According to eyewitness accounts of the British surrender at Yorktown on October 19, 1781, the British were valiant enemies, cowardly, and drunk; the Americans were ragged, brave, and snide; and…
Like 9/11, the British surrender at Yorktown was recognized as a world-changing event at the very moment it happened. Everyone remembered where they were and what they saw and did. We…
Two weeks ago, in a post that included pics of Alexander and Eliza's wedding bands and wedding kerchiefs, I gave a link to a recipe for a cake that was identified…
Here are the main characters on the American Revolutionary scene, in September and October 1781 - skewed, of course, to those who appear in Hamilton: An American Musical. The Americans George…
Today, September 2, 2016, is the last day of the Hamilton memorabilia exhibition at the Rare Book and Manuscripts Library in the Butler Library, Columbia University. It includes Alexander and Eliza's wedding bands.…
Back in high school, I was taught that America's alliance with France was crucial for winning the Revolutionary War. Today's question: just what did the French contribute? King Louis XVI didn't love the…
On February 16, 1781, after a confrontation with Washington on the stairs at army headquarters, Hamilton resigned from the commander-in-chief's staff. He refused both Washington's apology and his father-in-law's plea to…
In mid-February 1781, after four years as Washington's aide-de-camp, Hamilton resigned. The reasons behind this and the relationship between Washington and Hamilton, are the subject of nearly as much speculation…
Months ago, I found John Laurens's letter to Hamilton about General Charles Lee's "infamous publication," and Hamilton's account of the Lee-Laurens duel. But it took me weeks to find the "strong…
Last week, I looked at the Royal Code and (disdainfully, because I think it was made up as joke) at the Irish Code. This week, we move on to two other…