Category Archives: Revolutionary War

Mount Vernon Love Story

Posted on by January 14, 2016

GeorgeWashingtonMany of you are fans of Mary Higgins Clark and her murder mystery novels. What you may not know is that Ms. Clark wrote an interesting book about George and Martha Washington. It’s titled “Mount Vernon Love Story, A Novel of George and Martha Washington.”

Sure, it’s a novel, much like her many other books, but it is based on extensive research, and on her love for Martha Washington. It’s charming, insightful, and very entertaining. I highly recommend it. Not only for the Story of the First President of the United States, but also for the background story about his dear, and beloved wife. read more

More Founding Fathers Myths

Posted on by January 11, 2016

Ben Franklin thumb pictureSeveral scandalous stories about Benjamin Franklin have also been promulgated by pseudo-historians and others over the years. William was treated by Ben as a legitimate son, although some historians now believe that Ben married Deborah when she was pregnant with William, to save her reputation.

There is not good evidence of any other illegitimate children, but rumors have sprung up anyway. One of Ben’s rules in his Project for Moral Perfection, which he observed all his life, was the character trait of chastity. It’s hard to believe any violation of this trait given Ben’s drive for self-improvement. read more

The U. S. Constitution and Judges

Posted on by January 7, 2016

constitutionI have read the U.S. Constitution many times. I have never read anything in it that claims to have any jurisdiction over the civil condition or authority of marriage. And the Constitution does clearly state that what ever is not directly, by the words of that document, given authority to control or decide, is left to the States or to the People.

“The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the People.” (Amendment X, The Constitution of the United States). read more

Give Me Liberty

Posted on by December 29, 2015

PatrickHenryI received my monthly “Speaker” magazine today. I am a professional speaker and have been a member of this fine Association for many years. Of course, my interest has been speaking about the Founding Fathers and the way they taught character and leadership.

But today as I looked at my new magazine, I couldn’t help but think that there was no National Speakers Association in the 1700’s. And indeed, there were no professional speakers in that day either. There were, however some very great speakers. John Adams, with his persuasive ability comes to mind. read more

Washington, Peanuts, and Camping

Posted on by December 28, 2015

Valley_Forge_National_Historical_Park_VAFO4627George Washington was familiar with camping. He did it during the French and Indian War, the Battle of Boston, of New York, of Trenton and Princeton, and his favorite, at Yorktown. With many adventures in between. He was a good camper, and a great tactician. Although he did get a little bit better accommodations at camping than most of his soldiers.

I still suspect he sometimes felt a little bit like Lucy in a Peanuts comic strip. The comic strip goes like this:

Lucy is at her desk with the sign above, which declares: “Psychiatric Help 5 cents.” Well it was really a cent sign, which my keyboard doesn’t have. read more

West Point Academy

Posted on by December 24, 2015

West_Point_Cadet_Chapel_Interior_04Did you know that the Church Organ at the Church at West Point is the largest Church organ in the world. Yes, even bigger than the Tabernacle organ of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. It’s considered an honor to ask to play it. That organ has 23,511 pipes. The Mormon Tabernacle organ has only 11,623 pipes.

You’ll remember, of course, that the traitor, Benedict Arnold attempted to sell the old Fort at West Point to the British during the Revolutionary War. He was a turncoat to the Redcoats after he had been a hero at Fort Ticonderoga. What a shame. read more

George Washington, a Success Story

Posted on by December 23, 2015

GeorgeWashingtonThis quote by Booker T. Washington, seems especially to apply to our own First President, George Washington:

“Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles he has overcome.”

Although George’s success could by measured by the positions that he reached, during which he had to overcome many obstacles.

He was a hero in the French and Indian War, a member of Virginia’s House of Burgesses, a very successful plantation owner and businessman, the First Commander in Chief of the new United Colonial Army. He also was a hero, a tactician, a chief of a spy ring, and a celebrated and distinguished General in the Revolutionary War—which he eventually won against the World’s largest military and navy. read more

Martha Washington at Valley Forge

Posted on by December 15, 2015

Dolley_MadisonMost people know that George Washington spent the winter of 1777-8, with his troops at Valley Forge. But did you know that Martha Washington joined him there for a time?

She was driven in a carriage by one of her aides and saw miles of the filth, the dead horses, open latrines, and the appalling condition of the soldiers and their camps.

She was escorted through to the hospital which was not much more than a barn which had been made into a system of cots and straw to hold the injured soldiers. She was able to help some of the soldiers who were in dire straits. read more

Character and George Washington

Posted on by December 14, 2015

Landsdowne painting“Character is like the foundation of a house—it is below the surface.” –Anonymous

But isn’t that so true. The real and true character is below the surface, it is unseen except in the mannerisms, attitude, and language of the beholder. It cannot be faked or put aside, but is constant. It becomes a part of a person’s being.

The dictionary describes Character as: “the aggregate of features and traits that form the apparent individual nature of some person or thing.” (Websters Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary, page 247). read more

The Daughters of the American Revolution

Posted on by December 11, 2015

constitutionToday I was honored as the special guest speaker at the monthly meeting of The Daughters of the American Revolution. It was real privilege to present to them a little about our Founding Father Benjamin Franklin.

The ladies were invited to bring their husbands, and so we were happy so have some gentlemen there as well. I found the group to be well educated about our country’s revolution, and to be a most attentive and riveted audience.

In the discussion there seemed to be some confusion about the difference between the Continental Congress and the Constitutional Convention. It was soon cleared up. read more