The regimental flag of the Continental Army 2nd Light Dragoons, also known as
Sheldon's Horse, was captured by British cavalry led by Banestre Tarleton in the 1779
Battle of Pound Ridge. (December 21, 2007)
Posted on 12/22/2007 6:16:14 AM PST by Pharmboy
The regimental flag of the Continental Army 2nd Light Dragoons, also known as
Sheldon's Horse, was captured by British cavalry led by Banestre Tarleton in the 1779
Battle of Pound Ridge. (December 21, 2007)
WILLIAMSBURG - Four rare American battle flags captured by the British during the Revolutionary War will get their first extended public homecoming Saturday in a new exhibit at The Museums of Colonial Williamsburg.
Taken as trophies more than 225 years ago, the unusually well-preserved banners remained in the family of notorious British cavalry leader Banestre Tarleton until being sold at auction to a private owner last year.
They will be displayed alongside an evocative collection of Revolutionary War-era firearms and cavalry swords in an exhibit called "Captured Colors: Four Battleflags of the American Revolution."
(Excerpt) Read more at dailypress.com ...
Welcome home!
Indeed ... a 17th century war criminal was Tarleton the Butcher.
Well said, Gritty. And no truer words could be spoken...
No.
The script originally called for exact names and places, but was partly changed so as to allow the freedom to condense the events a bit, or else face large editing cuts to squeeze the script into the time allowed for the movies.
They could have used exact names in the final film, but then it would have been inaccurate.
Here's more from Wiki on the other General Washington:
William Washington was elected a Captain of Stafford County Minutemen on September 12, 1775 and, with his company, was integrated into the 3rd Virginia Regiment of the Continental Line on February 25, 1776. His first combat was the Battle of Harlem Heights on September 14, 1776, during which he may have been wounded by enemy musket fire. After marching north with his unit later in the year, at the Battle of Trenton Captain Washington led a successful assault under command of Nathanael Greene into the town. Captain Washington assaulted the Hessian pickets, and with Lieutenant James Monroe (the future President of the United States) of William Washington’s same company, Washington captured two enemy cannon on King Street. Captain Washington also received another wound in the hand during the Battle of Trenton, and received thanks from Commander-in-Chief General George Washington. Captain Washington saw some more combat action, but these were his last infantry actions.
After his infantry assignments Captain William Washington found himself in command with horse troops. On January 27, 1777 Captain Washington was promoted to the rank of Major and assigned to the 4th Continental Light Dragoons. Soon afterwards he was assigned to Colonel George Baylor’s 3rd Continental Light Dragoons as the second-in-command. The 3rd Light Dragoons was mauled by the British in a combat called Baylor’s Massacre at River Vale and Old Tappan, New Jersey, on September 27 - September 28, 1778. Only 55 men survived the massacre who were not killed or captured. After attempting to restore morale Major William Washington was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and he was placed in command of the 3rd Light Dragoon Regiment on November 20, 1778. Afterward, Washington’s unit was transferred to the Southern theatre of war, and was ordered to join the patriot forces of Major General Benjamin Lincoln in Charleston. By March 1780, Washington’s regiment was detached with the light forces near Monck’s Corner to reconnoiter and screen against the advancing enemy. On March 26, 1780 he had his first encounter with the fearsome British Legion under command of Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton, and stalemated him near Rantowle's Bridge on the Stono River in South Carolina. Afterward at Ashley River during the fight at Rutledge’s Plantation on March 26, 1780 Lt. Col Washington bested Tarleton’s dragoons and infantry. Tarleton routed the American rebel force on April 14, 1780 that was under command of General Huger at Monck’s Corner and Washington and his remaining troops were forced to flee across the Santee River to escape capture. Washington’s forces were again defeated at Lenud’s Ferry on May 5, 1780.
The main American Southern army was defeated at the Battle of Camden, South Carolina, on August 16, 1780 and opened up the South to British control. William Washington was placed under the command of General Daniel Morgan. Under General Morgan he participated in a series of raids in the western part of South Carolina. Two notable successes of the raids by Washington was the capture of Rugeley's Mill near Camden on December 4, 1780, and the defeat of a marauding band of Tories at Hammond's Old Store in the Little River District on December 27-31, 1780. At Rugeley’s Mill Washington with 60 troops bluffed the Tories into surrendering the defended fortified homestead defended by over 100 men without firing a shot. Lt. Col. Washington’s men rolled up a tree trunk made to look like an artillery piece to the front gates and demanded a surrender, and the Tories surrendered. At Hammond’s Store Washington routed 250 Georgia Loyalists, killing or wounding 150 of them, and taking prisoner 40 enemy troops. After the British defeat at Hammond’s Mill Tarleton and his notorious Green Dragoons were ordered to chase down Washington and General Morgan leading to the Battle of Cowpens.
On January 17, 1781, the Battle of Cowpens took place. Lt. Col. William Washington’s 80 dragoons in conjunction with 45 Georgia mounted infantry attacked the enemy’s rear and right when the battle seemed to have faulted for the British. The attack by Washington was a decisive blow bringing a rebel patriot victory. Tarleton retreated with Lt. Col. Washington’s force in close pursuit. The British and Rebel colonels faced each other in combat. In a saber combat between the colonels Washington managed to wound Tarleton’s right hand, and Tarleton managed to crease Washington’s knee with a pistol shot and wounded his horse. The British retreated as more Rebel soldiers showed up to the lost British victory, and the Battle of Cowpens was completed as an American rebel victory. For his valor and victory at Cowpens Washington received a silver medal awarded by the Continental Congress executed under the direction of Thomas Jefferson. The unique silver medal was designed by French medallic artists Du Pre and De Vivier. The silver medal was treasured by William Washington for the remainder of his life. (A British version of this Duel can be found under Chapter 33 Year 1781 [1].)
After the Battle of Cowpens William Washington’s cavalry assisted the retreat of General Greene to Dan River in Virginia by keeping Lord Cornwallis and his British forces at bay. Afterward, Washington and Greene returned to North Carolina and became the vanguard of the American Southern Army.
On March 15, 1781, the Battle of Guildford Court House took place. The sanguine conflict was between General Greene and Lord Cornwallis. Through an error in communications on the battlefield the American forces retreated without orders due in part that Washington dismounted to retrieve his hat during an assault causing his troops to lose sight of him, and an opportunity to capture Lord Cornwallis with a cavalry charge by William Washington is said to have been lost.
On April 25, 1781, the Battle of Hobkirk Hill took place. General Greene was attacked by the British General Rawdon. William Washington was ordered to attack General Rawdon’s flank. Washington was unable to flank General Rawdon’s forces and join the main fight due to collecting prisoners. Unable to flank General Rawdon, then General Greene retreated and the American victory was lost. It is reported that Washington’s military reputation was tarnished for his poor performance in the fight (unable to flank and join the main fight) due to a report that his troops looted and gathered booty behind the British lines. The Americans lost, and they did not like the lack of conflict from Washington.
On September 8, 1781, the Battle of Eutaw Springs took place. This was the last major battle in the lower South and the last battle for William Washington. Midway through the battle General Greene ordered William Washington to charge a portion of the British line situated in a thicket alongside Eutaw Creek. During the attack the thickets proved difficult and the British small arms fire proved deadly. During the last charge Washington’s horse was shot out from under him, and while he was trapped underneath his horse he was bayoneted by a British soldier. Washington was taken prisoner by the British and remained a prisoner for the remainder of the American Revolution. Washington was held prisoner-of-war in the Charleston area.
The British commander in the South, Lord Cornwallis, would later comment that “there could be no more formidable antagonist in a charge, at the head of his cavalry, than Colonel William Washington.”
>We may need them again.
Given today’s multi cultural, diversity is strength, bullcrap ridden PC society, we here would be among the very few defenders of them.
Green and Morgan were actual (minor) characters in the movie. I always thought he was mostly Marion.
HEAR HEAR!
Keep yer powder dry, lads...
Merry Christmas, Pharmboy. Thanks for the post. -bill
I'm sure some kind soul will set me straight--I believe that the People's Commonwealth of Massachusetts has put a gun lock on a Revolutionary War firearm in the state capitol.
Bookmark
Exactly, why would they?
that’s why I thought this was a hoot:
http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/071100/mov_0711000005.shtml
“With their own record of killing 12 million American Indians and supporting slavery for four decades after the British abolished it, Americans wish to project their historical guilt onto someone else,” historian Andrew Roberts wrote in the Daily Express newspaper.
“Given today’s multi cultural, diversity is strength, bullcrap ridden PC society, we here would be among the very few defenders of them.”
These are the reasons that working at an institute of higher education is so difficult to cope with. Have you seen the game called Bullshit Bingo? The game involves listening to adminstrators use the hackneyed phrases and PC buzzwords until somebody in the crowd bingoes. And, the worst of it is that admin thinks they are so clever. Puking on this tripe is almost a weekly occurrence.
At cowpens, Banastre ran like a little bunny.
Since there were about 1 million Indians in North America when Columbus landed, and rather more than that now, and since the men and women landed in North America had, and have had better lives and longer than their siblings left behind who sold the slaves to the slave shippers...
Perhaps we don’t have historical guilt. Perhaps we have serious mitsvah points.
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