Brother Jonathan's Images, No. 9 “A Virginian Rifleman,” 1777
Brother Jonathan’s Images, No. 9 No. 9. St. George’s Virginia Rifleman Artist: Richard St George Mansergh St George, 52d Regiment of Foot, 1777 Year: 1777 Collection: Harlan Crow Library, Dallas, Texas (purchased from the estate of Arthur E. Bye, Bucks County, Pennsylvania) “A Virginian Rifleman,” 1777 With thanks to Sam Fore, librarian at the Harlan Crow Library, and Gregory J.W. Urwin for his biography of Richard St. George in Redcoat Images, No. 83 (Revisited). _____________________________________ Contents 1. Background 2. Virginia Rifleman, 1777 3. “Chosen Men Selected from the Army at large …”: Rifle-Armed Companies, Battalions, and Regiments, 1775-1779. Appendices A. “A Quantity of Tow Cloth, for the Purpose of making of Indian or Hunting Shirts …”: Proper Terminology: Hunting shirt, Rifle Shirt, Rifle Frock … B. Letter by Jesse Lukens, describing Pennsylvania riflemen and service at the siege of Boston, 1775. C. Capt. William Dansey, 33d Regiment, describes two encounters with rifle troops. D. Morgan’s Rifle Corps: Selected Documents Not Included in the Narrative E. “We returned them a very brisk fire …”: A Rifleman’s View of Two Campaigns F. “He was in that noted Battel in the Bukwheat field with Morgan …” Riflemen’s Pension Service Narratives, 1775-1779 G. The Rebels (Sung to the tune, Black Joak), originally published in the Pennsylvania Ledger, 1778 Background. In 2007 a collection of 18th century drawings and documents were offered for sale by Sothebys. The images portrayed scenes from the early years of the War for American Independence, particularly the 1776 and 1777 summer/autumn campaigns. (Stephen Gilbert notes that the Germantown drawing was done during the artist’s convalescence following his wounding in that action, all the others were likely done while aboard ship enroute to the Chesapeake Bay in late July and August 1777.) Almost too good to be true, many at first thought them forgeries, but eventually they were confirmed to be as advertised.
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