By 1774 Trenton was a small town located at the head of navigation on the Delaware River on a main road between New York and Philadelphia, and by extension the New England and Southern colonies. The town was in many ways a satellite of Philadelphia containing a number of industries, craftsmen, merchant establishments, and taverns serving the many travelers who passed through town. The people of Trenton were directly affected by the acts of Parliament that brought on the American Revolution and each person had to figure out how to live the life they desired in the midst of constantly changing ideas and events outside their control that brought soldiers of various armies to their town every year of the war.The story of Trenton between 1774 and 1783 is a microcosm of the struggles faced by ordinary Americans during the Revolution, struggles intensified by Trenton's geographic location in the State which saw more military activity than others and on a road constantly used to move and supply armies. Life in Trenton connected to just about every aspect of the Revolution. The story of the people who lived in Trenton, or who spent time there because of the Revolution, helps us better understand the hitherto untold importance of their town beyond the one well known day of battle. At various times Trenton was occupied by American Continentals, militia, British regulars, Hessians, Continental mutineers, and the French army and it housed British and Hessian prisoners and Loyalist sympathizers. For much of the war Trenton supplied a Continental army hospital and was a supply depot and transfer point employing local people to get supplies to the army at many places including Valley Forge and Morristown. Trenton was not the State capital, it was only a county seat, but its location made it the spot chosen for the new State government to sit for a great deal of time, another strain on the town's resources. All this activity provided stress for some and opportunities for others, but everyone had to deal with it on a daily basis.
A group of preeminent political and constitutional scholars, including Edward Banfield and William Kristol, offer fresh perspectives on The Federalist Papers' ideals, arguments, and enduring effects on American political life.
The reader is offered a fresh perspective on the “Ten Crucial Days” of the American Revolution, during which the Continental Army won its first three significant victories of the war. This book offers a concise but detailed account of a critical moment in our national saga by focusing on the exploits of several obscure individuals and their importance to the momentous events that altered the course of the conflict. These nine men and one woman distinguished themselves in the service of what George Washington famously termed “the glorious cause,” and the author shares their stories in an engaging and inspirational narrative. The unsung heroes that are the subject of this chronicle include the following: Captain William Blackler of Massachusetts, who commanded the boat that carried George Washington across an ice-choked Delaware River on Christmas night 1776 to attack the Hessian brigade occupying Trenton. Joseph Trumbull of Connecticut, Commissary General of the Continental Army, who kept its weary soldiers from starving during the dark days of 1776. Colonel Samuel Griffin of Virginia, who together with a woman known as the “Mysterious Widow” (whose identity is still unknown to us), managed to divert Hessian troops who were posted south of Trenton away from the scene of the battle on December 26, 1776, when Washington’s army attacked the Hessians stationed in Trenton, so that the enemy brigade there could not be rescued from the American assault. Dr. John Riker of New Jersey, who saved the life of a future President, James Monroe, during the December 26thbattle at Trenton. Joseph White of Massachusetts, a young sergeant whose artillery crew captured two enemy cannons aimed at American troops at Trenton on December 26thand then retrieved a damaged cannon that might otherwise have been lost to the enemy. Colonel Edward Hand of Pennsylvania, who commanded a vastly outnumbered force of American skirmishers that fought a daylong running battle against British and Hessian troops marching from Princeton to Trenton on January 2, 1777 and thereby gave Washington the time he needed to organize his defenses and fight off the enemy attack at the Second Battle of Trenton (or the Battle of Assunpink Creek). Colonel Charles Scott of Virginia, whose brigade manned the front line of defense against the enemy assault at Assunpink Creek during what may have been the most underappreciated moment of the Revolutionary War. Colonel John Haslet of Delaware, who provided inspirational leadership and survived one danger after another, including an accidental tumble in freezing Delaware River waters, only to make the supreme sacrifice at the Battle of Princeton on January 3, 1777, during what became the capstone event of the “Ten Crucial Days.” Captain Joseph Moulder of Pennsylvania, 62 years of age, who commanded a youthful artillery company that stood its ground against an elite force of onrushing British infantry at Princeton and gave Washington the time he needed to organize a counterattack that carried the army to its climactic victory of the “Ten Crucial Days.” Praise forRescuing the Revolution Rescuing the Revolution: Unsung Patriot Heroes and the Ten Crucial Days of America’s War for Independence presents ten unique stories of lesser-known heroes whose courage and patriotism contributed to our nation's quest for independence. Through this informative and well-crafted account, Price provides each of these individuals with an honored place in the history of the American Revolution.” —Jennifer Martin, Executive Director, Friends of Washington Crossing Park “Mr. Price’s deep knowledge and passion for his subject infuses every page and draws the reader into his narrative. I would highly recommend this book both to those who are interested in the Revolutionary War as well as to general readers who will be inspired by the realization that our freedom was won and has been maintained not only by the giants of American history but also by those little-known men and women who were willing to sacrifice everything during our nation's most desperate hours.” — Samuel C. Slaymaker, Executive Director, Rock Ford Plantation, Lancaster, PA (home of Revolutionary War hero Edward Hand) “I would strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in the American Revolution.” — Jeanne Floersheimer, President, North Jersey American Revolution Round Table “Rescuing the Revolution: Unsung Patriot Heroes and the Ten Crucial Days of America’s War for Independenceis a well-crafted narrative, combining impeccable research with great writing to tell the stories of common people whose bravery and patriotism changed the course of history.” — Judi Biederman, Regent, Washington Crossing (PA) Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution and Historical Interpreter, Friends of Washington Crossing Park “I was extremely engaged by the author's thorough knowledge of the Revolutionary War and his passion for the ‘Ten Crucial Days’ of that conflict. He is the best, a historian who is bringing history to the people through his work as a historical interpreter, his writing, and his presentations on this terrific book.” —Joseph Garrera, Executive Director, Lehigh Valley Heritage Museum, Allentown, PA “This is a solid, workmanlike book that highlights the contributions of ten people who served the Revolution in what historians call the "Ten Crucial Days" from December 25, 1776 to January 3, 1777.” — Daniel Moran, Ph.D., Adjunct Professor of History, Monmouth University
Some are household names, other are all but forgotten. These twelve heroes played an important role in the American Revolution. Paul Revere, silversmith, engraver, midnight messenger to the Patriots. Lydia Darragh, nurse, mother of five, Continental army spy. Crispus Attucks, escaped slave, "the first to defy, the first to die." George Washington, father of the country. Deborah Sampson, "the female soldier." From spying on the British to rescuing fallen soldiers on the battlefield, these men and women stand as unforgettable heroes of the Revolutionary War. David A. Adler's lively anecdotes and Donald A. Smith's bold paintings present a dozen figures whose courage and determination to seek freedom were indomitable in their own times and remain a shining example in our own. Author's notes, a list of important dates, source notes, and a selected bibliography expand on the biographies of each person. This is a great gift for young history buffs interested in the Revolutionary War as well as a resource for classroom use.
The majority of Americans are tired of the radical ideologues intent on surrendering our national sovereignty, and are refusing to accept nationalizing our financial, auto, energy and healthcare industries. And these same Americans are concerned about the massive debt that will be left for their children and grandchildren. Today, the political debate and dialogue is dominated by a radical agenda to change America from what it has been to something very different, something we will not recognize, and something future generations will hardly find appealing. To turn this tide, a majority of Americans must unite and educate others to thwart this agenda. In Save America Now!, Michael Master is asking us to join forces in a common cause to save the America of our Founders. He implores patriotic Americans to be steadfast in proclaiming their resolve to preserve America and to stand together for the principles that have made the United States the greatest, most prosperous and most generous nation in history. Save America Now! offers hope that, by working together against very challenging opponents, the destructive changes that are sweeping across our land can be reversed.
Whether it is brutal murders by the police, the injustices perpetrated everyday in the legal and prison system, or the military interventions around the globe-the state remains a topic of utmost importance for today's revolutionaries. In the everyday struggles of working class and oppressed people the state often presents itself as the main enemy. Can anything be done to change this reality? Is this just the way it is and always will be? This volume answers the question of why the capitalist government and its enforcers are set up against the people, and why, in order to win radical change, we need a revolution that builds a new state on new foundations. Revolution Manifesto revisits the theories of the state first developed by Marx, Engels and especially Lenin in his groundbreaking work "The State and Revolution." Nearly a century later, Lenin's analysis on the class nature of the state, and the need to overthrow it, has been proven true time and again. Examining the historical experience of revolutions in France, Russia and Cuba, as well as precolonial Indigenous societies, the book asks: do we even need a state? What are the possibilities for revolutionary states to "wither away" completely? As struggles against exploitation and oppression continue to heat up, this book is a must read for all those serious about understanding and resolving the serious injustices facing our world. This publication reflects the views of the Party for Socialism and Liberation. "Anyone who aspires ... to understand the theory of modern communism must study Lenin's pamphlet "The State and Revolution." ... The book's primary objective was to rescue Marxism from its devolution into a doctrine of reform, to restore Marxism as a doctrine of revolution." -From Revolution Manifesto
In 1777, the American Revolution is well underway. At 16, Sybil Ludington knows the war all too well. Her father is a colonel in the Continental Army, battling for America's independence from Great Britain. Colonel Ludington and his regiment are home for the season when word comes that the British Army is attacking nearby. With her father too ill to ride, it's up to young Sybil to alert the American militia that the British are coming.
A history of Trenton during the American Revolution Exhaustively researched and beautifully written, this it he story of revolutionary Trenton, New Jersey both a critical supply post and a crucial junction halfway between loyalist New York, and patriot Philadelphia. Trenton between 1774 and 1783 is a microcosm of the challenges faced by ordinary Americans during the revolution, struggles intensified by Trenton’s geographic location in the state which saw more military activity than others and on a road constantly user to move and supply armies. Life in Trenton connected to just about every aspect of the revolution. The story of the people who lived in Trenton, or who spent time there because of the revolution, helps us better understand the hitherto untold importance of their town beyond the one well known day of battle. Praise for CROSSROADS OF THE REVOLUTION: 1774 - 1783 A meticulous, compelling, and well-researched account of how the American Revolution pivoted around a village in southern New Jersey.– Rick Atkinson, Pulitzer Prize Winning Historian William L. Kidder’s Crossroads of the Revolution: Trenton, 1774-1783is a gem. In this engaging and well-researched narrative, Kidder shines a light on Trenton, its people, and the events that centered on that town. Most Americans know Trenton as the location of George Washington’s post-Christmas victory over a Hessian brigade in 1776. Trenton was, however, much more than that. It was an active and lively town at the center of the American Revolution in New Jersey. Through his lively writing bolstered by assiduous research, Kidder tells the stories of Whigs, Loyalists, slaves, Britons, Hessians, and others who helped make Trenton a crossroads of the American Revolution. Readers will not be disappointed. - Ricardo A. Herrera is Associate Professor of Military History, US Army School of Advanced Military Studies and the author ofFor Liberty and the Republic: The American Citizen as Soldier, 1775-1861. Known by most Americans for an hour of dramatic combat, Trenton was a small but important industrial city at the crux of so much of the War for Independence. Mr. Kidder’s marvelous study not only brings to life Trenton’s many unique personalities, but stands as a valuable case study for how a town and its people weathered and adapted through nine grueling years in the eye of the storm we know as the Revolution.Richard Patterson Executive Director, Old Barracks Museum, Trenton, NJ Most histories of the Revolution remember Trenton, New Jersey, simply as the battle site where George Washington snatched the Patriot cause from the jaws of defeat on December 26, 1776, with his surprise attack on a Hessian brigade. William L. Kidder’s Crossroads of the Revolution, presents a vivid, well-research portrait of a community at war, which reveals the daily courage and persistence it took to win independence. Trentonians faced a daunting array of crises and other challenges between 1774 and 1783, and innumerable options with unpredictable outcomes. Not all chose the same course – not all saw their stories end happily – but all were Americans who sought to define liberty in their own terms – much like their descendants who live in equally uncertain times today. Gregory J. W. Urwin, Professor of History, Temple University
