American Revolution Podcast

The Marquis de Lafayette, a young french noble with dreams of fighting for liberty travels to America to become a major general in the Continental Army. In doing so, he must overcome skepticism and resistance from both sides of the Atlantic. Visit my site at https://blog. AmRevPodcast.com for more text, pictures, maps, and sources on this topic. Book Recommendation of the Week: The Marquis: Lafaye...

General Burgoyne's army reaches the Hudson river after slogging through the wilderness for most of August 1777. Burgoyne relied on his Indian allies to keep the enemy from setting up ambushes or otherwise interfering with progress. After an Indian returned with the scalp of Jane McCrea, the fiancé of one of his officers, Burgoyne had to put restrictions on the Indians. Most warriors responded by l...

After the British occupy Newport, Rhode Islanders kidnap the British commander, General Richard Prescott in hopes of exchanging him for General Charles Lee. Visit my site at https://blog. AmRevPodcast.com for more text, pictures, maps, and sources on this topic. Book Recommendation of the Week: Kidnapping the Enemy, by Christian McBurney Online Recommendation of the Week: Video, Christian McBurney...

As the Fort Ticonderoga garrison escapes the attacking British under General Burgoyne, American General Arthur St. Clair leaves a rearguard at Hubbardton to prevent the British from advancing on the retreating army. Colonel Seth Warner commands the American rearguard, which is still at Hubbardton when the British advance guard, under the command of General Simon Fraser, catches up to them. A bruta...

The American garrison at Fort Ticonderoga make a confused nighttime escape from Fort Ticonderoga, just in time to avoid capture. The bulk of the army marches off into the woods while the sick, wounded and supplies are loaded aboard ships.  The next morning, the British fleet chases after the ships, catching up with them at Skenesborough. The American fleet is captured or destroyed. A few soldiers...

After the British fail to take the Fort Ticonderoga in 1776, the Continentals squander the winter fighting among themselves. When General Burgoyne's British army moves to surround and assault the fort in the summer of 1777, General St. Clair realizes his Continental garrison is a sitting duck. Visit my site at https://blog. AmRevPodcast.com for more text, pictures, maps, and sources on this topic....

General Burgoyne assembles his army in Canada. His army of thousands, led by Simon Fraser, William Phillips, Baron von Rediesel assembles in the early summer of 1777 to march on Fort Ticonderoga, then down the Hudson valley to cut of New England and reestablish British authority. Visit my site at https://blog. AmRevPodcast.com for more text, pictures, maps, and sources on this topic. Book Recommen...

Throughout the Revolution, disease was a far greater killer of soldiers than the enemy. This week, we discuss how people suffered from disease during the Revolutionary War, how it impacted the course of the war, and what they did to fight back. Visit my site at https://blog. AmRevPodcast.com for more text, pictures, maps, and sources on this topic. Book Recommendation of the Week: Medicine and the...

Congress returns from its removal to Baltimore after the fear of British occupation of Philadelphia passes. The new session approves a new American flag on June 14, 1777. Congress also promotes new generals. It must deal with an influx of French officer applicants that it does not want, but also does not want to offend France. Finally, after several months, Congress once again leaves Philadelphia...

The British attempt to lure the Continental Army out of the Watchung mountains by marching back into New Jersey. General Washington refuses to engage. After the British withdraw, the Americans move down out of the mountains. General Howe moves his army back to cut off Washington's path back into the mountains. A fierce defense led by General Lord Stirling slows the British advance long enough for...

A patriot force under the command of Colonel Return Jonathan Meigs raids British occupied Long Island from Connecticut.  The Americans capture loyalist prisoners and destroy British supplies before returning back to Connecticut.  The patriots considered the raid a great success.  The British gave up attempting to maintain a permanent outpost on the eastern part of Long Island. Visit my site at htt...

Patriots invade East Florida in hopes of capturing the colony and eliminating the British threat from St. Augustine. The small and divided force is massacred at Thomas Creek as they retreat back to Georgia. Meanwhile the fighting between Georgia's political leader, Button Gwinnett and Continental General Lachlan McIntosh leads to a duel. Visit my site at https://blog. AmRevPodcast.com for more tex...

Continental Navy Captain Lambert Wickes delivers Benjamin Franklin to France, then attacks British shipping in British waters, nearly provoking a war between Britain and France. Visit my site at https://blog. AmRevPodcast.com for more text, pictures, maps, and sources on this topic. Book Recommendation of the Week: Lambert Wickes Sea Raider and Diplomat: The Story of a Navel Captain of the Revolut...

Benjamin Franklin travels to France to join the American Delegation. He arrives in December 1776 and immediately gains pop star status with the French people. Getting the French government to go along would take longer. Visit my site at https://blog. AmRevPodcast.com for more text, pictures, maps, and sources on this topic. Book Recommendation of the Week: A Great Improvisation: Franklin, France,...

An army of regulars led by New York Governor and General William Tryon, raid an American supply depot at Danbury, Connecticut. American resistance led by General David Wooster and Benedict Arnold resulted it the battle of Ridgefield and many British casualties. General Wooster died in the fighting, while General Arnold's performance finally led to his promotion to major general. Visit my site at h...

A large British force attacks General Lincoln at Bound Brook New Jersey. Lord Cornwallis hopes to capture the relatively isolated Continental force that is posted to defend Washington's southern flank. The British scatter the surprised Americans who mostly flee the scene. Washington sends a column under General Greene to retake Bound Brook and harass the British column as it returns to its base th...

The British in New York City send a raiding party up the Hudson River to attack an American supply depot. After two days of fighting, the Americans drive off the British and take back the town. Visit my site at https://blog. AmRevPodcast.com for more text, pictures, maps, and sources on this topic. Book Recommendation of the Week: Chaining the Hudson: Fight for the River in the American Revolution...

Over the fall and winter of 1776-1777, General Howe proposes his strategic plans to officials in London. Those officials deny most of Howe's requests for reinforcements, thus causing him to reduce his plans. At the same time, officials in London meet with General Burgoyne and agree to have him lead an invasion of upstate New York from Canada, thus angering several more senior generals who wanted t...

Fearing an imminent British invasion of Philadelphia, the Continental Congress adjourns in December 1776 with a resolution to meet a week later in Baltimore, Maryland. Congress holds session in Baltimore for three months. The delegates vote to print more money, promote more generals and generally continue the work of government. At the end of February 1777, with the danger passed, they return to P...

Loyalists in Florida with the aide of Seminole Warriors, raid the Georgia borders in an attempt to roll back patriot control. Meanwhile Button Gwinnett becomes President of Georgia and uses the opportunity to attack his political opponents. Visit my site at https://blog. AmRevPodcast.com for more text, pictures, maps, and sources on this topic. Book Recommendation of the Week: The Georgia-Florida...

Thousands of American Prisoners suffer and die in New York City prisons and prison ships during the Revolutionary War. Visit my site at https://blog. AmRevPodcast.com for more text, pictures, maps, and sources on this topic. Book Recommendation of the Week: Forgotten Patriots: The Untold Story of American Prisoners During the Revolutionary War, by Edwin G. Burrows. Online Recommendation of the Wee...

Continental forces under General Heath attempt to recapture Fort Independence, just north of New York City in January 1777. The Hessian Garrison forces the Continentals to withdrawal. Visit my site at https://blog. AmRevPodcast.com for more text, pictures, maps, and sources on this topic. Book Recommendation of the Week: Benjamin Lincoln and the American Revolution, by David Mattern Online Recomme...

Following the Battle of Princeton, New Jersey militia keep the British Army hunkered down in a couple of North Jersey cities near New York. Their efforts keep patriot control of New Jersey as Washington's Continental Army rests and rebuilds for the spring campaign. Visit my site at https://blog. AmRevPodcast.com for more text, pictures, maps, and sources on this topic. Book Recommendation of the W...

The Continentals surprise the British by pulling out of Trenton on the night of January 2, 1777 and marching up a back road to attack the British rear at Princeton the next morning. Visit my site at https://blog. AmRevPodcast.com for more text, pictures, maps, and sources on this topic. Book Recommendation of the Week: Second to No Man but the Commander in Chief, Hugh Mercer: American Patriot by M...

General Cornwallis is tasked to deal with the Americans who captured the Hessian outpost at Trenton. Cornwallis assembles and marches his army directly to Trenton in a matter of days. As his army moves from Princeton to Trenton, American delaying tactics prevent him from arriving until nearly the evening of July 2, 1777. After capturing the town, Cornwallis opts to wait until morning to attack the...