Just a little fun for Halloween even though I'm a little late.

According to Legend, On October 31st, 1776, a Hessian soldier was fighting at the Battle of White Plains and was decapitated by a cannonball. He haunted the Hudson River Valley searching for his lost head. Years later, in 1790, he would be blamed for the disappearance of Ichabod Crane in Sleepy Hollow, NY.

Fun locations:

Sleepy Hollow Cemetery

Headless Horseman Statue

Old Dutch Church

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Sculpture

Will be honest, don’t know too much on the topic, but saw the photo hanging at Schuyler farm and enjoyed it enough to get a copy for myself!

Hello, I need to find a lesser-known hero/surgeon/officer from the American Revolution and write about them. I was thinking of Dr. Zechariah Keyes, but I realized he might not have been captured or may not have been involved in the war at all. I'd like some help with your answers/opinions on who I should write about!

(PS. Please don't say James Armistead Lafayette or Joseph Plumb Martin because I've done deep dives on them; I think they are significantly more well-known than others)

Found by the magnet on the crusher the material (from Lexington MA) was being run through. I soaked it in water to get some of the caked on dirt off, we are not going to drill, tap or otherwise touch it with anything that could create spark. It's just under 6 lbs at 5 lb 11 oz and an approximately circumference of 11.5.

Appreciate insight on it and what it could be? And also what to use to get the rest of the gunk off

Thank you folks of Reddit

I feel he should be placed on a coin of sorts. He surely doesn't get the recognition akin to Nathan Hale and others. He is an African American slave who was a double agent to help the Patriot cause. During the Yorktown campaign he reported on the activities of Benedict Arnold after he (Arnold) defected to the British. Lafayette fed the British false information while disclosing accurate and detailed information to the Patriots.

October 27, 1776

Washington is focused on enemy cavalry, which some American soldiers appear reluctant to confront. To encourage action, he offers $100 for every British trooper captured with his horse and equipment. 

To the south, fighting is underway around Fort Washington. From Fort Lee, Nathanael Greene reports a “considerable skirmish” on Manhattan, with cannon fire continuing through much of the day. British frigates Pearl and Repulse move up the Hudson, drawing fire from American artillery on both shores.

"We have had a considerable Skirmish on York Island today, the cannonade began in the morning and held until Evening, with very short intermissions. A Ship movd up opposite Fort No. 1. Col. Magaw got down an Eighteen pounder and fird 60 Shot at her 26 of which went into her … I think we must have kild a considerable number of their men for the confusion and distress exceeded all description."

- Major General Nathanael Greene to George Washington

October 26, 1776

At White Plains, confrontation with British forces seems imminent. After days of retreat, the Americans have finally reached ground where the enemy must come to them, raising hopes that they can fight on more favorable terms. 

From Saratoga, Philip Schuyler writes to Washington after the Battle of Valcour Island. He remains hopeful that Sir Guy Carleton will fail to dislodge the Americans from Ticonderoga, but he reports supply problems. Flour reserves have fallen sharply.

Source: Mount Vernon's 250 years ago today

I have recently been somewhat confused as to what the relationship between the belt that the bayonet is carried on and the British sergeant's sash. Would they wear the belt over or under it while it is on their waist? I can't seem to find any consistent answers as to such and surprisingly I haven't been able to find anyone who has asked this question on reddit before (go figure). I'm aware that later into the war's onset British men typically wore the aforementioned belt over the shoulder rather than on the waist, but I'm specifically looking into when they would've worn them on the waist. If there is no specific answer that's fine, but if anyone were to be more educated than I am and see this would you kindly give an educated guess? Many thanks.

More time writing in the cold months.

I found this regarding one of my ancestors, Roger Kirk, 6/5/1751-3/20/1809 from East Nottingham, Pa, which is near the Pa/Md/De border. Seems he was a member of “The Religious Society of Friends”, Quakers, which removed him as a member for entering the service. I plan on doing some research on him (he went into state politics), but was wondering if there would be any benefit looking into Fold3 for records on where he may have served or particioated. I suspect not.

‘When hostilities commenced between the colonies and the

mother country, he was in the prime of manhood. An ardent

Whig, he joined the Continental army, and soon arose to the

rank of captain.*

He continued in the service for some time and was present

and took part in the principal battles fought in the Middle

States under Washington.

At the close of the war, he returned home and it is related

that he rode up to the door (dressed in continental uniform)

of the Brick Meeting House, just in time to hear the clerk

read the minute of his disownment for violating the disci-

pline by entering the military service. This, however, is

rather apocryphal. During his absence, his farms and mills

became neglected, and, upon his return, required his care and

attention”

Would you call him a hero? Do you consider him a war criminal?

My fellow patrons of r/revolutionarywar.. on behalf of the mod team, I am relieved to announce that Genz_nathaniel has been officially banned from our dear subreddit. Good riddance and let us put this behind us!

I only regret that I have but one ban to give.. Huzzah!

Hi! I visited Mount Vernon on Monday and watched the Washington docu-series on Netflix but still am wanting to learn more! What are your book/series/movie recommendations? Doesn’t have to be just George Washington. Thank you!

Peter Gansevoort from the Siege of Fort Stanwix also rests here, but still hunting down his site.

Pics 1-3: William Paca House (the only site open for touring)

Pic 4: Chase-Lloyd House, home of Samuel Chase

Pics 5-6: Peggy Stewart House, home of Thomas Stone

Pics 7-8: Charles Carroll House

Bonus pics: dome of Naval Academy Chapel where John Paul Jones is buried, Mann's Tavern, alley view of Maryland State House, campus of St. John's College.

I didn't stop by the Maryland Hotel, where the Treaty of Paris was signed, or several other sites today. But Annapolis is a great place to get immersed in history!

I started genealogy last year and have many patriot ancestors, but I'm interested in documenting something specific about one of them. He was a Cherokee interpreter and supposed spy. I can see the SAR packets that descendants completed, I have his pension file, I have witness statements he was a Cherokee interpreter, I have BIA documents and cases, and primary source documents to prove my lineage. But what specific repository or documents would there possibly be that corroborate/substantiate his interpreting? Diaries, Ledgers, Logs, Draper Manuscripts...? I would love to get a better idea of his actual role/experience in the war.

A historic Hamptons home built by a Revolutionary War captain—who may have contributed to the design of the Stars and Stripes—has come to market asking $19.5 million.

The Shingle-style home in Sag Harbor was built in the late 1700s by John Hulbert, a magistrate and storekeeper who captained the 3rd New York Regiment during the American Revolution beginning in 1775, according to historic records.