The Culpeper Minutemen
In the summer of 1775, Virginia organized a statewide system of Minute battalions. It was done at Congress's behest but failed as a system of recruitment and defense. Of the 16 Minute districts, only the Culpeper District (Culpeper, Orange, and Fauquier counties) succeeded in raising a full battalion of ten companies. Even there, there were only enough weapons to equip half the men. The Culpeper Minutemen nevertheless played a critical role in Virginia's first military engagements.
“‘Liberty or Death:‘ The Culpeper Minutemen” (Jim Bish, ERW) Jim Bish tells the story of Hampton, Great Bridge, and the Culpeper Minutemen—the one shining success amid the failure of Virginia's 1775 experiment with Minute battalions.
"The 250th Anniversary of the Battle of Great Bridge" (Pat Hannum, ERW) Pat Hannum walks us through Virginia's first combat of the Revolution.
“Eleven Patriot Company Commanders at Great Bridge, December 9, 1775" (Pat Hannum, JAR)
New & Notable
"The Loudoun Resolves" - An annotated transcription of Loudoun County's 1774 declaration.
"Alexandria's Tomb of the Unknown Revolutionary War Soldier Honored in DAR Ceremony" (Lisa-Helene Lawson, The Zebra)
"The Mecklenberg Declation of Independence: The Present Status of the Controversy" (Scott Syfert, JAR) - Did Charlotte, North Carolina, declare independence a year before any of the colonies? Scott Syfert's investigation suggests there's more to it than many historians like to admit.
"The Early Revolution in Virginia" - A new free E-Book from Virginia Humanities. “Everyone thinks of Lexington and Concord, says Patty Miller. “They don’t think Virginia. As we reviewed our content, we realized just how much of the early Revolution happened here and how much of it people don’t know.”
"The New Dominion: The Land Lotteries" (Gabriel Neville, JAR) Virginia gave warrants for western bounty land to its veterans. Those hardy enough to brave the wilderness got the best territory.
"Dunmore After Great Bridge and the Burning of Norfolk" (Pat Hannum, ERW) The largest town in Virginia was burned to the ground over the first days of 1776. Why, and who was to blame?
"Thomas Nelson of Yorktown, Virginia" (Nicholas R. Marsalla, JAR)
