Over the winter of 1776-77, Patriots attempt to capture Fort Cumberland and bring Nova Scotia into the rebellion. Also, the British capture Newport Rhode Island to use as a winter port for the navy. Generals Clinton and Percy return to Britain. Visit my site at https://blog.AmRevPodcast.com for more text, pictures, maps, and sources on this topic. Book Recommendation of the Week: The Siege of Fort Cumberland, 1776: An Episode in the American Revolution, by Ernest Clarke Online Recommendation of ...
Oct 20, 2019•31 min•Ep. 119
As the British Army sweeps across New Jersey, it captures Signer Richard Stockton and 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: Charles Lee: Self Before Country, by Dominick Mazzagetti Online Recommendation of the Week: Facebook Group American History Fanatics: https://www.facebook.com/groups/887419261386444 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Oct 13, 2019•32 min•Ep. 118
Washington completes his retreat to Pennsylvania by early December 1776. The British slowly force the march but do not attempt to capture the Continentals. Washington's subordinate generals fail to come to his assistance. He discovers his own personal aid has lost faith in his leadership. Visit my site at https://blog.AmRevPodcast.com for more text, pictures, maps, and sources on this topic. Book Recommendation of the Week: The Long Retreat: The Calamitous Defense of New Jersey, 1776 by Arthur S...
Oct 06, 2019•30 min•Ep. 117
James Aitken, a petty criminal in Britain, schemes to burn down all of the Naval portyards in England to cripple the British Navy. He hopes to become a hero of the American cause. Visit my site at https://blog.AmRevPodcast.com for more text, pictures, maps, and sources on this topic. Book Recommendation of the Week: John the Painter: Terrorist of the American Revolution, by Jessica Warner Online Recommendation of the Week: The Life of James Aitken Commonly Called John the Painter, by John Wilkes...
Sep 29, 2019•31 min•Ep. 116
The Continental Congress makes no real progress approving Articles of Confederation and has trouble supporting its own army. It sends a delegation to France to get an alliance with France. Congress sends Benjamin Franklin to join Arthur Lee and Silas Deane in France, with all three receiving official commissions. Before the commissions arrive, Deane has great difficulty getting any French aid to America. Lee's interference even raises doubts in the French government about whether Deane has any l...
Sep 22, 2019•32 min•Ep. 115
A British and Hessian force led by Lord Cornwallis storms Fort Lee in New Jersey, forcing the Continental Army led by George Washington to flee further south. The two armies spend days moving through cold rain and muddy roads. The Continentals continue to retreat back toward Philadelphia as the British take Newark. Visit my site at https://blog.AmRevPodcast.com for more text, pictures, maps, and sources on this topic. Book Recommendation of the Week: The Day is Ours by William Dwyer Online Recom...
Sep 15, 2019•31 min•Ep. 114
General Washington ignores British General Howe's repeated hints that he needs to evacuate Fort Washington. Instead, he leaves the decision up to General Nathanael Greene. The British capture the Fort along with 3000 officers and men, the Continental Army's greatest loss in the first part of the war. Visit my site at https://blog.AmRevPodcast.com for more text, pictures, maps, and sources on this topic. Book Recommendation of the Week: Washington's General: Nathanael Greene and the Triumph of th...
Sep 08, 2019•29 min•Ep. 113
The British under General Howe continue to push back the Continentals under General Washington, slowly nudging them off Manhattan island, but refusing to surround them or force a major battle. Eventually the Continentals are forced to retreat to New Jersey. Visit my site at https://blog.AmRevPodcast.com for more text, pictures, maps, and sources on this topic. Book Recommendation of the Week: Narrative of a Revolutionary War Soldier, by Joseph Plumb Martin Online Recommendation of the Week: PBS ...
Sep 01, 2019•31 min•Ep. 112
Benedict Arnold avoids almost certain capture near Valcour Island with a daring night move. The British fleet catches up with him, but Arnold is able to ground most of his ships and escape overland back to Fort Ticonderoga. The British, after reaching Crown Point, decide it is too late to begin a siege of Ticonderoga. Instead, they return to Canada with plans to return in the spring. Visit my site at https://blog.AmRevPodcast.com for more text, pictures, maps, and sources on this topic. Book Rec...
Aug 25, 2019•31 min•Ep. 111
General Benedict Arnold forces the British fleet to attack him at the location of his choosing, near Valcour Island. His smaller and less experience force performs well during the battle, but then finds itself trapped by the British. Visit my site at https://blog.AmRevPodcast.com for more text, pictures, maps, and sources on this topic. Book Recommendation of the Week: The Battle of Valcour Island: The Participants and Vessels of Benedict Arnold's 1776 Defense of Lake Champlain, by Stephen Darle...
Aug 18, 2019•30 min•Ep. 110
After the Continental Army evacuates and the British occupy New York City, a night fire burns a quarter of the town. The British capture Captain Nathan Hale and hang him as a spy. The Americans court martial a deserter. Visit my site at https://blog.AmRevPodcast.com for more text, pictures, maps, and sources on this topic. Book Recommendation of the Week: The British Are Coming, by Rick Atkinson Online Recommendation of the Week: https://jstor.org Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphon...
Aug 11, 2019•30 min•Ep. 109
France makes plans for covert aid to America. Silas Deane arrives to encourage such aid. French foreign minister puts him in contact with a playwright and part-time arms dealer name Beaumarchais. The British spy network immediately infiltrate all of this to thwart their plans. Also, others from America and in France attempt to block the attempt for personal reasons. Visit my site at https://blog.AmRevPodcast.com for more text, pictures, maps, and sources on this topic. Book Recommendation of the...
Aug 04, 2019•32 min•Ep. 108
The British land at Kip's Bay on Manhattan, scattering the patriot defenders. A few days later, British advance forces run into more effective resistance at Harlem Heights. While the British capture the island, they allow the Continental army to escape to the north. Visit my site at https://blog.AmRevPodcast.com for more text, pictures, maps, and sources on this topic. Book Recommendation of the Week: Revolution on the Hudson, by George C. Daughan Online Recommendation of the Week: https://mount...
Jul 28, 2019•29 min•Ep. 107
The British spend months putting together a fleet to crush the Americans on Lake Champlain and retake Fort Ticonderoga. Generals Carleton and Burgoyne do not get along and create a divided command. Those divisions, however, are nothing compared the divisions on the American site where Generals Schuyler and Gates fight to control the northern Continental Army. General Arnold also fights with a court martial, which tries to hold him in contempt. Visit my site at https://blog.AmRevPodcast.com for m...
Jul 21, 2019•29 min•Ep. 106
After capturing Brooklyn and Long Island General Howe and Admiral Howe halt their military offensive for two weeks. During that time, they invite three members of the Continental Congress to discuss the possibility of a negotiated peace. Visit my site at https://blog.AmRevPodcast.com for more text, pictures, maps, and sources on this topic. Book Recommendation of the Week: Stop the Revolution: America in the Summer of Independence and the Conference for Peace, by Thomas J. McGuire Online Recomme...
Jul 14, 2019•31 min•Ep. 105
The Continental Army attempts to blow up the HMS Eagle in New York Harbor in September 1776. Using the work of David Bushnell and a small team, attempts to attach an underwater mine after reaching the ship using a one man submarine. The explosive fails to attach and the mission is a failure. Visit my site at https://blog.AmRevPodcast.com for more text, pictures, maps, and sources on this topic. Book Recommendation of the Week: Turtle: David Bushnell's Revolutionary Vessel, by Roy R. Manstan and ...
Jul 07, 2019•30 min•Ep. 104
The British land 20,000 men on Long Island. Using a flanking maneuver, they easily kill, capture, and scatter the inexperienced Americans. Just as the regulars and Hessians appear to inflict the final death blow, British general Howe calls a halt to the assault. He fears sending his troops against the dug in Continentals along the East River. Instead, he opts for a slow advance of digging entrenchments. The British delay, along with the luck of weather, allows the Americans to escape back to Man...
Jun 30, 2019•28 min•Ep. 103
British Indian Agents encourage the Cherokee to attack the colonies in rebellion. Cherokee tribes along the western frontiers of Virginia, the Carolinas, and Georgia coordinate their attacks for about the same time the British attack the Carolina coast. After the British attack founders at Fort Sullivan and they abandon the south, the Americans are able to focus on the Cherokee and the Tories fighting with them. Fighting is brutal on both sides. Civilians are murdered. Men, women, and children a...
Jun 23, 2019•29 min•Ep. 102
The British get off to a late start, not assembling their massive invasion force at New York until August 1776. When they disembark on Staten Island, the Continentals see the largest overseas military force Britain had ever assembled. The British fleet sails past ineffective Continental defenses. Admiral Howe attempts to begin peace talks without any luck. Visit my site at https://blog.AmRevPodcast.com for more text, pictures, maps, and sources on this topic. Book Recommendation of the Week: Und...
Jun 16, 2019•29 min•Ep. 101
We review the Declaration line by line and explain what it means. Visit my site at https://blog.AmRevPodcast.com for more text, pictures, maps, and sources on this topic. Book Recommendation of the Week: American Scripture: Making the Declaration of Independence, by Pauline Maier Online Recommendation of the Week: Revolutions Podcast, by Mike Duncan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 09, 2019•31 min•Ep. 100
The Continental Congress appoints a committee headed by Thomas Jefferson to draft a declaration while debate over independence continues. After Congress approves the Declaration with modifications, it is distributed to the world, then later signed. Visit my site at https://blog.AmRevPodcast.com for more text, pictures, maps, and sources on this topic. Book Recommendations of the Week: What Did the Declaration Declare, by Joseph Ellis (ed) & The Fourth of July and the Founding of America, by ...
Jun 02, 2019•29 min•Ep. 99
In the spring of 1776, the Second Continental Congress struggles to reach a unanimous vote on independence. Visit my site at https://blog.AmRevPodcast.com for more text, pictures, maps, and sources on this topic. Book Recommendation of the Week: Signing Their Lives Away, by by Denise Kiernan and Joseph D'Agnese Online Recommendation of the week: Online Liberty Library oll.libertyfund.org Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 26, 2019•30 min•Ep. 98
Radicals in Philadelphia overthrow the conservative colonial government. They install radicals just in time to get Pennsylvania to support independence. For more text, pictures, maps, and sources, please visit my site at AmRevPodcast.Blogspot.com. Book Recommendation of the Week: The Revolution Is Now Begun: The Radical Committees of Philadelphia, 1765-1776, by Richard Alan Ryerson Online Recommendation of the Week archive.org Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 19, 2019•30 min•Ep. 97
General Henry Clinton and Commodore Peter Parker attempt to capture Fort Sullivan in the harbor of Charleston South Carolina. Although Continental General Charles Lee attempts to abandon the fort, the fort commander Colonel William Moultrie refuses. The British fail take the fort and must retreat back to New York without any military success. Visit my site at https://blog.AmRevPodcast.com for more text, pictures, maps, and sources on this topic. Book Recommendation of the Week Crescent Moon Over...
May 12, 2019•30 min•Ep. 96
General Sullivan takes command in Canada, only to be overwhelmed by the British reinforcements commanded by Generals Carleton and Burgoyne. The Continentals attack the British at Three Rivers, only to be repelled. Even more devastating is smallpox still ravaging the army. With General Arnold's assistance the Army successfully retreats back to New York largely intact. Visit my site at https://blog.AmRevPodcast.com for more text, pictures, maps, and sources on this topic. Learn more about your ad ...
May 05, 2019•28 min•Ep. 95
Elements of the Continental Navy as well as a hoard of privateers harass and battle with the British Navy up and down the East coast. Naval Commodore John Barry emerges and an early naval hero. Visit my site at https://blog.AmRevPodcast.com for more text, pictures, maps, and sources on this topic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apr 28, 2019•29 min•Ep. 94
General Washington struggles to set up defenses in New York despite Tories all around him. The Continental army riots with NY Prostitutes after they murder two soldiers. The Army discovers and shuts down a plot to murder Washington ahead of the British invasion. One soldier is hanged and mayor David Mathews is taken into custody. Visit my site at https://blog.AmRevPodcast.com for more text, pictures, maps, and sources on this topic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Apr 21, 2019•28 min•Ep. 93
Following the Declaration of Independence, most of the remaining States adopt new Constitutions. We examine why Massachusetts took so long and why Connecticut and Rhode Island did not even bother with one. Visit my site at https://blog.AmRevPodcast.com for more text, pictures, maps, and sources on this topic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apr 14, 2019•30 min•Ep. 92
In 1775 and 1776, even before officially declaring independence, the colonies begin adopting constitutions. We see many of the principles later found in the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution showing up in these first attempts at self-government. Visit my site at https://blog.AmRevPodcast.com for more text, pictures, maps, and sources on this topic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apr 07, 2019•31 min•Ep. 91
General John Thomas takes command of Continental forces around Quebec. Despite his efforts, the Continentals must withdraw as the British relief fleet arrives in spring 1776. An American force surrenders to an inferior force at an outpost known as the Cedars, leading to scandal and courts martial. Visit my site at https://blog.AmRevPodcast.com for more text, pictures, maps, and sources on this topic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Mar 31, 2019•30 min•Ep. 90
