This episode focuses on The Revolutionary War, drawing upon the narrative provided by a common patriot soldier, Joseph Plumb Martin, whose diaries were discovered in the 1950s.
The date is September, 1776. The place is New York. The scene will be the greatest military defeat of George Washington. Martin's diary describes how at Kip's Bay, Washington's troops scatter, retreating up a Native American pathway that would eventually become Broadway. But one of the greatest sites for casualties lay not on the battlefield, but in the sordid prison conditions aboard British vessels. The HMS Jersey is known simply as "hell."
One of Washington's innovations was a new kind of guerilla warfare led by the fearless, hard-drinking gambler Daniel Morgan. With the light weight American long-rifles, speed, stealth, and surprise gave the advantage to the rebels. One of the war's turning points was the death of British strategist General Simon Fraser, who was picked off by a sharpshooter. There was now a vacuum in the British leadership. Subsequently, Gen. John Burgoyne surrenders at Saratoga on October 17, 1777. Now, France joins the war on the American side.
Plumb Martin records the misery at Valley Forge, where Washington makes the bold move of inoculating his recruits against smallpox. One in fifty will die. But the gamble pays off, along with another daring chess move by Washington: the recruit of Baron Von Steuben to get some discipline into the ragtag American army.
Washington also begins a sophisticated spy ring with much of the population of New York involved. Robert Townsend adopts the alias of Samuel Culper. Jr. and "723" to gather valuable information. Ann Smith Strong hangs her laundry in a way that will tip off Washington as to the movements of the British. The result is that the British forces will be pinned in New York while Washington delivers the final blow to Cornwallis's army at Yorktown.
Plumb Martin is one of the first over the top at crowning moments of victory at Yorktown. The taking of the final two British redoubts protecting the army will be the death knell. Two days later, Cornwallis surrenders.
George Washington is inaugurated as President on April 30, 1789. 25,000 gave their lives for the revolutionary cause. A new nation is born.
The date is September, 1776. The place is New York. The scene will be the greatest military defeat of George Washington. Martin's diary describes how at Kip's Bay, Washington's troops scatter, retreating up a Native American pathway that would eventually become Broadway. But one of the greatest sites for casualties lay not on the battlefield, but in the sordid prison conditions aboard British vessels. The HMS Jersey is known simply as "hell."
One of Washington's innovations was a new kind of guerilla warfare led by the fearless, hard-drinking gambler Daniel Morgan. With the light weight American long-rifles, speed, stealth, and surprise gave the advantage to the rebels. One of the war's turning points was the death of British strategist General Simon Fraser, who was picked off by a sharpshooter. There was now a vacuum in the British leadership. Subsequently, Gen. John Burgoyne surrenders at Saratoga on October 17, 1777. Now, France joins the war on the American side.
Plumb Martin records the misery at Valley Forge, where Washington makes the bold move of inoculating his recruits against smallpox. One in fifty will die. But the gamble pays off, along with another daring chess move by Washington: the recruit of Baron Von Steuben to get some discipline into the ragtag American army.
Washington also begins a sophisticated spy ring with much of the population of New York involved. Robert Townsend adopts the alias of Samuel Culper. Jr. and "723" to gather valuable information. Ann Smith Strong hangs her laundry in a way that will tip off Washington as to the movements of the British. The result is that the British forces will be pinned in New York while Washington delivers the final blow to Cornwallis's army at Yorktown.
Plumb Martin is one of the first over the top at crowning moments of victory at Yorktown. The taking of the final two British redoubts protecting the army will be the death knell. Two days later, Cornwallis surrenders.
George Washington is inaugurated as President on April 30, 1789. 25,000 gave their lives for the revolutionary cause. A new nation is born.
