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Post by Aurelia on Jan 10, 2021 20:46:30 GMT -5
I'm still angry about their portrayal in "Turn" - particularly the character assassination of Simcoe. The man did so many good things he has a holiday named for him here! I think they used the reputation of Banastre Tarleton (even though Tarleton may not have been as bad as everyone thought him) like they do in so many movies about the Revolutionary War and kinda implanted it into the person of Simcoe. I guess the stereotypical "savage British elite" concept kinda crystallizes in several of the British commanders in the war - the brutality that was present then has become its own stock character now... even though the reality may not have been so black and white - the Americans had their own share of atrocities they committed. It's a shocking war, just in the utter and willful destruction of towns - the slaughter of soldiers and civilians... just very brutal. |
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Post by Windischer on Jan 11, 2021 11:18:57 GMT -5
I wasn't able to find any Masonic connection to Rogers. Since he would have been paying out of pocket some or even all of the costs of outfitting the unit, we can assume he had some say in their dress. Remember Lord Cardigan! Good old Lord Cardigan. He may have been a fool, but when that order was given, he rode to hell and back. |
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Post by Aurelia on Jan 12, 2021 14:46:57 GMT -5
January 12th, 1736 - John Hancock, the "first signer" of the Declaration of Independence is born.  Hancock was a political protégé of Samuel Adams - he became a rather popular figure for Patriots after his sloop, Liberty, was was seized by the British in connection with smuggling - charges that were later dropped. Custom officers found that Liberty was found carrying only 1/4 of it's cargo capacity in wine - and while Hancock paid the duties on the wine, they accused him of having had more wine unloaded in the night to avoid the duty on the entire shipment. There initially was no evidence to support this, as the tidesmen on board swore that there had been no one on or off the boat overnight. A month later one of the men changed his story, claiming to have been forcibly held on the Liberty while it was unloaded. Customs officers seized the Liberty and illegally towed it out for the HMS Romney, a ship that was identified in connection to impressment of Colonials who were not deserters from the Royal Navy. A riot broke out when sailors coming ashore to tow the Liberty were mistaken for a press gang. In court, John Adams defended Hancock and dragged the second trial out for nearly 5 months before all charges were inexplicably dropped. Hancock could never entirely shake the reputation as a smuggler, even to the point that he has been called the 'King of the Colonial Smugglers'.  Later, serving as President of Congress, John Hancock's signature would be the first and only name in type on the highly "treasonous" Declaration of Independence for nearly 6 months... while it was printed and reprinted. His very showy signature is visible on a Parchment version (the "engrossed copy" that is now so famous) of the document that was signed by all present members of Congress. |
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