Museum snags only known painting of George Washington's wartime command center tent

Philip Mead was online late one night in May, looking for possible artifacts from the American Revolution, when a painting up for auction caught his eye and got his heart racing.

The chief historian at the Museum of the American Revolution, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, had spied an unsigned watercolor from 1782. It was a panorama of an army encampment, and to his expert eye seemed to feature the only known wartime depiction of the tent George Washington used as his command center during the Revolutionary War.

The tent is the marquee exhibit at the museum, which opened in April. And, thanks to Mead's sharp eye, the museum now owns the painting that will anchor an exhibition next year.

The following post is from a very good friend of mine, who recently visited the MOAR in Philly. He saw this thread, and asked me to post this for him to the thread. Not having seen it myself, I'm relying on his review of it - but I trust his opinion and his character and value his word pretty highly (he's a retired USAF NCO); IOW, if he says he saw it, it's there, and that's golden as far as I'm concerned. There are photos that he took as well, and I can vouch for what he wrote after seeing them.

I’m writing this review to warn potential visitors to the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia of the identity and social justice politics being infused in our history.

Let me start by stating I had read two scathing reviews online (out of 57). I was disappointed in what I read, but more concerned about the glowing reviews given to the museum. If these two reviews were accurate, it tells me most people don’t know their own history. Something the left has been working on hard to rewrite or erase.

I arrived at the museum and the first thing you see is a short presentation (movie) about the Revolution itself. Immediately I noticed certain themes that ran throughout the exhibits. They go out of their way to promote/present class warfare, identity and social justice politics.

Here are some examples.

1. During the opening presentation (movie you first see when entering the museum), you hear that one of the reasons the American Revolution was fought was because of inequality. THAT IS NOT THE REASON, but self-governance and freedom from British rule are.

2. During the same movie I heard mentioned “the Sons AND Daughters of Liberty” I never heard of them before my visit, so I took to the internet (perhaps one of those “newly discovered information” claims the left likes to use when rewriting history?). Sure enough I found references, but their role was pretty much support of the cause and boycotting tea. Yet they are mentioned several times throughout the exhibits with no explanation to their part of the Revolution). I did see one display stating women and children melted down the statue of King George III to make musket balls.

3. There was a display showing what people thought of the Revolution during the period. You would select a person from an area of the colonies and their words came up. Amazing, out of the 6 or 7 choices, there was only one male.

4. The first room had a display titled “Before Equality”. Just one of several mentions/discussions of “class warfare”.

5. Another display in another room titled “The Promise of Equality”. Displayed is a sickle (note: this display originally had a hammer and sickle, what do you think they were trying to convey?) and a quote from William Findley “No man has a greater privilege for his 100,000 pounds than I have for my 5 pounds”. Emphasis on “than for my 5 pounds” (larger font). He’s also described as a laborer (this may be just a term used to describe someone during that time, but the display also included a sicle. Subtle reference to communism?). Previously the display contained a hammer and sickle, but the hammer was removed after someone complained they are symbols of communism.

6. An exhibit of slave Elizabeth Freeman quotes her “after she heard the Declaration of Independence read, she announced that its promise of equality should include her”. The Declaration did not promise equality. It stated that all men are created equal. It was a declaration to sever all ties with England. One only has to do a little research to understand the meaning of the word equal when Jefferson wrote the Declaration. https://constitutionclass.wordpress.com/2011/04/14/equality-and-the-declaration-of-independence/

7. There’s an entire room dedicated to the Oneida Indian Nation (perhaps a 10 million dollar donation had some influence?). The Oneida Nation is mentioned throughout the exhibit, but again in all my years of reading numerous books on the War for Independence did the Indians play a prominent role. I also read the Oneida Nation donate $10 million to the museum.

8. While reading a display about Valley Forge, in particular about the Drill Master of Valley Forge, Baron von Steuben, they added a line totally irrelevant to the war. “Though the army didn’t ask and he didn’t tell, Steuben is thought by some historians to have been gay”. This is a total agenda-driven inclusion. Has absolutely no bearing. It’s an opinion based with no facts or evidence.

9. There’s a display in the area of the privateer ship that includes 3 individuals. George Hewes, The female sailor, and James Forten.

• Hewes refused to extend a custom amongst sailors to their captains, a salute and slight bow. Again the display states the Revolution to him was about equality, calls Hewes a “laborer” (like the communist workers?). Another example of class warfare.

• A female sailor – This display states that women dressed as men to join privateer crews. Their evidence? Ballads from the 1700’s discussing women dressing as men to serve as soldiers or sailors. Is it possible? Sure anything is possible, but highly unlikely. I bet there were some examples of this actually happening, but this was nothing more than injecting identity politics and agenda here to rewrite history.

• James Forten – This display was pretty straight up. Born free and sailed as a privateer, Forten just wanted public recognition of his rights.

10. There’s a display titled “Charleston’s Sons and Daughters of Liberty” yet no mention of women. If the women played such a big role, where’s the evidence or facts? Again just slipping in and keeping with the “equality” theme.

11. The Display “Republican Motherhood” talks about feminism. Need I say more?

12. Next to these photographs is a display “MEET THE FUTURE OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION” along with mirrors. Hmmm planting a seed for the SJWs?

There were many more examples of this rewriting or inserting agenda driven themes of the American Revolution throughout the exhibits. I found the themes to be:

• Equality, social justice (class warfare)

• Identity Politics (women, African Americans, Indians, women dressing as men).

• Quick always to point out the faults of the Founders (Must have used Howard Zinn’s People’s History book for reference)

Perhaps some of these things and or events may have happened, but they act as if they were major contributors to the American Revolution. Everyone gets a participation trophy!

I’ve discovered that more and more books are being written about history. Approach with extreme prejudice. Especially when you read that it was written based on newly discovered material. Also you can do a little research on authors and find who are the leftist trying to rewrite history such as Howard Zinn.

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