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To: Pharmboy; All
There were only 3,300 Jews in the colonies in 1775 (out of about 4 million souls, 500,000 were African- American slaves); Philadelphia, New York, Charleston and Lancaster, PA were where the most Jews lived (Lancaster was, at that time, the gateway to the west and many merchant/outfitters gathered there).

Almost all the Jews were Patriots with very few Tories. One-hundred and twenty-five American Jews were under arms in the Continental Army. This comes from Benson Bobrick's excellent RevWar history Angel in the Whirlwind.

And while I'm at it, another interesting point he brings out in his book is the fact that more blacks than whites died during the war. Why? When the Brits promised freedom to the slaves when war broke out, many fled the plantations and were then placed in camps (the Brits had no real plans for them). Typhus and smallpox then wiped out tens of thousands...

5 posted on 05/20/2011 10:46:19 AM PDT by Pharmboy (What always made the state a hell has been that man tried to make it heaven-Hoelderlin)
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To: Pharmboy
"This comes from Benson Bobrick's excellent RevWar history Angel in the Whirlwind."

Great article and another great book tip. Thanks Pharmboy.
9 posted on 05/20/2011 4:58:39 PM PDT by 2sheds
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