Posted on 05/04/2016 10:34:59 AM PDT by Academiadotorg
On April 8, 2016, military historian and author Patrick K. ODonnell spoke at the Heritage Foundation to discuss his book Washingtons Immortals, a book about the forgotten people and battles in the revolutionary war.
The author discusses facts of the war that many schools fail to recognize; these include details of the colonists struggles with the loyalists, the soldiers shortages of clothing and food, and the sacrifices of many wealthy colonists. The stories in this book of the band of brotherhood and the sacrifices of the colonists are beneficial for students in order for them to fully understand American values.
Prior to O'Donnell's book, only a sign outside an auto garage recognized the death of the Marylanders, an independent company that General Washington heavily depended on to help win critical battles of the revolutionary war. In his book, ODonnell discusses the bond between the Marylanders as they stuck together during the darkest times to defeat the British troops.
Surprisingly, the Marylanders were also an integrated unit; seven to nine percent were free African Americans. O'Donnell uncovers the story of the forgotten hero Private Thomas Carney, a free black man who fought seven years in the revolutionary war and contributed to the victory of the battle of Guilford Court House.
The book also tells of Jenny Ramsey, wife of ardent patriot Nathaniel Ramsey. Despite the Ramsey's great wealth, Jenny set her riches aside to accompany her husband in the war. She marched with the army out of love and devotion and even got captured.
O'Donnell also addresses the inaccurate perception of the Battle of Trenton. Most students learn that Washington attacked the drunken Hessian troops because it was an easy victory that increased the morale of the American soldiers. O'Donnell emphasizes, however, that the Hessian soldiers were highly trained; they slept in their uniforms and had their muskets ready to fight. Contrary to popular belief, the Battle of Trenton was not an easy win.
This book provides a new perspective of the brutalities and sacrifices in the revolutionary war; it will help Americans understand not only who we were in the past, but also who we are today.
And today we accept the chains of slavery in the form of mortgages, car payments, insurance premiums, big screen TV’s, sports games and booze to drink while watching the big game - we would be entirely unwilling to give any of that up in the name of freedom. We have failed the legacy of the Founders and the true patriots.
May their chains rest lightly on their shoulders, and may our posterity forget they were our countrymen.
It was a tactical victory and allowed Cornwallis to continue his march north and achieve another series of battlefield victories before finally being stopped and surrendering at Yorktown some seven months later.
Nonetheless, the 90 minute action at Guilford Court House inflicted so many casualties on the army of Cornwallis, it helped make the eventual Yorktown victory inevitable.
A forgotten battle of the Revolutionary War and patriots to consider.
FReep Mail me if you want on, or off, this Revolutionary War, Founding Father, George Washington ping list.
Thanks for the ping. I’ll add this book to my summer reading list. But can anyone tell me about Gordon Wood and his books? Are they of conservative nature, or just pc nonsense?
Please add me to your ping list.
If George Washington were a General in today’s Army, he would be fired for being a discriminatory hater (Washington had men punished for homosexual sodomy). Washington’s overt Christianity would also be taboo.
James Monroe was wounded at the battle of Trenton. If he had been killed, the Monroe Doctrine would be called something else.
How many Americans can name the last battle of the War of the American Revolution (Cuddalore, fought in India in 1783).
My family fought in the the Revolutionary War and all except one lived to tell about it. I can count seven soldiers as I write. These are all direct ancestors of mine One was killed and one was captured by the British but survived. The one who was captured, my great, great grandfather, enlisted when he was 15, was captured when he tried to help a wounded comrade back to camp, then contracted small pox in prison, but lived till 1841.
Make that one more “great” in that grandfather story
I’m reading Washington’s Immortals right now. This should be required reading in high schools. So much in there that I never learned or read.
Thanks for the ping. Added to my reading list. 87% 5-star reviews on Amazon! Maybe the highest I’ve seen!
“the sacrifices of many wealthy colonists”
There has been speculation that this led Benedict Arnold to work for the British; he had put up a lot of his own money and wasn’t being re-paid.
Guilford CH is famous for the Brits desparately firing cannon over their own men and mowing down many of them in the process. Another “Pyrrhic victory” for the Brits.
This is also the only engagement in which the aforementioned legendary Marylanders “ran”. Strangely even more, as basically the last real battle of the war.
IIRC, Wood is another basically PC apologist.
I’d think it would be more like 5 or 6 greats in that.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.