An Army for the War: 1777 Most Continental enlistments expired on 31 December 1776. Congress and Washington hoped to avoid a recurrence of the problems of the previous winter by beginning their preparations for reorganizing the Continental Army during the early fall of 1776. Profiting from that earlier experience, they not only started sooner but…
All posts tagged December 27
Cornwallis’s Letter Criticized
From Diary of the American Revolution, Vol II. Compiled by Frank Moore and published in 1859. After an attentive perusal of Lord Cornwallis’s letter to Sir Henry Clinton, containing an account of the reduction of his post and army in Virginia, we think the following observations are equally just and natural:— I. That his lordship…
Arnold’s Expedition to Virginia
From Diary of the American Revolution, Vol II. Compiled by Frank Moore and published in 1859. January 31.—This morning, his Majesty’s ship Iris arrived at New York from the Chesapeake, with the following account of the proceedings of the British forces in Virginia, under Brigadier-General Arnold:—”The fleet having been separated by a hard gale of…
The Soldier and his Cards
From Diary of the American Revolution, Vol II. Compiled by Frank Moore and published in 1859. December 27.—A soldier in the American army being unfortunately surprised at a game of cards by a sergeant who owed him an old grudge, was carried before the colonel of the regiment, that he might be punished for gaming,…