I try my best to resist Romanticism and hagiography when discussing American history. It is vital to discuss history honestly, with warts and all. But, this season is really putting me to the test, especially this episode. The idea of these amateur militias standing up to the greatest army in the world, surviving trials and setbacks along the way, added together with the brutal stoicism of Washington and the conflicted genius of Jefferson, it can be difficult to look at this without a glint of the Romantic. Still, despite my clear bias and occasional dip into admiration this episode, I promise there are many warts to discuss throughout the rest of this era.
After the British were driven back to the safety of Boston, the rebels needed to find a way to press their advantage before major reinforcements came from across the sea. The only problem was, this rebel “army” was really just a conglomeration of militias. They held their own against the British at Bunker Hill, but it was clear this wouldn’t last. Each militia represented their colony alone, not any greater American project, so leadership was weak and battles chaotic. The Second Continental Congress understood this when they met in May 1775, and they believed they knew someone steady enough to unite these men: George Washington.
Washington had his work cut out for him. His army was a mess—untrained, undisciplined, and unsanitary—and he had to transform these militias before the war began in earnest. After imposing reforms, Washington tested the army by laying siege to Boston before moving to New York City to await the larger British invasion. It was here that the newly formed Continental Army could truly prove its worth. It did not go well. After a devastating defeat on Long Island, Washington retreated throughout New York and New Jersey before finally settling on the banks of the Delaware River. It was here, his army in shambles, that he would need to take his final stand if the revolution was going to last.
Meanwhile, after months of debates and many attempts to find a way to reconcile with the British government, the Second Continental Congress finally agreed to declare independence. Thomas Paine’s words were floating throughout the colonies, and it had become necessary to follow through with his conclusions. A committed was formed, and the young statesmen Thomas Jefferson was chosen to write the declaration. After weeks of drafting, revising, and editing, the document was approved. Fifty-six men signed the Declaration of Independence, and if the war went south, their death warrants. The final separation revived the revolutionary spirit, but how long could it last?
While the notes cover portions of this story, there are many key events and details absent. So grab your flag of thirteen stripes and join me as I fill in those missing pages...
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Music
Intro: Fractured Timeline - Sémø
Outro: American Dream - The Talbott Brothers
Sources
1776 - David McCullough
Redcoats and Rebels - Christopher Hibbert
A Revolutionary Friendship - Francis B. Cogliano
The Glorious Cause - Robert Middlekauff
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