Philadelphia, Pennsylvania has its origins in 1682, when it was founded by William Penn as a town in the English Province of Pennsylvania. Tucked between the Schuylkill and Delaware Rivers, Philadelphia quickly grew in economic and social importance. By the mid-1700s, Philadelphia was the largest in the North American colonies and would play a central…
Category: Exploring Historic America
Exploring American cities, towns, and regions during historic road trips!
The Battle of Cedar Mountain
The Battle of Cedar Mountain was fought on a hot late summer day in Culpeper County, Virginia. Union General Nathaniel P. Banks and the Union Second Corps duked it out with famed Confederate General Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson in pitched battle in the shadow of Cedar Mountain, which ultimately resulted in a southern victory. Today,…
The Battle of Rhode Island
The Battle of Rhode Island was the only engagement of the Revolutionary War that was fought on Rhode Island soil and the first joint-operation between French and American forces. Although Newport was not re-captured from the British (the overall goal of the operation), the patriot forces proved their mettle in combat. In particular, the 1st…
The Battle of Stony Point
On the night of July 15-16, 1779, a strategic peninsula on the western shore of the Hudson River was engulfed with musket fire, plunging bayonets, and confusion. This midnight assault, which was carried out by Continental troops under command of Brigadier General “Mad” Anthony Wayne, is known as the Battle of Stony Point. Violent hand-to-hand…
The Battle of Monmouth
In the summer of 1778, the Continental army emerged from its transformative winter quarters at Valley Forge and pursued the British army, which abandoned Philadelphia and set off on foot for New York City. On June 28, 1778, a clash in the fields and orchards near Monmouth Courthouse in central New Jersey erupted into full-scale…
Dorchester Heights (Boston, MA)
Nestled amidst the iconic Dorchester Heights neighborhood of South Boston is a prominent hill that once served a crucial role in American history. In fact, the commanding heights offered an unparalleled view of Boston Harbor and the city below, which made it a key strategic point during the early months of 1776. Thanks to the…
The Battle of Camden
The Battle of Camden was fought on August 16th, 1780, and was one of the worst defeats suffered by the Continental Army in the southern theater during the Revolutionary War (it is also considered to be the high-water mark of British control in the south). This devastating loss all but destroyed the army under the…
Battleship Cove (Fall River, MA)
Battleship Cove in Fall River, Massachusetts is one of the premier naval museums in the world. With multiple ships, boats, a submarine, and of course, the massive battleship USS Massachusetts (BB-59) on display, a visit to Battleship Cove is sure to be an educational and memorable experience. Be sure to put on your best walking…
West Point and the Great Chain in the American Revolution
During the American Revolutionary War, the Hudson River was considered the most crucial waterway in the colonies. West Point (where the United States Military Academy now stands) quickly became a critical outpost and series of fortifications designed to prevent British ships from passing up the river and ensure American dominance of the Hudson. It was…
New Windsor Winter Encampment (1782-1783)
By the winter of 1782-1783, the American Revolutionary War was winding down- yet it was not over. After the Franco-American victory over General Cornwallis’ army at Yorktown in October 1781, the Continental Army returned to positions outside of New York City to keep watch over the British Army stationed there. As peace talks in Paris…
Green End Fort (Middletown, RI)
Newport, Rhode Island has long been considered a crucial seaport and throughout the American Revolution, the strategic city was occupied by both the British and French Armies. As part of these occupations, both sides built fortifications on the outskirts of town to prepare for a possible attack from the enemy. But while most earthen fortifications…
Washington’s Stand at Fort Necessity
Long before he assumed his role at the head of Continental forces during the American Revolution, a young George Washington gained crucial combat experience in the wilds of the North American interior (today’s southwest Pennsylvania). Washington’s stand at Fort Necessity proved untenable and he was forced to surrender his force, which would be the first…
The Battle of Brandywine
The Battle of Brandywine was the largest and longest single-day battle of the American Revolution (~11 hours long), involved over 30,000 troops between the two armies, resulted in the most casualties of any battle in the war, and covered 35,000 acres. It was truly a larger-than-life conflict that pitted the military genius of British Generals…
Concord and the Old North Bridge
In the early morning hours of April 19, 1775, about 700 British soldiers marched from Boston with one goal in mind: to seize the military stores and munitions hidden by the rebels in the countryside town of Concord, Massachusetts. Concord’s Old North Bridge played a central role in the action that day and remains a…
A Historic Walking Tour of New Castle, DE
New Castle, Delaware was founded in 1651 by Petrus (Peter) Stuyvesant under the authority of the Dutch West India Company. Originally named Fort Casimir and later renamed New Amstel, the settlement was established along the navigable Delaware River and quickly became an important commercial seaport with strategic military benefits. After Britain gained control of the…