On This Date
Editor’s Note: In preparation for the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution, the Four Rivers Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) Member William Sanders is sharing messages of the impact of the war on today’s society.
I was hoping to be rejoicing with you this month, over Georgia being in the National Championship Game, but apparently it was not meant to be. Miami and Indiana, who would have guessed it? I didn't know Indiana had football. Enough said about that. At least we can be happy that Alabama didn't make it or Ole Miss.
There used to be a program on television during the olden days called 'On This Date.” This month we are going to look at events that happened on or near January 21 from 1776 to 1783. Although the Revolutionary War started on April 19,1775, its official start is considered to be July 4, 1776, when we declared our independence. This July we will celebrate with TNT Fireworks on the 250th anniversary of this date.
On January 21, 1776, George Washington issued some of the first general orders of the War. They were for officers to buy arms (guns) as needed. The purpose of these orders was to make our army into a professional army,
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and to fix supply shortages. The supply shortages were never fixed; there was never enough throughout the war. About this same time, patriots seized the port of Norfolk, Virginia, and set it on fire. Meanwhile in Boston, the British were evacuating the city. I guess they were getting scared. War was on the way.
In 1777, as there was no email, United States Mail, TV, or radio, it took a long time for news to get around. The Continental Congress decided in January to send copies of the Declaration of Independence throughout the Colonies, along with the names of the men who signed it. Winter months are normally quiet months in wars where snow is involved. Washington from his winter headquarters in Morristown, New Jersey, sent orders that 'all enemies of our nascent nation be arrested and their property be confiscated.' Nascent, now that's an 80-dollar word if I have ever heard one. It means, “just coming into existence and beginning to display future potential.' Although a lot of fighting did not take place during winter, we did have one victory in January, the Battle of Princeton.
One thing about generals is they always come out with general orders. In January of 1778, Washington issued another one. This one came from his winter headquarters at Valley Forge. These orders concerned the treatment of soldiers in hospitals and the need for new clothing designs. Getting warm clothes to troops has always been an issue since the beginning. If you have seen the series 'Band of Brothers,” you know the 101st Airborne went into the Battle of the Bulge without warm clothes. Many of them froze to death, just like their forefathers did during the American Revolution. Most soldiers at Valley Forge didn't have any shoes; they had to wrap theirfeetinrags. Iexperienced this a little in 1979. My orders were redlined to Germany, but my winter uniforms had already been shipped to Florida. To say I spent a few miserable nights and days would be an understatement.
January of 1779 was pretty uneventful. General Washington exchanged a lot of letters with Congress. They talked about battle plans, lack of arms, uniforms, and training (shortages never improved during the war). It was also during this time that they started talking about paying soldiers with land grants. Who today wouldn't be willing to serve for 3 years for 100 to 300 acres, depending on the colony you were from? The amount of land you got depended on your rank. Most of these grants were not claimed. Maybe because these grants were in western territory, and Indians claimed these lands.
1780 saw the war in the Southern Colonies heatingup. Therewere troop movements in January, trying to get to a better location. Our leaders exchanged more letters, and treason came to be associated with the name of a man, Benedict Arnold. If you don't remember what he did, his plan was to turn the fort at West Point along with military secrets over to the British for money and a position. He was found out, but got away before we could catch the scoundrel.
January 21, 1781, saw General Washington writing Major General John Sullivan about a recent military mutiny in New Jersey. Washington had to send troops to help Sullivan put it down. In his letter, Washington tells Sullivan not to grant the mutineers any concessions or allow them to return to duty. Shortly before January 21, our old traitor Benedict Arnold, who was now a general in the British Army, led a naval expedition against Richmond, Virginia, and burned it. I wonder if he might have been a great-grandfather of a man by the name of Ulysses S. Grant? One good thing happened in January, we saw a turning point of the war in the south. Brigadier General Daniel Morgan defeated British Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton at the Battle of Cowpens, South Carolina.
Have you ever wondered what our National Debt was in 1782, or what started our National Debt? The answer is war. We have always borrowed money to wage war. In January of 1782, Benjamin Franklin signed a treaty or alliance with France in Paris. Part of this treaty was that they loaned us 6 million livers (chicken or beef, I don't know). Thatequatesto1 million U.S. dollars today. Altogether during the war, we borrowed 18 million livers from them, we must have really enjoyed liver, I mean “livres.” Other countries we borrowed from besides France were Spain and Holland. By December 31, 1782 our country's debt was as follows, Loan Office Debt 11,473,802; Army Debt 5,635,618; Liquidated Debt 701,404. The war cost us 77 million dollars, which is a bargain I guess as wars go. This debt was divided between foreign countries, soldiers’ salaries, and contractors (I wonder if any contractors were selling $300 toilet seats to the government back then).
Also in 1782, George Washington came up with the military award known as the Badge of Military Merit, better known today as the Purple Heart. When you hear Purple Heart, you might think a bunch were awarded considering how they lined up eyeball to eyeball and shot at each other. It was only during the last century that this award was revamped to give to soldiers that had been wounded. Only 3 individuals received this award during the Revolutionary War. It was closer to being like the Medal of Honor. Given for 'instances of unusual gallantry… extraordinary fidelity and essential service.' Aren't you glad you're not the officer that would have to decide if someone deserved this? 1783 saw the end of the war. It was the beginning of a financial crisis similar to what we have today. In 250 years things have only gotten worse — we haven't learned anything. Congress didn't have the power to tax. The only thing they could do was print paper money to pay our debt. Sounds like today?
