Status Updates From The British Are Coming, Vol...

It's pretty tragic to see someone serve with distinction in battle and get killed, but I think it's rhetorically worse to serve with distinction and then die of illness/disease after your meritorious deeds. I suppose the plus side is that you usually habe time to write something significant to your loved ones....

I thought that by this point in history, civilized nations weren't putting heads on pikes anymore- but apparently the British still did. The Continental Army apparently did some scalping, too- so it's not like only one side resorted to savage behavior in this war.

A marvel that *either* side could fight a long drawn-out conflict: the British AND Continental Army had continuously low general supplies, food/livestock that spoils and/or SINKS during (ship) transit, soldiers who waste ammo outside of combat- shooting at birds, or while drunk- even knowing they'll be held to account for it, desertions and theft and gambling, devious and dishonorable Officers...a complete marvel.

Grisly, gut-wrenching descriptions of the bodies of the dead and wounded. I didn't know that because of the American/Colonial bullet-making process, cast bullets had a seam on them that is theorized to make wounds significantly more destructive on the Redcoats. Also, British artillery liked to put scrap iron in their cannon- either as an expedient projectile, or as a vicious tactic to create other serious wounds.

The Regulars are in full retreat from Concord, and the militias will soon be picking a lot of them off; the war is officially on.

Standard introduction to the major incidents leading to the (violent) start of the Revolution. An unusual amount of detail given to Ben Franklin's strange personal habits.

Reading this to help improve my competency as an Appleseed (formerly Revolutionary War Veterans Association) instructor.