Category Archives: Maryland 400

The Road to Trenton

December was a desperate month for the Revolutionary cause, which badly needed a victory to turn the tide of losses. Expiring enlistments were steadily chipping away at the size of the Continental Army, and the British established a winter camp … Continue reading

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“If I Fall on the Field of Battle”

Captain Daniel Bowie wrote his last will and testament on the eve of the Battle of Brooklyn. The next day he was wounded in battle and captured by the British. While imprisoned he would succumb to his wounds and become … Continue reading

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The Whig Club: Judge and Jury in Baltimore

It was a cold morning when Melchior Keener got word to leave Baltimore or suffer the vengeance of the Whig Club. At nine o’clock on December 5, 1776, James Cox, a popular local tailor, delivered the message that Keener had three … Continue reading

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Feeding an Army

The struggles of the Revolution can seem remote to generations living over two centuries later. However, the enjoyment of food and the challenges of feeding an army are both relatable themes to modern Americans as Thanksgiving approaches.

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Soldiering On

In late November of 1776, the Continental Army was facing dismantlement by a surer force than the British military. The Americans’ enlistments were expiring. On December 10, a large chunk of the Continental Army, including many of the most experienced … Continue reading

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“A Cursed Affair”: The Loss of Fort Washington

“But alas! we must no longer think of holds and fortresses on the North River. There are, I hear, various opinions respecting the taking [of] fort Washington, some think that it was too easily surrendered, others say our men behaved well and that it … Continue reading

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An Interactive View of the Maryland 400

In honor of Veteran’s Day next Monday, we are doing this blog entry a little differently to give you a closer look at what we know about the First Maryland Regiment. Click on the image above to see the latest … Continue reading

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The Battle of White Plains

On October 28, 1776, the Continental Army had marched north of Manhattan, withdrawing  to the hills of the village of White Plains. Since the Battle of Brooklyn, General Howe had been pursuing the Continental Army in an attempt to encircle … Continue reading

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Taking Names

We recently dug up a document that lists several of the men who were taken prisoner at the Battle of Brooklyn. The list was written by Lieutenant James Peale, brother of the famed painter, Charles Willson Peale (you can read … Continue reading

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The Resurrection of William Sterrett

An anonymous poet composed the following eulogy for nineteen-year-old lieutenant William Sterrett. It was published in the Maryland Gazette on September 12, 1776, just over two weeks after the Battle of Brooklyn: On the death of Mr. WILLIAM STERET, who … Continue reading

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