[Perseverando]

Time for another great American (and world) history lesson from American Minute.

American Minute Posts by Category

[TheDandyMan]

”British General Gage had no respect for the rag-tag Americans, resulting in him pridefully committing the serious mistake of ordering a direct assault.“

This myth, that the British were bumbling, tea-sipping elitists who underestimated the American forces, ought to stop being perpetuated. Gage commanded the experimental light corps during the French and Indian War and fought alongside Americans quite extensively. Howe’s elder brother died in the F&I War and was noted as one of the most beloved officers in America.

The Brits used the exact same tactic at Fort Carillon in 1758. Would anyone argue that they held French regulars in contempt? It was simply a time during which, barring input from more imaginative officers, a situation such as this was handled with a bloody frontal assault.

[Mouton]

Very moving.

Today facing a different “king” I wonder what would be the result. My guess, nothing akin to that.

[AndyTheBear]

"Don't shoot til you see the whites of their eyes"

Eventially an exploitable weakness was found in this tactic when enemy soldiers started wearing sun glasses.

[KingLudd]

“no one should fire till they arrived within eight rods”

A rod is about 5 meters.

[Bigg Red]

Excellent. Thanks for posting.

[NonValueAdded]

The RevWar/Colonial History/General Washington ping list.

Breed's Hill ping

Please FreepMail me if you want to be added to or removed from this low volume ping list. Ping requests gladly accepted.

Recessional of the Sons of the American Revolution:

“Until we meet again, let us remember our obligations to our
forefathers who gave us our Constitution, the Bill of Rights,
an independent Supreme Court and a nation of free men.”

Dr. Benjamin Franklin, when asked if we had a republic or a monarchy, replied "A Republic, if you can keep it."
Were we ever as close to losing it as we are now?

[skeeter]

At the beginning of the battle, a stray musket ball from a British gun killed an American soldier, resulting in other soldiers running away.

It wasn't a stray bullet, it was a cannonball from one of the warships firing from the Charles river, and it decapitated a soldier.

I never read about anyone running afterward, but seeing that must've been disconcerting for anyone unfamiliar with combat.