Major benjamin whitcomb of whitcombs rangers revolutionary. In 1776 by jean marzollo is a children s nonfiction book intended for readers between the ages of seven and ten. Sep 11, 20 congress complied and benjamin whitcombs independent corps of rangers began service in october, 1776, and functioned as scouts and spies until early in 1781. Whitcombs rangers were authorized on october 15, 1776, and formed in november 1776 at fort ticonderoga in new york. Oct 10, 2011 the uneasy standoff at throgs neck commonly called frogs point continued into a fourth day. Men of whitcombs independent corps of rangers fought the first engagement of the pivotal.
We memorize names and dates without affixing humanity to them, without realizing the inexorable bond that links us to those people and events in the past. Benjamin whitcombs independent corps of rangers is a nonprofit corporation established in 1975 to recreate the life style of the rangers in the war of independence, 1776 1781. New hampshire regiments in the continental army american. Congress complied and benjamin whitcombs independent corps of rangers began service in october, 1776, and functioned as scouts and spies until early in 1781. Major benjamin whitcomb and ranger leader in the american. October 15, 1776 from october 8th to november 1st, i am blogging about the white plains campaign of 1776. Benjamin whitcomb new hampshire society of the cincinnati. The revolutionary wars 1778 campaign as waged from quebec and niagara against the american frontiers. The volunteers had already elected john stark, a veteran of rogers rangers. Before the end of the war, the rangers were fully incorporated into the british regular army, one of only four loyalist units to be so honored. Gorham s rangers was one of the most famous and effective ranger units raised in colonial north america and served as the prototype for many subsequent ranger forces, including the better known rogers rangers. Whitcombs rangers were in the thick of the fight at freeman farm. The continental army army center of military history.
Sergeant john smith lippitts rhode island state regiment was witness to one of these incidents. Entries in the log cover the periods july 15november 20, 1776, and october 14november 9, 1777, covering the regiments activities during its encampment in the tidewater area and in new jersey and new york where it had joined with washingtons army. They also were hoping that he would live up to his reputation. An echo in the boneminor characters outlander wiki fandom. I cant exactly say that this book reads like a novel, because it is too full of excerpts from journals and letters from people who lived through the action, an approach a novel rarely takes. Armys intelligence service seal refers to the formation of knowltons rangers. From philadelphia william hessam from casco bay william fowler from newport.
Knowltons rangers are considered the united states of americas first organized intelligence service organization, as well as the first american ranger unit formed after america declared its independence from the united kingdom. Nov, 2017 that earned whitcomb a promotion to the rank of captain and command of two companies of independent rangers. As in january 1776, the three old new hampshire regiments were used as. Gateway to the west 16141925 is a fourvolume set covering six counties in upstate new york. Gorhams rangers was one of the most famous and effective ranger units raised in colonial north america and served as the prototype for many subsequent ranger forces, including the better known rogers rangers. Like most historical narratives, the reader often knows the ending well in advance. Benjamin whitcombs independent corps of rangers is a nonprofit corporation established in 1975 to recreate the life style of the rangers in the war of independence, 17761781.
Now that time has passed we no longer hear the mantra of no more task force smiths, why. The unit started out as a massachusetts provincial auxiliary. This online version is part of the schenectady digital history archive, the local history and genealogy web site of the schenectady county public library, affiliated with the nygenweb, usgenweb and american history and genealogy projects and the american. The company was recruited in the latespring early summer of 1744 after nova scotia lieutenantgovernor paul mascarene wrote to. Gorhams rangers was a massachusetts provincial auxiliary company of new england indians mainly wampanoag and nauset, but also a few pigwacket led by angloamerican officers and commanded by captain john gorham.
The log book provides information on the daily activities of the regiment and records special. They fought excellently as light infantry in the battle of harlem heights on. Jun 10, 2019 a portion, at least, of whitcombs rangers were with the northern army at saratoga, and participated in the battles of stillwater or bemis heights, september 19 and october 7, 1777. In addition, this decision allows the members a wide latitude in their choice of items. Jun 19, 2019 the perfect weapon for the wilderness and in the american revolution proven to be the most advanced hand held weapon in the world for the next several generations. That earned whitcomb a promotion to the rank of captain and command of two companies of independent rangers. Knowltons rangers and whitcombs rangers new hampshire rangers whitcombs rangers and then precede to add that knowltons rangers performed excellently in a light infantry role at the battle of harlem heights on. A list of manuscript and published orderly books of the massachusetts line of the continental army and where to find them. Americas beloved and distinguished historian presents, in a book of breathtaking excitement, drama, and narrative force, the stirring story. He served with the rangers until his resignation on october 26, 1777. The unit consisted of two companies of new hampshire rangers for service with the continental army under the command of benjamin whitcomb, a veteran of bedel s regiment.
Robert rogers british army officer military wiki fandom. American major general william heath noted, the scattering fire across the marsh continued, and now and then a man was killed. Whitcombs rangers originated as a similar, provisional ranger unit on the lake champlain front, in 1776. My appreciation also to james casco whitcombs rangers, nancy pecca 2nd new jersey regiment, susan plaisted german regiment, david wilson 2nd massachusetts regiment, and others whose names i cannot recall who either cooked on the kitchen at bordentown or stopped by, voicing support and posing questions.
Whitcomb s whitetails 3947 baptist church rd, princeton, minnesota 55371 rated 4. James murray hadden, haddens journal and orderly books, ed. Apr, 2015 incidents near fort ticonderoga on june 17, 1777. In 1776 by jean marzollo is a childrens nonfiction book intended for readers between the ages of seven and ten.
The illustrations worked well with the text as they went into detail with what the was going on. October 15, 1776 a miniature history of the american. The rascal whitcomb infamous skulker frontier partisans. These pages about the battle of wyoming are from the pictorial field book of the revolution by john. Concerning knowlton s rangers washington described their performance to virginia governore patrick henry. This book is not, however, a comprehensive account of the revolution. The story is about how american won it s independence from the british. A portion, at least, of whitcombs rangers were with the northern army at saratoga, and participated in the battles of stillwater or bemis heights, september 19 and october 7, 1777. As a result of his prowess, general horatio gates recommended that whitcomb be given a command, and on october 15, 1776, congress promoted whitcomb to captain and ordered him to form two companies of rangers. Benjamin whitcomb 17371828 wikitree free family tree. He participated in the battle of brandywine, pennsylvania on september 11, 1777 where he was wounded in actiion. His first book in the series, the patriot spy was released in 2012 and his second, the cavalier spy, in 2015. This book is the story of how close george washington, as commander of the american army, came to defeat in the terrible year of 1776 which also saw the declaration of independence. Benjamin whitcomb s independent corps of rangers is a nonprofit corporation established in 1975 to recreate the life style of the rangers in the war of independence, 1776 1781.
Riedesels comments succinctly illustrated the value of rangers in north american. Army s intelligence service seal refers to the formation of knowlton s rangers. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that. Incidents near fort ticonderoga on june 17, 1777 journal. Knowltons rangers, 1776 as found in the record of connecticut men in the military and naval service during the war of the revolution, 17751783. Apr 14, 2020 as a result of his prowess, general horatio gates recommended that whitcomb be given a command, and on october 15, 1776, congress promoted whitcomb to captain and ordered him to form two companies of rangers.
In the late summer of 1776, many people on both sides of the conflict knew about the shooting of brigadier general patrick gordon. United states army rangers academic dictionaries and. Based on extensive primary source research, the book traces the complete movements. Gara is the first book length account of this storied unit. Authorized is october 1776 in the continental army as whitcombs rangers, an. Oconnell is a retired army intelligence officer and author of the yankee doodle spies series. Benjamin whitcombs independent corps of rangers is a nonprofit. In 1776, he was promoted to colonel and ordered to return home to recruit his rangers to regimental strength. Whitcombs rangers started as a similar provisional unit on the lake champlain front in 1776. Their military tactics were so bold and effective that the unit became. Whitcombs rangers were with the american army as it was forced by the. Jan 18, 2015 second, i found a pristine, almostfree copy of 1776 at the seattle friends of the library book sale and couldnt pass it up. In 1776, every reader had to have expected that mccullough would close his book describing washingtons daring yet gallant crossing of the delaware and the continental armys subsequent triumph at trenton.
He escaped from washington s custody only to find revolutionary ranks firm against him, so he offered his services to the british army. The queens american rangers the campaign for the national. The queens american rangers tells the story of a loyalist unit that fought in the american revolution. June 5, 1776, he was commissioned a brigadiergeneral in.
The twotime pulitzer prize winner and twice national book award recipient has traditionally chronicled epic times and critical historical events on a grand scale. Knowlton s rangers are considered the united states of america s first organized intelligence service organization, as well as the first american ranger unit formed after america declared its independence from the united kingdom. On september 26, 1776, grymes was appointed as major and executive ofricer of the queens american rangers, then commanded by lt colonel robert rogers. Entries in the log cover the periods july 15november 20, 1776, and october 14november 9, 1777, covering the regiment s activities during its encampment in the tidewater area and in new jersey and new york where it had joined with washington s army. Over the years, the families had prospered as able farmers and generations of whitcombs had established farms and residences throughout the. Whitcomb s rangers started as a similar provisional unit on the lake champlain front in 1776. Not only did the war concentrate in the champlain valley at that time but that is also when whitcombs rangers gained much of their notoriety. Knowlton s rangers was a provisional, threecompany unit of volunteers drawn from connecticut and massachusetts infantry line regiments commanded by lieutenant colonel thomas knowlton, were created during late summer of 1776, at new york city.
Whitcombs whitetails 3947 baptist church rd, princeton, minnesota 55371 rated 4. John whitcomb, nearly every date and statement in which is erroneous. May 28, 2015 before the end of the war, the rangers were fully incorporated into the british regular army, one of only four loyalist units to be so honored. Men of whitcombs independent corps of rangers fought the first engagement of the pivotal saratoga campaign in 1777, when scouts ran afoul of the indians screening general johnny burgoynes advance out of canada. A guide to the revolutionary war collections revolutionary. Major benjamin whitcomb served whitcombs rangers 1776 during the. New hampshire rangers, aka whitcombs rangers, 17761781 continental light dragoons. Whitcomb s rangers were authorized on october 15, 1776, and formed in november 1776 at fort ticonderoga in new york. Benjamin whitcomb enlisted in bedels regiment on january 22, 1776, and was. Jul 07, 2007 knowlton s rangers and whitcomb s rangers new hampshire rangers whitcomb s rangers and then precede to add that knowlton s rangers performed excellently in a light infantry role at the battle of harlem heights on 16 september 1776. From salem george southard from marblehead philip misseroy james richardson. Colonel charles webbs regimant, 1776 19th continental. Knowltons rangers, 1776 connecticut in the revolution.
Incidents near fort ticonderoga on june 17, 1777 journal of. May 24, 2005 like most historical narratives, the reader often knows the ending well in advance. It gained permanent status as a twocompany force on 15 october of that year and provided reconnaissance capability to the northern department until 1 january 1781 when it disbanded at coos, new hampshire. The united states army rangers or simply army rangers are specialized. Books on new hampshire units in the revolutionary war are available from. About to set out for new yorkconduct of general wardfrys recordaffairs in carolinadisposition of the ministrytendency to independenceputnam to lead the attack on the britishthe boston loyalists and their pitiful conditionbritish vessels at newport lead to sullivans being sent there. Under authority of the adjutantgeneral of connecticut. In this, the first book of the wolfbane saga, set in the darkest days of the dark ages, the life of a young saxon noble is thrown into turmoil when his family stand in the way of the ambitious brothers hengest and horsa.
The unit started out as a massachusetts provincial auxiliary company, recruited in the summer of 1744 at the start of king george s war. Dec 26, 2017 new hampshire rangers, aka whitcombs rangers, 17761781 continental light dragoons. Whitcomb s rangers is a group of volunteers whose members have a wide variety of interests, and who research and recreate an american unit which fought during the. In 1776, every reader had to have expected that mccullough would close his book describing washington s daring yet gallant crossing of the delaware and the continental army s subsequent triumph at trenton. Get cozy and expand your home library with a large online selection of books at. In august 1776, he formed another rangertype unit called the queen s rangers as its colonel. Whitcombs rangers is a group of volunteers whose members have a wide variety of interests, and who research and recreate an american unit which fought. The unit, named to honor queen charlotte, king george iiis wife, has a storied history, with a legacy continuing to this day in the u. He continued to serve in whitcombs rangers for twoandahalf more years until he finally. Gara is the first booklength account of this storied unit.
Too often we associate history with obligatory lessons at school. The book was heavily pimped by the armys leadership as a learning point for its officers during the 1980s. Whitcomb had shot and mortally wounded brigadier general patrick gordon of the 29 th. The revolutionary wars 1778 campaign as waged from quebec and niagara against the american frontiers watt, gavin k.
Jun 26, 2005 this book is the story of how close george washington, as commander of the american army, came to defeat in the terrible year of 1776 which also saw the declaration of independence. The unit consisted of two companies of new hampshire rangers for service with the continental army under the command of benjamin whitcomb, a veteran of bedels regiment. The continental corps of light dragoons was created in 1777 as an element of of the third establishment of the continental army. On july 14, 1776, whitcomb set out for canada with four men. He continued to serve in whitcombs rangers for twoandahalf more years until he finally had to resign his commission due to lingering effects of the wound. Weapons proudly carried by rogers rangers and danile morgans backwoodsmen which he entitled morgans raiders. Knowlton s rangers, 1776 as found in the record of connecticut men in the military and naval service during the war of the revolution, 17751783. Word count 1157 david mcculloughs novel 1776 is a compelling story of americas war for independence. Rogers rangers was an independent company of rangers attached to the british army during the french and indian war. Colonel charles webbs regimant, 1776 19th continental as found in the record of connecticut men in the military and naval service during the war of the revolution, 17751783.
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