militia Man carrying the famous Bedford Flag into battle, presumably on 19 April 1775. (The Bedford flag was a battle flag made for the Bedford Militia in the early 18th century). According to popular tradition, the flag was carried by Minute Man Nathaniel Page to the Concord North Bridge where the Bedford Minute Men saw action against British Regulars on that date.

The statue, made by sculptor Bruce Papitto, was commissioned by the Bedford Cultural Council and was erected in the year 2000. It can be found in a park diagonally across from the Bedford Post Office located at 158 Great Road Bedford, Mass.

Battle Reenactment Canceled Due To Protests

2009-02-18T13:32:00.000-08:00

The Death of General Wolfe
Benjamin West (1770)

It was announced yesterday by the Canadian National Battlefields Commission that the 250th anniversary re-enactment of the 1759 Battle of the Plains of Abraham planned to take place this summer in the city of Quebec, Canada has been canceled due to safety concerns. Radical French-separatists in the city and province had vehemently opposed the commemoration of this important battle that led to the defeat of French forces and gave Great Britain final control over Canada. The threat of protests and even violence against anyone taking part in the re-enactment led the Commission to their decision. The story is more fully told here.

As this is a non-political blog, I won't comment on what I think about this situation in Quebec.

Abraham Lincolns Birthday

2009-02-12T09:15:00.000-08:00

Today is the 200th anniversary of the birthday of Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth president of the United States. Upon his election to office in 1860 the long simmering differences between the north and the south over the issue of slavery quickly turned into an open conflict. Even before Lincoln was sworn into office, state legislatures in the south began to pass legislation calling for secession from the Union.

On April 12, 1861 with the firing on Ft. Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina President Lincoln issued an executive order to the states to call out their volunteer militias t0 put down this rebellion. This caused the last holdovers in the south to choose sides and many chose to defend their home states against this "aggression" from the North.

Most famously U.S. Army Col. Robert E. Lee of Virginia, who had been offered command of the Federal forces, assumed command of the Northern Army of Virginia in 1862 and fought for the Confederate States of America. His divided loyalties was just one example of many and a bloody civil war of brother against brother ensued. The American Civil War, or the War between the States, lasted for four years and the fighting cost the lives of over 600,000 Americans on the battlefield.

Medford Militia respond to the Alarm

2009-01-21T14:36:00.000-08:00

Memorial dedicated to the
Medford Minute Men
Hillside Ave. and High St.
Medford, Mass. 02155

This memorial plaque on the corner of Hillside Ave. and High St. in Medford - in front of the Medford Library - has the following inscriptions and gives the muster roll of the Medford Minute Men who fought on April 19, 1775:

(The plaque lists the names in alphabetical order with last name first. I have taken the liberty of listing the names in the more familar style with the christian (given) name first, followed by the family name).

Roster of the first Company Of Minute Men Who Assembled in Medford at the call of Paul Revere and Engaged in the Battle of April 19, 1775

Jacob Bredin, William Binford, Andrew Blanchard Jr. , Aaron Blanchard Jr. , Andrew Bradshaw, Thomas Bradshaw, Lieut. Caleb Brooks, James Bucknam Jr. , John Bucknam, Abel Butterfield, John Callender, John Clark, Joseph Clefton, Richard Cole, Daniel Conery, Peter Conery, Isaac Cooch, Jonathon Davis, Paul Dexter, William Piper Farrington, Andrew Floyd, John Francis Jr. , Corp. Jonathan Greenleaf, David Hadley, Moses Hadley, Samuel Hadley Jr. , Francis Hall, Captain Isaac Hall, Sergeant Moses Hall, Ensign Stephen Hall 4th, Drummer Timothy Hall Jr. , John Kemp, Jonathan Lawrence, William Polly, Sergeant Thomas Pritchard, Eleazer Putnam, Abel Richardson, Benjamin Savels, Thomas Savels, John Smith, Corporal Gersham Teel, Jonathan Teel, Daniel Tufts, Ebenezer Tufts, James Tufts Jr. , Corporal John Tufts, Jonathan Tufts, Sergeant Isaac Tufts, Peter Tufts Jr. , Samuel Tufts, Samuel Tufts 3rd. , David Vinton, Thomas Wakefield, Isaac Watson

Henry Putnam - Aged 62 - Killed in Action

ERECTED BY THE CITY OF MEDFORD ON THE ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY TO COMMEMORATE THEIR VALIANT SERVICE IN THE CAUSE OF LIBERTY

There are a number of things of interest in this muster roll. First of all, many members of this Minute Man Company were related to one another, which must have made it a tight knit group.

Secondly, the Minute Man Companies had been established to answer the call to arms on a "minutes notice", making them a kind of elite force (with known "revolutionary" leanings) within the Massachusetts militia. So it is interesting to notice how many members of this company were drawn from some of Medford's most prominent families, such as the Brooks and Tufts family's.

George Washington Sworn in as First President

2009-01-20T10:44:00.001-08:00

Geo. Washington

Almost 220 years ago, on April 30 1789, George Washington was sworn in as the first President of the United States. The oath of office was administered by Chancellor Robert R. Livingstone, a fellow Mason, at Federal Hall on a balcony off the Senate Chamber, overlooking Wall St. in New York city. (The Bible used in the ceremony belonged to the local Masons Lodge). The oath of office, as specified in Article II, Section I of the U.S. Constitution, reads as follows:

"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

Washington's Farewell Address

2009-01-19T10:15:00.000-08:00

President Washington

Coming to the end of his second term in office, in September of 1796 newspapers across America published what came to be known as President George Washington's "Farewell Address". Although it was written in the form of a speech it was never delivered in public.

In this final address before entering private life, Washington gives a noteworthy and memorable "speech". Among other things, he mentions the importance of maintaining the union, talks of the "insidious wiles of foreign influence", to beware the dangers of party politics and to "cherish public credit." Much of the speech was directed towards future presidential administrations and generations of Americans to come, but unfortunately, President Washington's wise and prophetic advice has been all too often ignored.

Washington's Christmas Crossing

2008-12-24T12:55:00.000-08:00

Washington Crossing the Delaware
Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze (1816-1868)

On the evening of December 25, 1776, General George Washington marshaled some 2,400 men on the banks of the Delaware River across from New Jersey. It was a very cold and snowy evening and the river was full of ice. Relying heavily upon the efforts of the 14th Continental Regiment (Col. Glover's Regiment) Washington's small army was ferried across the river. After a difficult crossing the troops were then divided into two commands and then marched over poor roads to the outskirts of the town of Trenton. In the early morning hours of December 26th the Americans launched an attack upon the three Regiments of Hessian soldiers that were garrisoned in the small town.

According to legend the Hessian troops were feeling the ill effects of a night of Christmas revelry and were unable to defend themselves. In fact the Hessian soldiers put up a stiff fight but they were taken by surprise by the attack and were overwhelmed by the Continental forces surrounding them. The Hessian commander, Col. Rall, was mortally wounded in the fighting and died shortly afterwards surrounded by his American captors.

The defeat of the Hessian's at Trenton gave the rebel cause a much needed boost. In a year that began with much promise - the British Army's forced evacuation of Boston - the American Army had suffered a series of defeats. After losing major battles at Brooklyn, Harlem Heights and White Plains and a number of other losses, by December 1776 Thomas Paine's famous words, "these are the times that try men's souls", were especially apt. Although a small victory, it was a victory none the less. Washington's army now had the impetus to go forward into the New Year.

Washington's crossing of the Delaware is recreated every year by some very dedicated Revolutionary War Reenactors at Washington Crossing Historic Park in Pennsylvania on December 25. This event is sponsored by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. Here is a story out of Philadelphia about the reenactment and the man portraying Gen. Washington.

Great explosion in Halifax, Nova Scotia

2008-12-20T10:05:00.001-08:00

Boston's Official
Christmas Tree

On the morning of December 6, 1917 a French cargo ship loaded with munitions collided in Halifax, Nova Scotia's harbor with another vessel filled with supplies for the war effort (WWI). The resultant explosion killed over 1,900 people and thousands more were wounded. This accidental explosion is still considered one of the greatest man-made non-nuclear explosions ever created.

Relief efforts were marshaled from all over eastern Canada and a special train filled with medical personnel and much needed supplies was sent from Boston to provide further aid. This gesture of goodwill from the people of Boston has never been forgotten in Nova Scotia. For the past 37 years the people of Nova Scotia have been donating a tree to the City of Boston to become the city's official Christmas tree.

These Christmas trees are between 40-50 feet high and are specially chosen from trees grown in Nova Scotia for proper appearance and are donated by private individuals. This years Christmas tree is a 46-foot white spruce which was dedicated in a joint City of Boston/Nova Scotia official lighting ceremony on the Boston Common December 4, 2008.

Boston Tea Party

2008-12-16T09:53:00.001-08:00

The Boston Tea Party took place on this date in 1773. Protesting the British tax on tea a well-organized Boston mob took possession of three East India merchant ships docked at Griffin Wharf in Boston Harbor. Disguised as Mohawk Indians the ships were boarded and the cargo of tea was brought up out of the holds of each vessel, un-crated and then dumped into Boston Harbor. The estimated value of the tea, at that time, was over 10,000 pounds.

The Boston Tea Party (a term that only came in use many years afterward) precipitated a major crisis in the relationship between Great Britain and its thirteen North American colonies. Seeking to punish the townspeople of Boston, the busy port was closed and more Regiments of British Regulars were sent to re-establish order. The direct end result of these events was an armed revolt that began some sixteen months later on April 19, 1775.

First in War, first in Peace...

2008-12-14T10:01:00.000-08:00

George Washington died on this date (December 14) in 1799 at his Mt. Vernon, Virginia estate after a brief illness. Of all the men responsible for winning our independence from Great Britain and then creating this nation, George Washington stands head and shoulders above the rest. Without his presence as the commanding General of the Continental Army the army probably would have ceased to exist in 1777. Elected unanimously the first President of the United States he set the example for all others to follow. In this day and age he is not given enough credit as one of our greatest Presidents. (In my mind he tops the list of all American Presidents).

No finer epitaph exists for him, I believe, than the words delivered by fellow soldier and Virginian Henry Lee in his eulogy for George Washington, "First in War, first in Peace and first in the hearts of his countrymen..."

A Day of Thanksgiving for a New Nation

2008-11-27T09:35:00.001-08:00

President George Washington's first Thanksgiving Proclamation to the new nation:

Thanksgiving Proclamation

City of New York, October 3, 1789

WHEREAS it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favour; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me "to recommend to the people of the United States a DAY OF PUBLICK THANKSGIVING and PRAYER, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:

"NOW THEREFORE, I do recommend and assign THURSDAY, the TWENTY-SIXTH DAY of NOVEMBER next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be;

That we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation;

For the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war;

For the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed;

For the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish Constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted;

For the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge;

And, in general, for all the great and various favours which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also, that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions;

To enable us all, whether in publick or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually;

To render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed;

To protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us); and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord;

To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.

GIVEN under my hand, at the city of New-York, the third day of October, in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine.

National Museum of American History Reopens

2008-11-20T12:20:00.000-08:00

The Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, often referred to as the "nations attic", reopens in Washington, D.C. tomorrow after a two year long 85 million dollar renovation. Prominently on display is the American flag that flew over Fort McHenry in 1814 during the War of 1812 and was the subject of the poem by Francis Scott Key that later became the "The Star-Spangled Banner", our national anthem. Among the many cultural artifacts on display are Dorothy's ruby slippers from the film the "Wizard of Oz" and Chef Julia Child's kitchen.

A ribbon cutting ceremony will be held at 8:30 a.m. and the first 1,814 visitors will receive special gifts. The museum will stay open until 7:30 p.m. Friday night.

Veterans Day

2008-11-11T09:10:00.000-08:00

A U.S. Cemetery in France

Today marks the 90th anniversary of the end of the First World War, formerly known as the Great War and the War to end all Wars. Although the German Army was still on the battlefield, with the entry of the United States in the war by the fall of 1918 it was only a matter of time until Germany was defeated. Peace talks were opened and an Armistice was signed. On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918 the guns on the Western Front of Europe became silent. Four very bloody years of warfare had ended.

It is generally forgotten today but Veterans Day started out as Armistice Day. In 1919 President Woodrow Wilson declared November 11 to be Armistice Day. In 1954 a federal law was passed changing Armistice Day to Veterans Day to honor all of our nations war veterans.

"From the Halls of Montezuma..."

2008-11-10T20:57:00.000-08:00

Semper Fidelis

Today marks the 233 anniversary of the birth of the United States Marine Corp. Established on November 10, 1775 the Continental Marines were created during the American Revolution to serve as naval infantry on board the ships of the fledgling Continental Navy. Today the U.S. Marines is still a detachment of the U.S Navy that serves both as a rapid response and as a amphibious assault force. The Marines have fought and served all over the world in minor skirmishes, police actions, as well as all the nations wars.

As the Marine Corp Hymn so proudly states the bulldogs can even be found on patrol guarding the streets of Heaven:

From the halls of Montezuma,
To the shores of Tripoli;
We fight our country's battles
In the air, on land, and sea;
First to fight for right and freedom
And to keep our honor clean;
We are proud to claim the title
Of United States Marine.

Our flag's unfurled to every breeze
From the dawn to setting sun;
We have fought in every clime and place
Where we could take a gun;
In the snow of far-off northern lands
And in sunny tropic scenes;
You will find us always on the job
The United States Marines.

Here's health to you and to our Corps
Which we are proud to serve;
In many a strife we've fought for life
And have never lost our nerve;
If the Army and the Navy
Ever look on Heaven's scenes;
They will find the streets are guarded
By United States Marines.

Harvard College Founded

2008-10-28T09:57:00.000-07:00

Massachusetts Hall
Harvard Yard
Cambridge, Mass.

On October 28, 1636 the Great and General Court of the Masachusetts Bay Colony voted to establish a "New College" to train the next generation of scholars. It was decided to locate the new college in New Towne or Newetowne, a village on the banks of the Charles River. In 1638 minister John Harvard of nearby Charlestown died leaving his library of 400 books and a sum of money to the new school. The college was then named Harvard in his honor. Also in 1638 the village was renamed Cambridge after the famous university in England.

Today Harvard College is just one of the schools that make up
Harvard University. Considered one of the most prestigious universities in the world, having started with humble beginnings, it is also the wealthiest. Harvard University is still managed under its original charter by the President and Fellows of Harvard College, making it the oldest corporation in the New World.

We few, we happy few, we band of brothers

2008-10-25T10:13:00.000-07:00

Battle of Agincourt

On 25 October 1415, St. Crispen's Day, Henry V of England won an overwhelming victory against the French at the battle of Agincourt. Henry V was attempting to pursue his claim - by force of arms - to the title of the Duchy of Normandy and the throne of France by virtue of his descent from William of Normandy, the conqueror of England in 1066.

Henry's army of 6,000, consisting mostly of archers armed with longbows, faced an French army of between 20,000 - 30,000 men. Among the ranks of the French army were many aristocrats and knights - the so-called "flower of France".

Due to the constraints of a small battlefield and the muddy soil, the French were unable to make proper use of their heavy cavalry to overcome the enemy ranks. The deadly fire from the highly trained English archers led to a further break down in the ranks of the French army.

Sustaining heavy casualties and unable to mount a proper attack the French surrendered. Henry's desperate "band of brothers" had won the day. Fearing the possibility of another attack and having captured more of the enemy than he had men of his own, Henry V ordered the slaughter of French prisoners. How many were actually killed is unknown, but it is estimated that more died in the aftermath of the battle than in the actual battle. As was the custom of the day, those prisoners who survived and belonged to the aristocracy were held until a ransom was paid for their release.

Almost two hundred years later William Shakespeare wrote his play Henry V. In these memorable words from the Bard, here is Henry V speaking to his men on the eve of St. Crispens Day:

"This day is called the feast of Crispian:
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when the day is named,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say 'To-morrow is Saint Crispian:'
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars.
And say 'These wounds I had on Crispin's day.'
Old men forget: yet all shall be forgot,
But he'll remember with advantages
What feats he did that day: then shall our names.
Familiar in his mouth as household words
Harry the king, Bedford and Exeter,
Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester,
Be in their flowing cups freshly remember'd.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remember'd;
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition:
And gentlemen in England now a-bed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day"

2008 Poppies Appeal

2008-10-24T22:04:00.001-07:00

Poppies amidst headstones
The Royal British Legion has announced the start of its 2008 Poppies Appeal. This year the campaign begins in Basra, Iraq - the first time it has been launched in a war zone. The Legion sells red poppies in order to provide services for former and current members of the British military. This years theme puts it simply: "Serving those who serve".

The inspiration for selling red poppies comes from the poem "In Flanders Field" written by Major John McCrae, a doctor in the Royal Canadian Army, shortly after the battle of Ypres. Poppies were one of the few flowers to grow on the churned up earth of the World War I battlefield in Western Europe. Poppies are also associated with morphine, an opiate, which was used both to ease the pain of and to put wounded soldiers to sleep. "In Flanders Field" is arguably one of the most famous poems to come out of any war.

In Flanders Fields

by John McCrae, May 1915

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved,
and now we lie in Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep,though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

The Last Days of Pompeii

2008-10-18T09:11:00.000-07:00

An empty cobblestone
street in Pompeii, Italy

The opening of a new exhibit entitled Pompeii and the Roman Villa at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. and the life, demise and rediscovery of the ancient city of Pompeii is the subject of an editorial review by Paul Richard in the City Guide section of the Washington
Post. Pompeii and Herculaneum were two Roman cities located on what is now the Bay of Naples, that were completely destroyed by volcanic activity when nearby Mt. Vesuvius erupted in August of 79 A.D.

Prior to these eruptions and some smaller eruptions in 62 A.D., Mt. Vesuvius had been dormant for a very long period of time. When the first rumblings began on 24 August 79 A.D. many of the Romans in the city failed to heed the danger and were trapped by the volcanoes dangerous fumes and ash. As a result they were suffocated in their homes and on the city streets. The two cities were totally buried and over time their location and even their existence were all but forgotten. They were finally rediscovered in the 18th century and excavations were begun.

Much of Pompeii was remarkably preserved. Colorful frescoes were uncovered, statues, pottery, fruit, clothing and all of the day to day items of Roman life were found. In addition to being a prosperous trade port Pompeii was also a popular seaside resort for the rich and powerful of the Roman Empire. Many large villas and homes were built in the city, as well as a large coliseum that could hold much of the cities estimated 23,000 people.

Today Pompeii is one of Italy's most visited tourist sites. Portions of the city are still buried under of the earth, but this is perhaps just as well. Since excavations were begun and Pompeii began to emerge into the open air, the city has suffered. Efforts are being made to preserve as much as possible of Pompeii in its "original" condition, but many buildings and especially the painted frescoes have deteriorated.

The exhibit opens October 19 and runs until March 22, 2009 at the National Gallery of Art. The National Gallery of Art is located at 600 Constitution Ave, NW Washington, D.C. Admission is free. The Museum is open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Mon - Sat and 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Sunday. It is closed December 25 and January 1.

This Hallowed Ground - Gettysburg, Penn.

2008-10-16T10:59:00.000-07:00

Statue of the 1st.
Penn. Cavalry
at Gettysburg

George Will writes again here in the Washington Post about the Battle of Gettysburg and the important role it played in U.S. and World History. It was here on this "hallowed ground" that the Union was saved and the Confederacy reached its "high-water mark", with Pickett's charge.

Wills article gives well-deserved credit to Bob Kinsley and the Gettysburg Foundation for the work they have done in building a new Museum and Visitor Center. Kinsley, who is from nearby York, Penn., was the founder of the Gettysburg Foundation. Kinsley hired Bob Wilburn, formerly of Colonial Williamsburg, who raised the funds necessary to build a new center - $103 million of private monies. Having just visited Gettysburg in 2006 I can testify that a new visitor center was badly needed.

The Museum and Vistor Center includes a theater, where a film narrated by actor Morgan Freeman can be seen and a new and proper setting for the Cyclorama, the 1884 circular painting of Pickett's charge. The Gettysburg Foundation has also purchased the 80-acre Spangler farm , that served as a hospital during the battle. The foundation is working to preserve more battle sites for future generations.

This is not new ground for George Will. Ten years ago he devoted another column to this topic. It has been reposted here.

On November 19, 1863 President Abraham Lincoln gave this short speech at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. If simple words can begin to give justice to the sacrifices made on those three days of battle in July of 1863, perhaps Lincoln's can:

Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth upon this continent a new nation: conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war. . .testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated. . . can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war.

We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate. . .we cannot consecrate. . . we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember, what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.

It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us. . .that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion. . . that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain. . . that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom. . . and that government of the people. . . by the people. . . for the people. . . shall not perish from the earth.

Guess Who's Coming to (Thanksgiving) Dinner?

2008-10-14T10:29:00.000-07:00

The First Thanksgiving

Interested in spicing up the conversation at your Thanksgiving Dinner? Plimoth Plantation is sending Edward Winslow and Hobbamock to spend Thanksgiving with an anonymous winner of its auction on Ebay. The auction winner, a Cape Cod resident, will be hosting employees of Plimoth Plantation portraying Edward

Winslow, the former Governor of the Plymoth Colony and Hobbamock, a representative of the Wampanoag Indian tribe, for Thanksgiving. The winning bid was for $5,000. The Daily News Tribune of Waltham has their version of the story by Edward S. Colby here.

I thought this was a good idea from the people at Plimoth Plantation. This is kind of a variation of the old question: if you could meet an historic figure from the past, would would it be? A very difficult question to answer, but I'm going to answer a variation of the question. What if I could just choose my dinner companions?

In choosing dinner companions I would be naturally be looking for famous people from the past that I admire and who led interesting lives. I would also choose people who were famous for their intelligence, wit and after-dinner conversation.

Narrowing it down to just three, my choices would be: Sir Richard Francis Burton (1821-1890), Samuel Clemens (1835-1910) and Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965). First enjoying dinner and then spending an evening listening to the conversation of these three gentlemen, maybe while they played Billiards and smoked cigars, would certainly be a night to remember.

Christopher Columbus Sails the Ocean Blue

2008-10-12T10:30:00.000-07:00

Sailing for the New World

On October 12, 1492 Christopher Columbus, having sailed across the Atlantic Ocean with three small ships from Spain, found himself off the coast of a "New World". Returning to Spain with news of his discovery, Columbus was able to convince his benefactors King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella to pay for an even larger fleet of ships to further explore what he believed was China and the Far East. In all Columbus led four expeditions to the New World. Each trip was less successful than the last and at one point Columbus returned to Spain in chains.

The former "Admiral of the Oceans" died believing that he had found a route to Cathay, rather than his actual discovery of the islands of the Caribbean. Columbus, who was actually an excellent navigator, grossly underestimated the size and circumference of the globe. (It is a myth that geographers of the time thought that the world was flat and were unaware that the Earth is a sphere).

For many years Christopher Columbus was hailed as a great explorer and the "Discoverer of America". Columbus Day was declared a national holiday and Italian-Americans took pride in his common nationality. But in recent years his reputation has suffered greatly. He has been blamed for all of the ills that fell upon the people native to the America's with the coming of Europeans to the New World. He has also been blamed for introducing the slave trade to the Western Hemisphere, with all of the pain and death that caused.

To blame Christopher Columbus for the sins committed after his death by others is unfair I believe. It was only a matter of time until the New World was re-discovered and came to the attention of the European powers. Instead of the intrepid navigator from Genoa, Italy sailing with a Spanish fleet , it might have been an Englishman or a Frenchman who found himself off the coast of "Newfoundland" or "Florida" and who then claimed the land for his sovereign. From there what course history might have taken no one knows. (At least one of the great "sins" that the Europeans are blamed for - the introduction of foreign diseases - would have taken place at some point in time no matter what else happened).

Just as we acknowledge and give credit to the other European adventurers for the trips of exploration that they made, we can at least give Christopher Columbus credit for one of the most historic events of the last 500+ years - the re-discovery of the New World by an explorer from the Old World.

The Battle of Tours

2008-10-10T22:14:00.001-07:00

Charles Martel
Battle of Tours

A posting about the anniversary of the Battle of Tours by the BBC reminded me of an old line of poetry that I heard years ago: "In 732 at the Battle of Tours, Charles Martel defeated the Moors." As the battle is largely forgotten today, it is most likely due to this mnemonic device that I can even recall this famous battle that took place so long ago in France. (The actual fighting took place somewhere between the cities of Tours and Poitiers - the battle is sometimes referred to as the Battle of Poitiers).

In October of 732 a large Saracen army, under the command of Abd-er Rahman, crossed the Pyrenees from Spain into the land of the Franks seeking plunder and conquest. First defeating Count Eudo at the Battle of Bordeaux the Moors continued out into the French countryside. Count Eudo then made peace with his rival Charles Martel and combined their forces under Martel's command.

By then marching against the Moors and threatening their rear guard, Charles Martel forced Abd-er Rahman to retire from his attempt to take Tours and meet the new threat. Martel wisely dismounted his cavalry and formed a "wall" of armor to combat the enemy. It is estimated that the Moorish army was some 50,000 strong and made up mostly of cavalry. The Frankish army was of an unknown number, but usually is considered to have been a similar sized force made up of both cavalry and infantry.

Once the battle lines were formed, the Moorish cavalry made a series of attacks against the Franks. The Franks were able to hold their ground and even gained an advantage, threatening their camp. The Muslim army fell back from the attack with their leader killed. The next day the Moors began their retreat back south of the Pyrenees. Charles Martel had won the day and had earned his name the "Hammer".

Charles Martel and his victory at the Battle of Tours is credited with turning back the tide of Islam from Europe and saving Christendom for another day. He then founded a dynasty that included his even more famous grandson, Charlemagne (Charles the Great). Having saved the "western world" and then founding the Frankish Empire, it is no wonder that Charles Martel was the subject of poetry.

"Don't Know Much About History..."

2008-10-08T14:11:00.000-07:00

U.S. Constitution

An article posted on usaweekend.com brings to my mind the first line from an old Sam Cooke song - "Don't know much about History." (The title of the song is "What a Wonderful World"). The story by contributing editor Kenneth C. Davis cites a report by the Intercollegiate Studies Institutes's (ISI) and the results of their 2006 American Civic Literacy Test. The test was given to 14,000 freshman and senior college students from 50 colleges and universities.

The results from the test are disappointing to say the least. The average test score was 52% while the highest test score was from Seniors at Harvard who scored 69.6%. You have to wonder how average Americans would score on the test with students from what is arguably America's most prestigious university scoring the equivalent of a D+.

Davis makes the argument that the way History is taught in our schools could be a lot more "fun" than it is now. He illustrates the point by telling this "story":

For instance, did you hear the one about the 20-something American officer who disobeyed orders, led an ambush of some sleeping French soldiers, then signed a document amounting to a confession of assassinating a French diplomat and ignited a world war in the process? That's actually a true story about an ambitious, headstrong George Washington in 1754. And it's much more interesting than the hokey legend about the cherry tree.

That is a very interesting story and one that I'll go into further in a future blog. Davis also briefly mentions Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and Abraham Lincoln and how some of what they experienced in their lives relates to stories in today's headlines.

As for the ISI's American Civics and History Test you can find that here. There are sixty questions on the test and you are tested in the following areas: American History, Political Philosophy and American Government, America and the World and The Market Economy. Having taken the test myself, let me just warn you that it is a challenging test.

The Real Live Uncle Sam

2008-10-07T22:07:00.000-07:00

Uncle Sam

According to tradition this colorful representation of the United States, Uncle Sam, had its beginnings with the life of a Massachusetts man - Samuel Wilson. Sam Wilson was born in Arlington, Mass. (known as Menotomy at the time) on September 10, 1766, making him just eight years old when the fighting took place near his home on April 19, 1775 that marked the beginning of the American Revolution. While still a boy his family moved to Mason, New Hampshire.

It was a later war, the War of 1812, that brought Samuel Wilson his "fame". Sam and his brother had a contract with the government to supply meat to the U.S. Army. The meat was shipped to the army in barrels that were marked with the letters U.S. to show that they belonged to the government. The soldiers at some point began to joke that the letters U.S. actually stood for the supplier of the meat and the name Uncle Sam came into being. The traditional military habit of referring to any item that was government issued (whether stamped U.S. or not) as "belonging to Uncle Sam" was begun.

Many years later political cartoonists began drawing a character representing the U.S.A. who was commonly referred to as Uncle Sam. But Uncle Sam is of course best known for the military recruiting posters of the First and Second World War that show his image with the caption: "Uncle Sam wants you for the U.S. Army". Millions of American servicemen became very familiar with this poster as they volunteered for the U.S. military.

During America's Bicentennial year of 1976 the town of Arlington, Mass. unveiled this monument to Samuel Wilson, the real life genesis for the symbol of our country, Uncle Sam. Theodore Catillo Barbarossa was the artist and sculptor. The monument bears a statue of Samuel Wilson, a graphic depiction of his life and the following inscription at its base:

IN HONOR OF SAMUEL WILSON - A NATIVE SON - BORN NEAR THIS SITE ON SEPTEMBER 10, 1766 - HE BECAME OUR NATIONAL SYMBOL - UNCLE SAM

The Mohawk Trail

2008-10-02T13:45:00.000-07:00

"Hail to the Sunrise"
Mohawk Park
Charlemont, Mass.

Historically the Mohawks were one of the five original Native American tribes who made up the Iroquois Confederacy or Nation. The Mohawks were the eastern most of the Iroquois tribes living in what was to become upstate New York.

Over the thousands of years that Native Americans resided in what is now New England and New York numerous hunting and trading trails were made through this largely forested region. Europeans naturally made use of these trials when they first started exploring and then establishing their own settlements.

The original Mohawk Trail was a well established trail that led from the lands of the Mohawk to the banks of the Connecticut River has it passed through Massachusetts. This footpath was used for access to the hunting and fishing grounds and for the trading and warfare that went on between the five tribes that lived in the area. With the mass migrations of Europeans into New York and Massachusetts in the 1600's the tribal lands of the Native Americans shrank. More and more European settlements were established which led to the building of roads that often built over and followed the old Native American trails.

With the advent of the automobile in the early 1900's, America began its love affair with the car and the roadway. One of the earliest major highways built for the automobile in Massachusetts was Route 2 which stretches east to west from Cambridge to the New York border. The westernmost portion of the state highway covers some of the same ground as the old Mohawk Trail.

On October 22, 1914 the Massachusetts legislature designated that portion of Route 2 that runs from the Connecticut river to the New York border, a 63 mile section, to be a "scenic tourist route". Commonly referred to as the Mohawk Trail, it continues to be a popular tourist route and attraction, especially in the foliage season.

The Bombing of Dresden

2008-10-01T12:46:00.001-07:00

Dresden, 1945

On the night of 13 February 1945 bombers from RAF Bomber Command flew over Dresden, Germany and dropped thousands of pounds of bombs. The next day U.S.A.A.F. bombers continued the bombing raids. In total, four bombing raids were conducted dropping tons of high explosive and incendiary bombs. The mixture of bombs created a firestorm that devastated the city and killed thousands of German civilians.

Exactly how many civilians were killed is the subject of a new study whose results were released today. The purpose of the study was to make an authoritative accounting of the number killed in order to put to rest part of the controversy that has arisen over the Dresden bombings. Since the war there have been claims that have placed the death toll to be between 40,000 and as many as 135,000 civilians killed in the bombing raids. The new study places the death toll to be no more than 25,000, which is still a substantial number.

Even in the midst of the horror and the mass killings of the Second World War, the bombing of Dresden has always been controversial. Dresden was considered the cultural capital of northern Germany and had little or no military value. Also, by February 1945 the war in Europe was almost over and Nazi Germany was clearly in its last days.

Held up against the crimes committed by Hitler's Third Reich, especially the deaths of as many as 11 million civilians in its work and death camps, questions about the necessity and even the morality of the Dresden bombings are pushed into the background. In hindsight and perhaps even at the time, it appears that the decision to go ahead with the bombings and the deliberate manner in which they were conducted, was the wrong decision.

What can be called the deadly equation of war, the costs of a war (which includes the number of deaths) weighed against the results that a country or an alliance can expect to achieve, changes over time. In the Second World War, the nations involved decided that no cost was too high to pay in order to defeat the enemy. As a result, large portions of Europe, Russia and Asia were devastated in the war and millions of combatants and civilians died. In the midst of all that carnage the desire for revenge and to spread the destruction can be a strong motivator in strategic thinking.

Washington's Address at Newburgh

2008-09-30T10:10:00.000-07:00

Gen. Washington

Despite the American victory at Yorktown in October 1781, it wasn't until 3 September 1783 with the signing of the Treaty of Paris (and its subsequent ratification in 1784 ) that America's War for Independence came to an end. Although Yorktown effectively brought an end to the major fighting, it was necessary to keep troops in the field to provide a counter to the British forces still garrisoned in America.

In 1783, the American Army, under the command of Gen. George Washington, was headquartered in Newburgh, New York. The Continental Army was growing increasingly unhappy with its lot and with Congress. The soldiers were owed months and sometimes years of back pay and many felt that Congress would not follow through with the promises that had been made to them. (The thirteen former colonies were now operating under the Articles of Confederation which gave the new government power over the Army, but did not give it the means to raise money to pay its soldiers).

On March 11, 1783 Gen. Washington, having learned that his officer Corps was planning on holding a meeting to discuss their situation, sent out an order condemning such an action. Washington was concerned about the seditious talk traveling through his army about marching on Congress or even disbanding the army. As a compromise measure, he asked that the meeting be postponed and said that he would send a representative to the meeting.

The meeting was postponed and rescheduled for Saturday March 15. The officers were then taken by surprise when General Washington himself went to the meeting. Washington made an appeal to his men with the following speech. At the conclusion of his speech he then began to read a message from Congress. Initially unable to read the text he paused and said the following:

"Gentlemen, you will permit me to put on my spectacles, for I have grown not only gray, but almost blind in the service of my country".

Having served with Gen. Washington for so many years the gathered officers were quite moved by their General's sign of weakness and age and the Newburgh Conspiracy, as it has been referred to, advanced no further.

Siege of Yorktown

2008-09-28T10:26:00.000-07:00

Surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown
by John Trumball (1797)

On September 28, 1781 an allied army made up of American and French soldiers began the siege of British forces under the command of Lt. General Cornwallis in Yorktown, Virginia. Cornwallis' command of some 6,000 soldiers were divided between the towns of Yorktown and Gloucester on opposite sides of the banks of the York River.

Prior to his advance into Virginia, Cornwallis had been campaigning in the Carolina's. Without authorization from his superior in New York, Gen. Clinton, Cornwallis decided to invade Virginia in the hope of having greater success in that state. Gen. Lafayette, commanding militia, followed Cornwallis and his small army into Virginia and sent word to Gen. Washington in New York of Cornwallis' location.

Gen. Washington and his French counterpart, Gen. Comte de Rochambeau, together devised a plan to trap Cornwallis. Taking advantage of (temporary) French naval superiority, a French fleet under Admiral de Grasse was dispatched to the Chesapeake to prevent British reinforcement or escape by sea. Washington and Rochambeau, along with some 7,000 soldiers, quickly marched south to Virginia. Upon arrival the army quickly surrounded Yorktown and began conducting siege operations. With the addition of some 3,000 from Admiral de Grasse's fleet, Lafayette's militia and other allied forces, the British were now outnumbered by more than two-to-one.

Trenches were built closer and closer to the British lines. As soon as they were able the allied force began a heavy artillery bombardment of Yorktown and the British positions. The British attempts to break through the enemy lines failed and with the loss of two important redoubts, #9 and #10, the situation was rapidly becoming untenable. Finally with supplies running low and receiving word of the delay of the arrival of a relief force from New York, on October 17 Gen. Cornwallis sent word that he would surrender his forces unconditionally.

The surrender documents were signed on October 19. Marching out in regimental formation, British and Hessian soldiers surrendered their colors and laid down their arms in front of the massed columns of American and French soldiers. Claiming illness, Gen. Cornwallis sent his second in command to formally surrender his sword to the victors. Gen. Washington sent his senior commander, Gen. Benjamin Lincoln, to accept the surrender. According to tradition, British musicians played "The World Turned Upside Down" during the ceremonies.

News of the loss of yet another major British command (Gen. Burgoyne's surrender at Saratoga brought the French openly into the war) was devastating to the British government. Once a new government was formed (in 1782) serious peace negotiations were begun. Although it would be two years before the Treaty of Paris was signed, the victory at Yorktown effectively ended the major fighting in America's War for Independence.

H.M.S. Victory

2008-09-26T20:47:00.000-07:00

H.M.S. Victory
Portsmouth, England

The British Navy's most famous fighting ship, H.M.S. Victory, was built between the years 1759-1765 but was not commissioned until 1778. With some 230 years having passed it is the oldest commissioned naval vessel in the world - in drydock. (The U.S.S. Constitution is the oldest naval ship in the world still afloat).

The H.M.S. Victory is also the only remaining 18th century ship of the line still in existence. A British ship of the line was a main or rated ship, one that carried between 50 and a 100+ guns. The Victory was a first-rate ship, as she carried an armament of at least a hundred guns. This made the Victory one of the super battleships of her day, a ship that very few enemy vessels could match in firepower. (In contrast the U.S.S. Constitution is a frigate and not a ship of the line and carried between 46 - 60 guns).

The H.M.S. Victory is best known for being Lord Admiral Horatio Nelsons flagship during the Battle of Trafalgar. On 21 October 1805 Lord Nelson met and defeated a combined French-Spanish fleet off the coast of Spain. On that day the British fleet sank 22 enemy ships of the line without losing a single ship. This victory ended Napoleons plans to invade England and led to complete British dominance of the seas.

Unfortunately, Admiral Nelson was mortally wounded during the battle as he stood upon the quarterdeck of the Victory. Shot by a French Marine, he died shortly after learning that the battle had been won. Nelsons body was transported to England where he was given a state funeral and honored as a national hero. He is buried in St. Paul's Cathedral in London.

In 1812 the Victory's active career came to an end and she was berthed in Portsmouth harbor. In 1922 due to the ships poor condition she was placed in N0. 2 Drydock in the Royal Naval Dockyard. H.M.S. Victory is now a museum ship with an active duty crew and is open to the public for tours.

Sudbury Colonial Faire - Sudbury, Mass.

2008-09-25T14:46:00.000-07:00

Sudbury Faire

This Saturday (September 27) the Sudbury Companies of Militia and Minutemen and the Sudbury Ancient Fyfe and Drum Companies are hosting the Colonial Faire & Muster of Fyfe and Drums at the Wayside Inn in Sudbury, Mass. Fife and Drum Corps from all over the country will be attending this annual muster. British and American Revolutionary War reenactors, including the 4th Kings Own, will be joining the Sudbury militia on the field.

The Sudbury Militia will be taking the opportunity of the Faire to have a change of command ceremony welcoming in a new Colonel. (There is a chance this ceremony may be interrupted by the untimely arrival of the Kings troops). As always, there will be a number of food vendors and Sutlers at the Faire.

Saving Old Ironsides

2008-09-22T18:12:00.000-07:00

U. S. S. Constitution

The U.S.S. Constitution was launched in 1797, one of six U.S. frigates ordered built in 1794 by Congress. These frigates would be the start of a new American Navy - at the conclusion of the American War for Independence, the Navy had been dissolved. Facing threats from both French privateers and Barbary Pirates the U. S. government realized it needed a Navy to protect its vital merchant fleet and its national interests.

The U.S.S. Constitution was a heavy frigate, carrying more guns than was usual for a frigate of the time. The ability to fire heavier broadsides, along with its strong construction, were instrumental in its great success as a fighting ship. Old Ironsides, as it affectionately came to be known, was never defeated in battle.

Old Ironsides greatest victories came in the The War of 1812. By defeating the British ships H.M.S. Guerriere and H.M.S. Java, the U.S.S. Constitution won everlasting fame.

In September of 1830 the Navy announced that the Constitution, now some thirty-three years old and needing extensive repair, would be scrapped. Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes of Boston wasted no time in writing and having published this poem to lodge his personal complaint. A nation-wide protest led to the decision by Congress to fund the needed repairs.

In 1924 Old Ironsides was again on the chopping block. The frigate was in very poor condition and required a complete overhaul that would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. A publicity campaign by the Elks Club enlisted the help of the nations schoolchildren, who contributed thousands of dollars by literally pitching in their pennies. Congress responded to popular pressure and provided the remainder of the funds.

Today the U.S.S. Constitution is the oldest commissioned war ship still afloat in the world. It has an a complement of active duty U.S. Navy personnel and is berthed in the old Charlestown Navy Yard in Boston. It is currently undergoing renovations, but it is open to the public for tours.

The Saturday Club

2008-09-20T09:46:00.000-07:00

Omni Parker House Hotel
60 School St.
Boston, Mass. 02108

The Saturday Club was a social club that during the mid-1800's met on the last Saturday of every month in the Parker House Hotel on School St. in Boston. But this wasn't just any social club - the Saturday Club was made up of some of the greatest writers and brightest minds to be found in America at that time. Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Professor Louis Agassiz, Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Charles Francis Adams, Francis Parkman, James Russell Lowell, John Greenleaf Whittier and Nathaniel Hawthorne were just some of the members of the club.

During the early 1800's Boston gained the title of Athens of America and the Saturday Club meetings gave credence to the name. Charles Dickens, while a guest staying at the Parker House, joined a Club meeting and read from his work A Christmas Carol. At yet another gathering Longfellow worked on an early draft of his famous poem Paul Revere's Ride.

Prior to their meetings the club members would often visit the Old Corner Bookstore, which can still be found on the corner of School St. and Washington St. They would then have dinner before settling down on a Saturday afternoon to discuss poetry, literature and engage one another in conversation. In our modern non-literary age it is hard to imagine that a comparable group of people could be found in the same city, never mind meeting together under the same roof.

Re-enactors delight in New York

2008-09-19T22:06:00.000-07:00

The Saratogian

This weekend is a re-enactors - and the viewing publics - delight in New York state. First of all, starting on Saturday (Sept. 20) at 9:00 a.m. a Civil War encampment will be open to the public in Congress Park in Saratoga Springs. This event ends at noon on Sunday.

Also this weekend the National Park Service is commemorating the 231st anniversary of the Battles of Saratoga in Saratoga National Historical Park in Stillwater, New York. Revolutionary War re-enactors representing British and American soldiers will be in the park all weekend.

Finally at Fort Edward in New York, from an even earlier era of warfare, re-enactors will be taking part in recreating the French and Indian War (1754-1763). Re-enactors portraying British Regulars, Native Americans, Rangers and American Colonial soldiers will be turning out for this event.

For more details see Paul Post's article Passing Muster from The Saratogian linked here.

Constitution Week

2008-09-17T21:26:00.000-07:00

U. S. Constitution

On September 17, 1787 delegates from the thirteen states meeting in a special convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania voted to adopt a new constitution. The delegates had been sent to Philadelphia to make changes to the Articles of Confederation, but instead had exceeded their authority and decided to create an entirely new form of government. Rather than having a confederation of independent states, the new constitution called for the establishment of a federal government that would unite the states into one nation.

The new constitution still needed to be ratified by the people and the states. It was decided that rather than a needing a unanimous ratification it would require passage by only nine of the thirteen states. Constitutional conventions were called in all thirteen states and representatives were sent to say yea or nay to the constitution.

As soon as news went out from Philadelphia about the results of the convention the controversy began. Many of the people who had fought the hardest to gain independence for the thirteen American colonies were steadfastly against having the new Federal form of government. The Anti-Federalists, as they were called, were deathly afraid of trading one set of masters for another. They were concerned that putting too much power in the hands of a central government would lead to that power being abused.

The framers of the Constitution were also aware of the danger of too much power being placed in the hands of government. They quite deliberately built into the Constitution a series of checks and balances that was meant to limit the extent and the power of the government. The Federal government they established had three co-equal bodies - the executive branch, the legislative branch and the judiciary. Each body was meant to provide a "check" on the power of the other two bodies. The specific powers of each branch of government was laid out and the powers not given to the Federal or State governments were meant to stay with the people.

With many people believing that the Constitution as written didn't go far enough to protect the rights of the people, a number of amendments were proposed. Ten of these proposed amendments, which came to be known as the "Bill of Rights", were added to the Constitution and became part of the ratification process. Since then some 17 other amendments have been added to the Constitution.

The arguments of the Federalists held sway in the country and the U. S. Constitution was ratified. With New Hampshire voting on June 21, 1788 to ratify, the required number of states was reached. On March 4, 1789 the Constitution went into effect and it remains as the oldest written constitution governing a democratic nation in the world.