The SAMS Lyceum of Martial and Societal Antediluvian Chronicles An addendum to The SAMS Sporran July 2019 With the Fourth of July looming and its importance to our history and our country I have taken the liberty to include several articles about the Revolutionary War. In view of the fact that this is a Scottish publication there are references to Scots in the articles.

The Bush Declaration The 1st Declaration of Independence By James Schiaffino “The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America". This prediction was made by founding father and future president John Adams in a letter written to his wife Abigail. It refers to The Declaration of Independence, the one composed by Thomas Jefferson. This might come as a surprise to most people but it was not the first. Also it was signed on July second, not the fourth. As it turns out, nearly 100 other “declarations of independence” had already been issued in the months leading up to July 4th, 1776, by states, towns, counties, and assorted other bodies. These "declarations" took a variety of forms. Some were formal written instructions for congressional delegations. Others were legislative acts that officially ended British rule in individual colonies. Rhode Island legislature declared its independence from Great Britain on May 4, the first colony to do so. The first place to formally declare independence from Great Britain, however, was not Rhode Island. It was Bush Town, the Capital of Harford County Md. On March 22, 1775, 34 prominent men from Harford county met at The Bush Tavern to declare their support for the growing desire for independence from Great Britain. From this meeting The Bush Declaration was adopted.

The Bush Declaration “We, the Committee of Harford County, having most Seriously and Maturely Considered the Resolves and Association of the , and the Resolves of the Provincial Convention, do most heartily approve of the same, and as we Esteem ourselves in a more particular manner intrusted by our Constituents to see them carried into Execution, we do most solemnly pledge ourselves to each other, and to our country, and engage ourselves by every tie held sacred among mankind, to perform the same at the risque of our lives and fortunes.” The last line found its way into the Declaration of Independence, “We mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor." (In addition to being the first declaration, The Bush Declaration is also quite possibly be the longest single sentence in the English language.) The Bush Tavern The Bush Declaration was signed at the Bush Tavern in Bush Town. At that time Bush Town consisted of several homes, two taverns, several mills and a tannery. Bush was also the home of nearby Cokesburry College the largest Methodist college in the colonies. Bush Town was the center of activity in Harford County and Bush Tavern was the center of activity in Bush Town. The Tavern is still standing and is the second oldest building in the county. The Bush Tavern was a stagecoach stop on what was originally called The Great Eastern Highway. The Great Eastern was the major conduit of information for the colonies from Alexandria VA. to New York NY. The Great Eastern Highway was not what we would refer to as a highway or even a road today, it was essentially an old Indian path and catered primarily to riders on horseback. After it was widened to accommodate carriage trade (buckboards and stagecoaches; the 18th century version of pickup trucks and buses) the name was changed to The Post Road. Now mail (Post) and other packages that could not be shipped by water used the road. It was the route used by the Comte Rochambeau and his army on his way to Yorktown and the one Tench Tilghman used to carry the news of The British surrender at Yorktown to the Assembly in Philadelphia. Washington and his army used Route 1, a parallel road several miles west of The Old Post Road. In the 19th century its name was changed again to The Philadelphia Road. (Locals still refer to it as Old Philadelphia Road instead of MD Route 7.) The Stage Coach Stop Travel by stagecoach was an adventure. It cost $4 plus $4 for 150 lbs of luggage.Frequently passengers would disembark to fill ruts and holes in the road with saplings, dirt and other bracken. When the stagecoach approached a hill the passengers would again disembark and walk along with the coach as the horses strove to crest the hill. If the hill was steep it was not unusual for the passengers to lend a hand and help to push the wagon uphill. In the winter passengers would be covered with hats, heavy coats, woolen mittens, wool socks, boots, topped off with blankets leaving only their eyes uncovered. Still it was preferable to travel by stagecoach, rather than horse back. Taverns were located about 12 miles apart; the average distance a stagecoach could travel at that time. The Taverns provided rest and food for the weary horses and travelers. Taverns provided hearty meals on a strict time schedule. Breakfast usually consisted of grits, cakes of unleavened dough baked on bake stones or circular griddles that went by names such as "clap bread", "griddle cakes" and "pancakes". Additionally, whatever vegetables and meats that were leftover from the previous evening were served as accompaniment. For the hearty dinner venison, mutton, pork and chicken were popular as were tripe, turnips, onions, cabbage, carrots, and parsnips, along with pulses and legumes. These were mixed together in a kind of porridge and served in a wooden bowl with a wooden spoon. Following their repast, the travelers could imbibe the tavern’s offerings: beer, and cider with breakfast; rum and wine with dinner; claret, ratifies, creams, punches, and other concoctions in the evening. Water was not considered suitable for consumption at that time. Following the meal travelers could sit by the fire and pass the time listening to local news or entertain themselves with card games like whist and cribbage. Then they would retire to a dormitory style room where they slept two to a bed. In an age without telephone, TV or the internet taverns were the places to congregate and catch up on the local news, gossip and foreign events like what was happening in far away and exotic places like Baltimore or Philadelphia. In the 17th and 18th centuries mail was delivered to the local tavern (there were no ‘Post Offices’) as the tavern was the social and business center of any town. It was the logical place to gather and discuss politics, in this case whether or not to leave the British Empire. The Tavern has a second claim to fame. From September 10th to the 11th it served as a temporary headquarters for Comte de Rochambeau as he bivouacked his army on their march south with Washington on their way to Yorktown. Today the tavern is the professional office of a doctor who appropriately enough is a dedicated student of Revolutionary War History. The office is filled with all manner of memorabilia, most donated by his patients. The University of did an archeological dig of the grounds of Bush Tavern. They discovered the foundations of the kitchen, a well and foundations for several storage buildings in addition to hundreds of period artifacts. There are two Historical markers outside the Tavern today. One is dedicated to the Bush Declaration The other signifies the Tavern as a stop on the Rochambeau Trail.

The The Saviors of The Revolution by James E. Schiaffino A tiny band of armed men stood on a small rise overlooking the battlefield at Yorktown. Below arrayed in their finest uniforms stood the commanders-in-chief of both the American and French armies; General Washington and the Comte de Rochambeau. The ramshackle uniforms of the men on the hill resembled those worn by the crestfallen and war weary British and Hessian soldiers. This small band of soldiers were all that remained of the fabled Old Maryland Line -- The Bayonets of the Revolution. They watched with bemused sadness as Lord Cornwallis’ sword ( he refused to attend the surrender ceremony) was passed by his second in command General Charles O’Hara to Comte De Rochambeau who differed to General Washington. Always the consummate gentleman and politician, he in turn demurred to his second in command Major General (who earlier had been a British prisoner of war) to receive the sword. For the men of The Maryland Line it marked the end of a long, difficult and sometimes painful journey. These men had served honorably and bravely through the long and difficult days of the Revolutionary War. Time and again they had been called upon to do the impossible. For General Washington they were the saviors of the revolution. Of all of the patriots who served and gave their lives these were the bravest and most hallowed. When the situation was desperate it was the Maryland Line that often stood isolated, alone, outnumbered, and outgunned but determined against the powerful British army. Of the 1,500 men of Maryland who served, barely a handful survived to see the end of the war. Time and time again they had been asked by their general to stand and face the enemy as their compatriots withdrew from the battlefield. Every time they unfailingly answered the call. Every time they stood in line firing and reloading, firing and reloading while every fiber of their being yelled flee, flee! There they stood holding off the oncoming enemy as their brothers in arms retreated. There they remained alone, isolated, resolutely holding their line until ordered to join the retreat. Throughout the long years of fighting through the many and bloody battles they had seen their friends, neighbors and brothers make their heroic stands alongside them. For many their only reward was only to fall in battle or be captured to spend the rest of the war in the hellish prison ships of the British. For this small band of men the surrender at Yorktown was more than an end to a war. It was a vindication not only for them but for their fallen brothers, friends and neighbors. The oft heard phrase “hold the line” did not originate in the gridiron but as a tribute to the unsung heroes of The Maryland Line who stood and held their line in the face of insurmountable odds. General Washington even conferred the nickname Old Line State on Maryland as a testimonial to those men. Although the Maryland Line did not actively participate in the siege at Yorktown they were there as a symbol of the determination and the suffering of all the soldiers involved in the revolution. General Washington felt it only fitting and proper that they be there at the end as they were in the beginning. How did this heralded unit come into being and why was it so effective so early in the war? On 18 January 1776, the Maryland Provincial Convention established the Maryland Line as a regiment of uniformed regulars. The Convention assumed that paid soldiers furnished with appropriate weapons and training, rations and uniforms would be better soldiers. It was this concept that distinguished the Maryland Line from other colonial militia. The Line also spent time drilling before joining the ranks of the . This resulted in a disciplined, cohesive unit. The regiment would first see action during The Battle of , where The Maryland Line protected the evacuation of Washington's troops across the East River to Manhattan. Two months later at The Battle of White Plains,The Maryland Line covered the retreat of American army across the Bronx River. These actions were duplicated many times in the early stages of the war. At Monmouth when General ordered a retreat instead of an advance, General Washington approached The Maryland Line then led by Colonel Nathan Ramsey and asked, “If you can stop the British for ten minutes I can save the army.” Ramsey replied, “We will stop them or fall.” Their withering fire stopped the British, not for ten minutes, but for thirty. They also played critical roles during The Battles of Trenton, Harlem Heights,White Plains, Fort Washington, Princeton, Staten Island, Brandywine, Germantown, Fort Mifflin, Monmouth, Stoney Point, Paulus Hook, Camden, Guilford Courthouse, Eutaw Springs, Hobkirk Hill, Ninty-Six, Cowpens and Yorktown. In letters to Maryland officials in 1779, Washington twice singled out Maryland’s contribution to the American cause, referring to its soldiers as the “old Soldiers of the Maryland line” and “Gentlemen of merit [who have] long acted as officers of the line.” Because of their long and distinguished service, General Washington frequently referred to the Maryland units as his "Old Line". The reputation of The Maryland Line was born and immortalized during The . As the battle turned against the Continentals, General Washington asked Major and Captain Samuel Smith (The hero of the Battle of Baltimore that saved the country in 1814) and the Maryland Regiment to cover the army's retreat. Unlike other regiments in the continental army The Maryland Line was armed with surplus British muskets, including bayonets. With approximately 270 men left of the original 400 the regiment fixed their bayonets and charged the oncoming 2,000 plus British soldiers. They charged six times. Their charges allowed General Washington to evacuate almost all of his army to Manhattan Island. Of The Maryland 400 about a dozen made it back to the American lines. The rest were either killed or captured. For their heroic stand they were dubbed “The Immortals”. From a redoubt on Cobble Hill General Washington watched the heroics of The Maryland Line and said, “Good God, what brave fellows I must lose today.” In , Brookland there is a monument erected to The Maryland 400. On the base there is an inscription which reads: "In honor of the Maryland 400 who on this battlefield on August 27, 1776 saved the American army." Historian, Thomas Field, in 1869, wrote about "The Battle of Long Island". He referred to the stand of the Marylanders as "an hour more precious to liberty than any other in history." Four companies of the 1st Maryland stood as the final anchor of the crumbled American front line, and their heroic action not only saved many of their fellows but afforded Washington critical respite to regroup and withdraw his battered troops to Manhattan and continue the struggle for independence.” The dead were buried in a mass grave consisting of six trenches in a farm field. The site was marked by a tablet that read: "Burial place of ye 256 Maryland soldiers who fell in ye combat at ye Cortelyou House on ye 27th day of August 1776." The importance of The Maryland Line’s stand at The Battle of Long Island cannot be underestimated. It was hailed as The Pivotal Moment in the . Had the Line not held and the retreat failed, the bulk of the Continental Army would have been killed or captured, ending the American rebellion just a few weeks after their Declaration of Independence.

Many Were Sore Chased A brief history of the Rockbridge Militia by James E. Schiaffino The Second Amendment to the Constitution - The Right to Bear Arms – states: A well-regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. The story of the Virginia Militia, especially those of The Rockbridge Virginia Militia, symbolize those sentiments both in spirit and principal. During the Revolutionary War they served in all three theaters. Probably their greatest accomplishments occurred in the Southern Campaign from the tidewater, to the mountains, and to the frontier beyond. With the Declaration of Independence in 1777 the Virginia legislature directed each county to establish a formal militia (also referred to as a “Line” as soldiers were trained to stand shoulder to shoulder in a line and fire their weapons as a unit), divided into ten sections of 500 or more men to be called out in a rotating order one or more at a time and led by an officer of suitable rank. The area of Rockbridge Virginia was settled largely by Scots from Ulster. Accordingly, Militia was loaded with folks with names like Campbell, Wallace, Johnstone, Gilmore, McDowell and Sevier. Prior to 1777, Rockbridge had a 'militia' that was similar to a volunteer brigade. It served bravely during the long period of Indian Wars (Note Bene: I do not use the word “Indian” pejoratively. This is how it is recorded in historical documents of the Commonwealth of Virginia circa 1742-1763). In 1754, The Rockbridge Militia led by the Captains James Gilmore (James Gilmore is an ancestor to our esteemed editor of The Patriot, Jo Lawrence.) and John Lyle cut their teeth as a fighting unit as part of a 1,000 men force under the command of Colonel Andrew Lewis. They were to be a part of a two-pronged Virginian attack subduing the Cherokee Indians in the Ohio Valley. The expedition achieved moderate success. In February 1756, as a part of The Big Sandy Expedition, again commanded by Ulster born, Col. Andrew Lewis, the militia departed from Fort Frederick to raid Shawnee towns along the Big Sandy and Ohio rivers in retaliation for Shawnee attacks on frontier forts. The Rockbridge Militia also fought at the battle at Point Pleasant 10 October, 1774 defeating the Shawnee war chief, Cornstalk. The formal Militia participated in the , 4 October, 1777, outside of Philadelphia. The History of Rockbridge County states; “400 tall Virginians at Germantown were cut off by fog and forced to surrender.” While the statement is more or less accurate the real story is more enlightening. The Rockbridge Militia was attached to General 's column. Greene's vanguard engaged the British pickets at Luken's Mill, driving them back after a savage skirmish. There was a heavy fog at that part of the battlefield. Between the fog, the confusion of battle and the pall of smoke from the cannon and musket fire, Greene's column fell into disarray and confusion. 9th Virginia Regiment, including the Rockbridge Militia, launched an attack on the British lines and, managed to break through and captured a number of prisoners. However, they were soon surrounded by two arriving British brigades under Lord Cornwallis. Cornwallis then launched a counter-charge, cutting off the Virginians completely, forcing them to surrender. The Rockbridge Militia acquitted themselves handsomely at The Battle of King's Mountain on 7 October, 1780. This battle was notable for several reasons not the least of which was Major Patrick Ferguson’s comment about driving the Patriots from the mountain “with fire and sword”. Which in fact was an old Scottish quotation that originated in The Borders region of Scotland. ( In November 1597 James VI wrote to Henry Leigh, the English Warden on the Borders, to mount an expedition against the Broken Men of the West March - “We have resolved to passes forward in proper person upon them with fyre and sword uppon Tuesday next to their extermination and wreike and intreat yow that yow wilbein a redynes with some sufficient force ….for hawlding them in at that syde and concurrencie with us to their borning persiut and repressinge. ” For those readers not fluent in Olde English a rough translation would be ‘Go there and kick some butt.’) The second somewhat less know quote was made by Captain Abraham de Peyster of the Loyalist militia who at the onset of the battle turned to Major Ferguson and said, "These things are ominous — these are the damned yelling boys!" He was referring to the battle cry of the Patriots. As most were of Scottish ancestry they were accustomed to issuing their clan's battle cry at the onset of a conflict. It was Colonel William Campbell who ordered his men to "shout like hell and fight like devils!" This cry echoed down through time to us as the “Rebel Yell” of Civil War yore. The battle is also hailed as the turning point in the Southern Campaign in that it served as motivation for Lord Cornwallis to repair to Yorktown. Prior to the battle two companies of Virginia Militia were present as were militia from South Carolina and Kentucky: Captain James Gilmore's riflemen from Rockbridge, and a Militia from Southern Augusta County were commanded by James Tate. Together they formed a unit of about 900 men. (Among them was a distant ancestor of mine, John Crockett, whose son would later find fame in D.C. and Texas.) Patriot militias led by Benjamin Cleveland, James Johnston, William Campbell, John Sevier, Joseph McDowell and Isaac Shelby. By prior agreement each militia group was to attack independently. The Patriots were exclusively “backwoodsman” used to fighting frontier style (using natural cover such as rocks, trees and bracken as protection). They fought with their own hunting rifles, tomahawks and scalping knives (Again this how it was recorded in the historical documents of the Commonwealth of Virginia). Their rifles were much more accurate than the smoothbore muskets and bayonets issued to the Loyalist militia by the British. The phrase “Remember Tarleton's Quarter” spread through the Patriots ranks the evening before the battle. It was a reference to the Battle of Waxhaws. On 29 May 1780 following the Battle of Waxhalls, 380 Continentals of 2nd and 7th Virginia regiments were massacred by Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton's men. Including a small company of Rockbridge militia under the command of Captain Alan Wallace with the 10th . The 900 Patriots formed eight detachments of 100 to 200 men each. About 3 pm when the Patriots approached the steep base of the western ridge of the mountain. Major Ferguson apparently was unaware that the Patriots had caught up to him and his 1,100 men. Although he had been warned of a large company of armed men in the vicinity, hubris played a role and he saw no need to fortify his position. The battle began as the Patriots crept up the hill until they were very close to the Loyalist position. Shouting their war cry the Militia began firing from behind rocks and trees at the startled Loyalists. Major Ferguson rallied his surprised troops and launched a desperate bayonet-charge against Campbell and Sevier’s militiamen. Lacking bayonets, the Patriots ran down the hill and into the woods. When the charge was spent, Campbell rallied his troops and returned to the hilltop. From their hilltop position the Patriots resumed firing. Ferguson ordered two more bayonet charges during the battle. This became the pattern of the battle; the Patriots would take positions near the top of the hill, and commence firing. Then the Loyalists would return fire and charge down the hill with fixed bayonets, driving the Patriots off the slopes and into the woods again. Determination is a characteristic of Scots and it displayed itself time and time again. The Loyalists were hampered by two telling disadvantages. Firing downhill with smoothbore muskets contributed to them overshooting their marks. Additionally, the Patriots were constantly moving and using natural cover for concealment while the Loyalists stood atop the treeless ridge and made excellent targets for their rifles. The battle lasted a little over an hour and Loyalist casualties were heavy. Sensing defeat many of Major Ferguson's men began to surrender. He drew his sword and mounted his horse. He then began to hack down any small white flags that he saw popping up. In an attempt to rally his men, Ferguson shouted out "Hurrah, brave boys, the day is ours!" Together with a few of his officers he tried to cut through the Patriot line, but Sevier's men fired a volley and Ferguson was shot and dragged by his horse behind the Patriot line. When he was confronted by one of Sevier's officers and ordered to surrender Major Ferguson shot and killed the man as final act of defiance. He was immediately shot by multiple Patriots. Although many Patriot militias continued firing into the surrendering loyalist lines shouting “Give 'em Tarleton's Quarter”, Campbell and Sevier ordered their men to cease fire. The Patriots took about 813 Loyalist prisoners. The Patriots lost 28 men while the Loyalist lost about 290. The Rockbridge Militia again found themselves in the middle of an important engagement. Capt James Gilmore's company of militia were an important element in the victory at The . On January 17, 1781, American Colonial forces under Brigadier General Daniel Morgan and British forces led by Lieutenant Colonel Sir Banastre Tarleton, met at Cowpens South Carolina. (The battle was actually fought on a strip of pastureland known then as Hannah's Cow-pens. Frontier farmers used the land to feed their cows. Rather than drive them home each night they housed them in the rented 'pens'. Hence the name Cowpens.) The Patriot forces numbered about 1,900. However, a majority of the force was composed of militia. Aligned against them were 1,500 seasoned British troops with some artillery. General Daniel Morgan knew that militia had a reputation for being somewhat unreliable in a stand up battle, so he positioned his army with their backs to the Broad and Pacolet rivers, leaving his men little choice but to stand and fight. He also knew that his adversary tended to be impulsive and preferred direct, immediate assaults. He made his plans accordingly, laying a trap for Lieutenant Colonel Tarleton, He placed his Continental infantry on a small hill in the center of the battlefield. He set up two lines of soldiers to screen these strongest, most reliable Continental troops. The first line was composed of 150 select marksmen from North Carolina and Georgia to act as skirmishers. The second line, behind the skirmishers but in front of the third line of Continentals, consisted of 300 militiamen. The third line, on the hill, was manned by Morgan's best troops; about 550 men consisting of Continentals, the Delaware Line, General 's favorite militia, the famed Maryland Line and experienced militiamen from Georgia and Virginia. Colonel John Eager Howard of Baltimore commanded the Continentals. It was here that the Rockbridge militia were stationed. After the skirmish line slowed the British advance and withdrew to reinforce the second line, Morgan asked the militia in the second line to fire two volleys, something he felt they could accomplish, and then withdraw to the left, and re-form with the skirmish line behind the third line, and serve as a reserve. He hoped the withdrawal of the first two lines would appear to Colonel Tarleton be a rout similar to the American defeat at Camden. On the opposite side of the battlefield, the British forces had been doggedly pursuing The Patriot force since January 14th. 48 hours before the battle they had run out of food and were marching on very little sleep. They arrived late on the 16th hungry and exhausted. Tarleton informed his troops they were facing mostly militia and with their victory the Continentals provisions would be theirs directly. A few minutes before sunrise, with only about four hours of sleep, Tarleton ordered his dragoons to attack the first line of skirmishers. The sharpshooters immediately opened fire and shot fifteen dragoons out of their saddles causing them to promptly retreat. Enraged Tarleton attacked the skirmish line without pausing, deploying his main body and his two grasshopper cannons. The American skirmishers kept firing, very effectively, as they withdrew to join the second line manned by the militia. The British reorganized and attacked again, the militia of the second line dutifully fired their first volley into the enemy, targeting the officers. With about 40% of their officers killed or wounded the British continued to advance, but in a disorganized manner. Again the militia fired their second volley and appeared to "flee" as expected. They reformed exactly as they were ordered and awaited further instructions. Observing the first two Patriot lines withdrawing Colonel Tarleton took Morgan's bait and charged into his trap. The British advanced headlong into the third and final line of disciplined Maryland and Delaware Lines and the Continental regulars which awaited them on the hill. The 71st Highlanders were ordered to flank the American right. John Eager Howard spotted the flanking movement and ordered the Rockbridge militiamen to turn and face the Scots. The Virginians fired into the Scots at a range of no more than thirty yards, with massive effect, causing the confused attack to lurch to a halt. The British attack had now faltered on all fronts. At this point John Eager Howard shouted, "Charge bayonets!” The Continentals in the center, as ordered, mounted a bayonet charge. With the shock of the sudden charge, the British attack began to collapse. Some of the exhausted and demoralized men surrendered on the spot, while others turned and ran. All told nearly half of the British and Loyalist infantrymen fell to the ground whether they were wounded or not . Desperate to save something, Tarleton found about forty cavalrymen and rode back into the fight. However, they were met by Morgan's 82 man cavalry unit. Following a brief skirmish Tarleton left the battlefield as his men surrendered. Tarleton himself and about 200 British troops managed to escape. Tarleton was able to avoid capture by forcing a local planter named Adam Goudylock to serve as a guide. Although the 3 month enlistments of Tate's and Gilmore's men had long since run out, they accepted the assignment to escort 500 remaining British prisoners, together with others being held at Salisbury, back north over the mountains to the Valley of Virginia. The battle was a turning point in the American reconquest of South Carolina from the British. Morgan's forces had conducted a double envelopment of Tarleton's forces, the only double envelopment of the war. Consequently Tarleton's force was all but annihilated. Legend has it that Lord Cornwallis upon hearing of the defeat at Cowpens and the loss of Tarleton's brigade placed his sword tip down to the ground and leaned on it until it broke. The Patriot victory at Cowpens coupled with their previous victory at King's Mountain forced Lord Cornwallis to abandon his plans for South Carolina and repair to North Carolina to regroup. Capt James Gilmore's company also acquitted themselves well at the Battle of Guilford Court House in North Carolina. With Lord Cornwallis' army now reduced to about 2,100 troops he engaged General Nathanael Greene's army of about 4,500 men. The battle commenced on 15 March, 1781. Attempting to duplicate Morgan's tactics at Cowpens, Greene had prepared his defense in three lines. North Carolina militia formed the first line, with backwoods marksmen on the left and right flanks to snipe advancing British. In the second line, he placed the Virginia militia including “Gilmore's Rifles” to which they were now being referred. Two more six-pound cannons were sited on the center of the line. His third and strongest line consisting of his Continental regulars included the Virginia regiment, and Delaware infantry. About 400 yards further on and placed at an angle to the west of the road were the 1st and 2nd Maryland Line regiments. However, the Maryland Lines and the Backwoodsmen were positioned hundreds of yards apart and could not support one another or the third line. This proved to be a costly miscalculation. The British attacked the first line. Their charge came to a halt 50 paces from the American lines. It was noted by Sergeant Lamb of the 23rd British Regiment that the North Carolina militia "had their arms presented and resting on the picket fence...they were taking aim with nice precision". One officer of the 71st Highland Regiment claimed that "one half of the Highlanders dropped on that spot." The North Carolina militia had been instructed to fire two or three volleys and retreat to the woods. This they did, but in a disorganized manner. Some were reported to have discarded their personal equipment as they ran. Here the British encountered the Second Line anchored by the Rockbridge Militia commanded by Colonel William Campbell. Initially, the militia held their ground. Lord Cornwallis later commented that “the group of rebels took position in an orchard and fought so furiously.” However, under a continued British advance they were forced to withdraw. The Militia retreated to the safety of nearby woods to regroup. As they retreated they were pursued by Tarleton’s saber wielding cavalry. Samuel Houston who survived the dash to the trees said “We were obliged to run and many were sorely chased and some were cut down.” Before they retreated, the militia inflicted heavy casualties on the British. As the militias fell back the British pressed their attack on the third line of Continentals. Following heavy fighting the Continentals also retreated pursued by the British regulars. The attack was halted by the arrival of Lt. Col. William Washington's light dragoons and the1st Maryland Line. They held their line covering The Patriots as they retired from the field. While it was considered a defeat for the Patriots, Guilford Court House proved to be a Pyrrhic victory for Lord Cornwallis and a strategic victory for the Americans. Cornwallis had lost over a quarter of his men and his baggage train of supplies. Burdened with an additional several thousand freed slaves, he chose to march into Virginia and attempt to link up with roughly 3,500 men under British Major General Phillips and American turncoat . The Rockbridge militia along with the Virginia regiment and other militia headed north to reinforce French General The Marquis de Lafeyette and his 1,200 troops. Along the way they engaged and repulsed a detachment of 250 of Tarleton's dragoons. They also took part in a small inconclusive engagement at Hot Springs. After joining a detachment of other Virginia forces under the leadership of Major General Baron Friedrich Von Steuben, they merged with The Pennsylvania Continental Line under General “Mad” and were present at the Battle of Greenspring. As the battle unfolded The Americans were forced to retreat. The Rockbridge militia under Colonel William Campbell were part of the line that covered the retreat of the American forces. At the the militia played an auxiliary role primarily in support since the arrival of the combined armies of General Washington and Comte de Rochambeau brought the Patriot strength to approximately 18,000 opposing Lord Cornwallis' 9,000 regulars. However, on 3 October 1781, a British foraging party, led by their old adversary Banastre Tarleton, came out but collided with John Mercer's Virginia militia, including the Rockbridge Militia led by the Marquis de Choisy. The British cavalry quickly retreated back behind their defensive lines, losing 50 men. Following the War for Independence as the new nation struggled to consolidate itself and protect itself from external enemies Militias still played a pivotal role in securing the frontier that is west of the Appalachian mountains. The Rockbridge Militia saw action in securing the new countries’ western borders. One of these first engagements was at the battle at Fallen Timbers. The Battle of Fallen Timbers (August 20, 1794) was the final battle of the Northwest Indian War, a struggle between Native American tribes for control of the Northwest Territory. The battle took place amid trees toppled by a tornado just north of the Maumee River in northwestern Ohio. Once again the militia found itself reinforcing Gen. "Mad"Anthony Wayne's Legion of the United States along with Gen. Charles Scott's Kentucky Militia. They were victorious against a combined Native American force of the Shawnee and Miami tribes under the combined leadership of Blue Jacket and Little . The battle ended major hostilities in the region. This resulted in British and Indian withdrawal from the southern Great Lakes, western Ohio and northeastern Indiana.

From The Mess Deck Colcannon Ingredients: 500g/1lb2oz. floury potatoes, cooked 2 tbsp cream (optional) 250g/9oz. cabbage, shredded and lightly steamed salt and black pepper 1 large or 2 small onions, sliced thinly a little bacon fat, beef dripping or other oil, for frying Method: Sieve or mash the potatoes and mix with the cabbage and cream. Season well with salt and pepper. Fry the onion in the fat over a moderate heat until it is soft and beginning to brown. Using a spatula, press half the potato and cabbage mixture in an even layer on to the onion and fry for 4-5 minutes until it is well browned and crispy underneath. Cut the mixture into 4 quarters with the spatula or palette knife and turn them over carefully so that the crispy bit is uppermost. Press the remaining potato and cabbage mixture on to the first layer and after a few more minutes, cut and turn again. When the bottom is again browned, you will have a crispy top too, a crispy bottom, and a crispy layer in the middle

Bara Brith Ingredients: 450g/1lb. dried mixed fruit 250g/9oz. brown sugar 300ml/½ pint warm black tea 2 tsp. mixed spice 450g/1lb. self-raising flour 1 free-range egg, beaten Method: In a large bowl soak the fruit and sugar in strained tea and leave overnight. Next day preheat the oven to 170C/325F/ Gas 3. Line a 900g/2lb loaf tin with baking parchment. Mix the remaining ingredients into the fruit mixture and beat well. Pour the mixture into the loaf tin and bake the oven and bake for 1½ hours or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Welsh Rarebit Ingredients: 50g/2oz. flour 50g/2oz. Butter 250ml/9oz. strong beer, warmed 250g/9oz. strong cheddar, grated 2tsp. English mustard 2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce black pepper 4 large slices granary bread Method: In a small saucepan melt the butter and make a roux with the flour. Cook for a couple of minutes, stirring to prevent the roux from burning. Stir in the warm beer by degrees, until you have a thick but smooth sauce. Add the grated cheese and stir until melted. You should now have a thick paste. Mix in the mustard and Worcestershire sauce and season well with black pepper. Lightly toast and butter the bread, then pile up the cheesy mixture on each slice. Cook under a hot grill for a few minutes, until browned and bubbling. Scottish Crackers Sir Winston Churchill was once asked about his position on whisky. Here’s how he answered:

“If you mean whisky, the devil’s brew, the poison scourge, the bloody monster that defiles innocence, dethrones reason, destroys the home, creates misery and poverty, yea, literally takes the bread from the mouths of little children; if you mean that evil drink that topples men and women from the pinnacles of righteous and gracious living into the bottomless pit of degradation, shame, despair, helplessness and hopelessness, then, my friend, I am opposed to it with every fibre of my being.”

“However, if by whisky you mean the oil of conversation, the philosophic wine, the elixir of life, the ale that is consumed when good fellows get together, that puts a song in their hearts and the warm glow of contentment in their eyes; if you mean good cheer, the stimulating sip that puts a little spring in the step of an elderly gentleman on a frosty morning; if you mean that drink that enables man to magnify his joy, and to forget life’s great tragedies and heartbreaks and sorrow; if you mean that drink the sale of which pours into our treasuries untold millions of pounds each year, that provides tender care for our little crippled children, our blind, our deaf, our dumb, our pitifully aged and infirm, to build the finest highways, hospitals, universities, and community colleges in this nation… Then my friend, I am absolutely, unequivocally in favour of it..!!!”

“This is my position, and as always, I refuse to compromise on matters of principle!!!” Anyone wishing to contribute a joke or humorous anecdote or other contributions, news, suggestions for articles or genteel comments can send them to [email protected]