American Revolution - Chance Encounters

Colonial Williamsburg, VA

Two hundred fifty years ago American Colonist began the struggle for self-determination that had been forged in the spirit of independence that had brought so many to the colonies to begin with. 

I have been highlighting various patriots that are believed to be ancestors of either me or my wife. These are, for the most part, people you won't find in the history books when you read or study the American Revolution. Nonetheless, they like over 200,000 people took up arms against the British serving in the Army or in State militias. 

A couple of my ancestors that moved to Ohio from Virginia in the early 1800s have deep roots in coastal Virginia and participated in the revolution there. James Terry my third great grandfather was from Amherst, VA. While I don't have anything in my possession that I know belonged to him. I do have an original receipt dated 1882 signed by James' son-in-law and my 2nd great-grandfather, Monroe McCown for an appraisement of James' estate following his death. Consequently, I have something of a tangible connection to him.

Monroe's wife, Henrietta, was the daughter of James' first wife, Sarah Robinson. James had come to Ohio sometime, but not long, after Sarah had died. Both James' father and Sarah's father had served in Virginia. James' father, Thomas, had served as a private in the Albemarle Guards Regiment. This unit was responsible for guarding the British and German prisoners of war near Charlottesville, VA beginning in January of 1779. He served as a guard for two years and afterwards was drafted into the Virginia militia where he participated in the siege of Yorktown and witnessed the surrender of Cornwallis.

Sarah's father, William, was a Lieutenant and also at Albemarle and at the siege of Yorktown based upon the testimony of pension request for Thomas Vines. The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) simply list him as a soldier in the militia. 

Now, I don't know for certain what brought Thomas Terry and William Robinson together, but I know Thomas moved to Amherst where the Robinson family lived.  At least three of Thomas' children, Thomas, William, and James married daughters of William Robinson.

Given the connection to the Albemarle Guards and the proximity, Thomas may have demonstrated capacities as a guard under William's watch. As a landowner and a slaveholder, William needed someone he believed was capable. Unfortunately, it probably also meant that Thomas was managing William's slave labor.  There is only circumstantial evidence of this - but it is pretty compelling.

- Thomas was a guard

- Thomas and Lucy moved to Amherst before 1810

- Thomas was accused of killing a slave in 1818 and acquitted

- There is no evidence Thomas owned slaves himself.

- James, Thomas' son, is reported to have helped manage slaves at Jenkins Plantation at Green Bottom, VA just before the Civil War.

It seems, Thomas, a commoner, had skills and sons and from that he managed to insert his family into a prominent family in the region. William, conversely, had only one son, Simeon. William had served as an officer in the Revolutionary War.  His father, John, is recognized by the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) as having paid a tax towards the war effort. William's grandfather, William, is also recognized as a patriot. He is described as having been a Colonel (by SAR) and as performing patriotic services (by DAR and SAR).  Given that William was born in 1709, his service as Colonel was most likely from early pre-war militia service. William's father is memorialized on a Middlesex County, VA historical marker. His father had been a representative in the House of Burgess and served as a founding trustee of the College of William and Mary.

What does all that have to do with the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution? Well, seemingly, because of an encounter between two individuals during the course of the war - a relationship was born.  From that relationship between my third great grandparents was forged.  It is simply an observation about the happy interactions that random events played and play in the unknown future.

 

American Revolution and Heritage

Valley Forge Encampment (Replica Structures)

CAVEAT:  This blog, like all of my blogs, includes links so you can discover more about the subject.  Please do not consider any link to any source here (or in any other blog post I have written) an endorsement of everything written in the link or by the referenced author.

In my yearlong recognition of the 250th Anniversary of the founding of the United States - I am now

looking at the ancestors of my wife's family and their contributions to the Revolution.

There has been some political talk about Heritage Americans recently. The linked article by Ben Crenshaw in 2024 appears to be the first or one of the first to try to define the moniker.  It is a bit better articulated than J.D. Vance's statement in July 2025 at the Claremont Institute that described them as having ancestors that fought in the Civil War.

Mr. Vance may have been thinking about his 3rd Great Grandfather, Robert Sturgis Bowman who fought for the Union in Kentucky's 14th Regiment.

In any case, it is clear from Crenshaw's description of Heritage Americans as being united by language, religion, government, liberty, land, and law and the genealogical research I have been doing our families (my wife and mine) can easily be placed into that cultural box. Among our ancestors I have identified over forty participants in the American Revolution and ancestors that were on the Mayflower and part of the early Jamestown settlement.

One of Tammy's revolutionary ancestors was William Lancaster. William was from Henrico, VA and joined the 1st Virginia. William enlisted in April 1776. The unit fought in the earliest battles of the American Revolution and William was available for duty during engagements at New York, Trenton, Princeton, Brandywine, and Germantown. Following Germantown William wintered with his unit at Valley Forge. William died in May of 1778 before the unit engaged at Monmouth in June. 

The army at Valley Forge was ravaged by Smallpox, Typhoid, Dysentery, and Pneumonia during the late winter and early spring.  The circumstances of his death are not precisely known, but disease is very likely the cause.  It is unlikely that William was sent home to Virginia where he later died, but rather he is probably buried in a cemetery at Valley Forge.

William wasn't a young man in this war.  He died at the age of forty-six.  He left a wife, Judith, and four children under the age of ten. His wife died only five years later. At least three of his children accompanied an aunt and uncle to an area in North Carolina that became Smith County, TN. My wife has many memories (some of which we shared) of time on a 100 plus acre property along the Cumberland River that was a small part of the acreages that William's brother and children came to own there, starting as early as 1790.

I don't know what real value there is in being a "Heritage American". Sure, the idea could give me roots.  It gives me a story.  It gives me a cultural foundation. It even explains the way I think about some things. It also has been used and can be used to divide instead of uniting the nation. We are a nation that set a beacon in its harbor to welcome the "tired, poor, huddled masses yearning to be free."  We have over time become a nation of many peoples and in many ways we are unique in the world.  

William, like many ancestors I have looked at, fought for freedom to decide his own destiny.  That destiny, for him was death, but for his children it was property and opportunity in Tennessee for generations. Those who have come to call America their home in the intervening years, for the most part, had the same dream, "freedom to decide their destiny." Maybe that is really what a "Heritage American" is. Sure, it is an elusive bluebird - but we have believed it from our founding when we stated it this way in our Declaration of Independence: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."  

The American Flag

The Army of the American Revolution formally formed on 14 Jun 1775 when the 2nd Continental Congress authorized its creation. That day holds two patriotic meanings.  It is the birthday of the US Army and it is the celebration of the adoption of the American Flag in 1777.

During the American Revolution, multiple flags were flown. Here are some of the more well-known flags. 

- The Grand Union Flag: Early compromise that displayed Britian's Union Jack in the canton section.

- Green Mountain Boys Flag: Flown by Ethan Allen's Vermont Militia

- Bedford Flag: Carried at Concord

- Taunton Liberty Flag: Red Field with "Liberty and Union" in white letters

- Rhode Island Regiment Flag: Much like today's State flag of Rhode Island

- Philadelphia Light Horse Flag: Carried by elite calvary that escorted George Washington

- Gadsden Flag: Yellow, "Don't tread on me" flag

These flags flew before Congress formally defined a national standard. On June 14, 1777, the Continental Congress resolved:  That the flag of the United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation.

That wording left room for ambiguity and variability.  Consequently, there were at least three variations shortly after the adoption of the standard.  (This reminds me of a saying a co-worker of mine often quipped:  Our Standards is, "We have no standard.")

The commonly remembered flag is the Betsy Ross Flag. This flag contained thirteen stars arranged in a circle on a blue square accompanying thirteen alternating red and white stripes. This flag may or may not have actually been originally designed and produced by Betsy, but it is purported to have existed since June of 1776, a year before the adoption by Congress.  Betsy would have been twenty-four and a recent widow.  Her husband of three years, John Ross, was killed (probably in Philadelphia) while on guard duty in a gunpowder explosion.

It may be that Congress attempted to describe the Betsy Ross Flag - but the description was insufficient to preclude variations.

The Cowpens Flag appears in this fragment of the artwork shown on this blog by Robert Windsor Wilson. It is displayed at the Ninety-Six National Historic Site and titled Siege of Ninety-Six. The Cowpens Flag was similar to the Betsy Ross version except that it contained twelve stars in a circle with a single star in the center of the circle. It was used regularly by the 3rd Maryland Regiment. It is said to have been carried into the Battle of Cowpens, but the 3rd Maryland Regiment wasn't at that battle. The artist was probably influenced by this tradition, though. Ninety-Six is not far from Cowpens.

The Hopkinson Flag staggered the arrangement of the star in a 3-2-3-2-3 pattern.  The design is attributed to Francis Hopkinson. If it sounds familiar - it is similar to what has been done since - arranging stars in patterns to approximate a square. 

The imprecise standard specification permitted a wide variability of US Flags until President Howard Taft's executive order in 1912 specified that the pattern should be of horizontal rows and the stars were to point upward.

I'm glad we have a standard. I'm glad it was designed to tell a story.  The flag's 13 red and white stripes represent the original colonies; its white stars on a blue background represent the number of states; and, its colors are meant to represent:

• Red: valor and bravery (or hardiness)
• White: purity and innocence
• Blue: vigilance, perseverance, and justice

Howard Schnauber described in his poem titled: "I Am Old Glory"

“I am your symbol of freedom, I am your reminder of opportunity, I am your guarantee of justice, I am your flag.”

Remembering the 250th Anniversary of this nation - when we look at our flag, consider these words that it represents. Remember it is these things that made and make us great. Consider what it took to obtain it. Consider, what it takes to keep it. 

 

American Revolution - Along the Shore

 Rhode Island's Newport Harbor 

Newport Harbor was occupied by British forces during the American Revolution from December 1776 to October 1779. This created a constant threat to patriot militias in the region. It was a short distance across these waters along the shores of Warwick Neck and East Greenwich that my wife's seventh great grandfather, Matthew Manchester, assured those militia were provisioned.

Matthew was approaching sixty years of age when the Continental Congress declared its independence from British rule. Born in Rhode Island and living in Cranston - Matthew would have been very much aware of the pre-Tea Party, Gaspee Affair in 1772, where Colonist set fire to a British Customs Schooner in Narragansett Bay.

Matthew was conducting land transactions in the region as early as the 1760s and was respected in the community. That respect grew as he served to review lists of men eligible for the militia, tax collection and financial accountability for the town, represent at the Rhode Island General Assembly, and deciding upon public health initiatives such as Smallpox inoculation plans.  He held the title of Captain so he was likely in the militia at one point - though the title was probably more honorary by the time of the American Revolution. Even so, we might speculate whether he had prior knowledge or involvement in the Gaspee Affair.

After the war, Capt. Matthew Manchester became an early participant in Northwest Territory land speculation, acquiring shares within two years of the Ohio Company’s formal land grant phase in 1792. By 1794, he was conducting transactions involving hundreds of thousands of acres—land originally entrusted to Rufus Putnam (who turns out to be my 4th cousin) and others for distribution. His grandson, also named Matthew, later managed the business end of these holdings in the region that would become Marietta, Ohio.

Matthew appears to have prospered substantially during his lifetime. He also fathered twenty children most of whom remained in Rhode Island. Some of those children prospered well, and others faced harder times during their lifetimes. My wife's third great grandfather, Sanford Manchester, was Matthew's great-great grandson. Sanford was making his living as a coachman in the shadow what would soon be a playground of the Gilded Age elite.

Fortunes and fame of families are won, lost, and diluted as time, opportunities, and choices transpire. Matthew wasn't famous.  Newport affairs associated with the American Revolution are not well known or publicized.  And yet, like everything, each event, each opportunity, and each choice collectively and somewhat unwittingly shapes the future. In every case, choices matter.

Unsung American Revolution Civilians

I've spent some time focused on stories of the Revolution looking at my family history connections. The following blogs will look at the contributions of some of my wife, Tammy's, ancestors. Like many of my ancestors several of hers are noted for their willingness to contribute to the cause in ways that did not involve direct combat. The circumstances and details of those contributions are often lost to history, but here I will tease out probable involvements based upon location, time, and any finds I've uncovered. 

Tammy's sixth great grandfather (through her biological father), Mathew Myatt, furnished supplies in North Carolina in 1781. Matthew had nearly 400 acres in Wake County, NC and would likely have contributed to Nathaniel Greene's party that ultimately encountered Cornwallis' forces at Guilford Courthouse on 15 Mar 1781. Matthew's father-in-law, William Utley, in his mid-sixties at the time is also credited with assisting the Revolutionary cause through his actions during the tumultuous period as a Grand Juror and Road Supervisor. 

Like my ancestors, Benjamin Brown and Edward Richardson, Tammy's seventh great grandfather, Matthew Manchester, served on a committee in Rhode Island. While he likely served on many committees, in July and August 1780, he served as Second Deputy to the Rhode Island General Assembly and participated in town meetings that implemented the state’s classing system for military enlistment. His committee work contributed directly to Cranston’s wartime mobilization.

Benjamin Norris, Tammy's seventh great-grandfather, was in New Hampshire during the time of the American Revolution. His contribution to the war effort was associated with his civic roles as an Assessor, Auditor, Constable, Coroner, Culler of Lumber, and Doomer. Benjamin's sons, Andrew (Tammy's sixth great-grandfather), and Eliphalet also served as soldiers in the conflict.

Tammy also had ancestors through her adoptive father's lineage who contributed to the patriot cause through civilian roles.  John Chappell, provided services in North Carolina for which he received some financial compensation. Nathaniel Lancaster, despite being born in England, rendered material aid, in Virginia. Sadly, Nathaniel contributed more than just material aid, as his son, William, died at Valley Forge in May of 1778.

The tales of these ancestors don't make it into the history books. Their actions don't evoke moments of terror or excitement in the heart of some pivotal battle. Nonetheless, each contribution was part of the cumulative efforts of the many others that ultimately gave the patriots the victory. 

Next time I'll look at Tammy's soldier ancestors.

 

Revolutionary War - Women and War

Monument at Valley Forge

 In a previous post I introduced some of my grandmothers that contributed to the efforts of the American Revolution at Valley Forge.  These grandmothers contributed because they lived in the valley where George Washington decided to winter his weary warriors. 

Priscilla Stephens, one of my sixth great grandmothers embraced her Christian duty to be hospitable to the soldiers. According to Burk's Guide to Valley Forge,  

 An officer hastily rode up to the farmhouse of Abijah Stephens and chalked on the door "Headquarters of General Weedon," and ordered the family to make ready to receive its uninvited guests. Mrs. Stephens had a large quantity of buckwheat and at once mixed a tub full of batter. While others baked cakes she prepared soup, roast beef, etc. Much to the rage of the General those who first reached the house did not stand upon ceremony, but satisfied their hunger before he arrived.

Her daughter, Mary "Elizabeth" Rossiter, also played a role in hosting guests at their home during the encampment. The guests included recognizable names such as: Benedict Arnold, Marquis de la Fayette, Nathaniel Greene, and Henry Knox.

Other more prominent women have been recognized in publications. No doubt many more women participated in the American Revolution in ways that have not been documented.  Here are three women known to have participated directly in the battles.

On June 28, 1778, during the Battle of Monmouth near Freehold, New Jersey, a woman known as Molly Pitcher (likely Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley) earned her place in legend. Initially serving water to overheated soldiers (hence the nickname), she took over her husband’s cannon after he collapsed, continuing to fire through the heat and chaos of battle. Though her exact contributions at Brandywine and Valley Forge are debated, her presence at Monmouth is well documented. Her courage became a rallying image for female patriotism, and she was later granted a pension for her service.

Born in Massachusetts in 1760, Deborah Sampson disguised herself as a man and enlisting in the Continental Army under the name Robert Shurtliff. (The alias does invite speculation about her wit as well as her grit.) She served for over a year, participating in skirmishes and enduring wounds she treated herself to avoid discovery. Her story was later chronicled in a memoir titled The Female Review, written by Herman Mann (Wikipedia), which preserved her legacy as a real-life counterpart to the fictional Mulan. Sampson was eventually honorably discharged and later received a military pension, one of the few women to do so.

On November 16, 1776, during the Battle of Fort Washington in New York, Margaret Corbin’s life changed forever. Her husband, John Corbin, was killed while manning a cannon. Rather than retreat, Margaret stepped into his place, declaring, “I know all about it, Jack has shown me.” She continued firing until she was severely wounded. Margaret became the first woman to receive a military pension from the United States, and her bravery is commemorated at West Point, where she is buried among fellow soldiers.

Revolutionary Soldier - Torn on every side

Ninety-Six Battlefield, South Carolina

In commemorating the 250th anniversary of America's transformation from colony to republic, I’ve chosen to honor not just the celebrated patriots—but the forgotten ones, especially those whose choices challenge our grade-school narratives.

The teaching of this period of history in grade school is often painted with brushes of idealism and patriotism. The British were tyrants and bad! The Colonist were enlightened and good! The truth is much more complicated and nuanced. 

All of the ancestors I have discussed made choices based upon how they viewed their environments. Some, like Benjamin Brown and Edward Richardson, were motivated to defend the liberties of self-rule they and their ancestors had come to expect. Some, like Oliver Brown, were caught up in the revolutionary fever. Others, like Robert Goad and Francis Summers, simply chose to pay taxes. Southern soldiers, like Andrew Walker, were motivated because they associated the British with the Cherokee hostilities.

Naturally, when goals and motivations differ - decisions and choices differ. One discovered ancestor of mine made a decision that, in grade school, I would have been ashamed of.  He was a LOYALIST!  He supported the tyranny of King George! How could he make such an uninformed and unenlightened decision? 

That ancestor was Joseph Carmichael. Joseph was an ancestor that I knew nothing about.  I discovered him through Wikitree and the experience I have gained in searching records through my association with fellow genealogy enthusiasts I have encountered in that community. 

My maternal great-grandfather was adopted from his birth mother, Melinda Hamil. Melinda's maternal grandfather was Joseph Carmichael, the son of my loyalist ancestor. The exact place and time of Joseph the Loyalist's birth is uncertain.  His father, William, was born in Scotland and received a 300-acre land grant in 1762 in what is now Abbeville, South Carolina. Joseph was probably born in Scotland, but no record has been found.

Joseph found himself in a place of turmoil, the backcountry. This frontier of South Carolina was a law unto itself - blending the cultures of German, Scottish, and Irish settlers with native Cherokees. Lawlessness and vigilante behaviors were common - surviving meant picking the right sides at the right time. Loyalties were flexible.

Andrew Pickens is a notable revolutionary patriot soldier who lived in very close proximity to the Carmichaels at the time of the American Revolution. In fact, Joseph, served under Col. Richard King's Regiment, Long Cane Militia, Upper Ninety-Six Brigade - the same unit Pickens had commanded. It is possible he had served directly under Pickens before the militia unit was reorganized under Robert Cunningham.  

Andrew fought the Cherokee in the 1760s under British command. He led a decisive victory at Kettle Creek in 1779 defeating Loyalist forces and disrupting British recruitment, but after the fall of Charleston in 1780 - he surrendered to the British and pledged neutrality. Then Loyalist raided his plantation, and he abandoned his pledge playing a key role at the Battle of Cowpens in 1781.

All the while, his neighbor and my ancestor, Joseph Carmichael chose to remain attached to the British forces.  Afterall they would probably win. Charleston was taken. The market for his family's plantation was in Charleston. The British had repelled the patriot rebels at the fortifications at Ninety-six - right in his neighborhood. Betting on Britain was the logical choice. 

Joseph spent time at Ninety-six. Unfortunately, Joseph seems to have died of injuries associated with the Nathaniel Greene's initiatives or some retaliatory violence. His wife, Eleanor, was a refugee as a result of the violence and loss of her husband prior to 10 August 1782 when she is identified as a widow. Somehow she managed to keep the family going and get reintegrated into the community, at least for a time, after the war. Nonetheless, their son moved to Captain Walker's District of Morgan County, GA before 1820.

Conclusion

In the northern campaign and along the coasts of the colonies - the fighting was inspired by desire for liberty of trade, from perceived tyranny, or a desire for self-determination. But in the backcountry of South Carolina fighting was for survival yet choosing alliances was simultaneously critical and precarious.

In the backcountry, choosing sides was not about ideology—it was about survival. What do we make of ancestors who chose wrong for the right reasons, or right for the wrong ones? How do you choose sides when choosing is mandatory but both choices are wrong?