Waging War In America: Operational Challenges of Armies During the American Revolution

Historian Don Hagist moderates a panel of contributors to the recent anthology Waging War in America, 1775-1783: Operational Challenges of Five Armies exploring the significant operational challenges faced by American, Loyalist, French and German forces during the Revolution. From recruitment and training to tactics and logistics, the panelists also examine how the various armies adapted to the specific circumstances of this war. Panelists for this discussion include historians Todd Braisted, Alexander Burns, Ph.D., John Rees and Robert Selig, Ph.D.
About the Panelists
Moderator: Don Hagist is the managing editor of the Journal of the American Revolution (allthingsliberty.com). Mr. Hagist’s areas of interest include the demographics and material culture of the British army in the American Revolution, British operations in Rhode Island and wives of British soldiers. He has published numerous articles in academic journals, as well as books including Noble Volunteers: The British Soldiers Who Fought the American Revolution (Westholme, 2020).
Todd Braisted is an author and independent researcher specializing in Loyalist studies during the American Revolution. He has published over forty books and journal articles on a variety of period subjects, including Grand Forage 1778: The Battleground Around New York City (Westholme, 2016). Over the past four decades, he has served as president of the Bergen County Historical Society and the Brigade of the American Revolution, and as a Fellow in the Company of Military Historians. He likewise serves as a history advisor to Crossroads of the American Revolution, and on the Advisory Council of Revolution NJ.
Alexander Burns, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of history at Franciscan University of Steubenville. Dr. Burns studies North America and military Europe in the eighteenth century. He completed his Ph.D. under the supervision of Katherine B. Aaslestead at West Virginia University in 2021. His doctoral dissertation was entitled “The Entire Army Says Hello: Common Soldiers’ Experiences, Localism, and Army Reform in Britain and Prussia, 1739-1789.” Recently, he edited a volume in honor of the late Christopher Duffy, The Changing Face of Old Regime Warfare: Essays in Honour of Christopher Duffy (Helion Press, 2022). His next book, Infantry in Battle 1733-1783, will be published by Helion Press in 2024.
John Rees is an author and independent historian who has been writing on the experiences and material culture of common soldiers and women in the armies of the American Revolution for over thirty years. His research has focused on military foods, soldiers’ belongings and burden, army wagons and watercraft, campaign shelters and battle and campaign studies-many of his works being available online. Mr. Rees’ first book was “They Were Good Soldiers”: African Americans Serving in the Continental Army, 1775-1783 (Helion Press, 2019). He is currently working on his second book that will focus on the participation of Black soldiers in North America’s founding wars, 1754-1865, covering British, Spanish, French, German and American forces.
Robert Selig, Ph.D., is a historian and specialist on the role of French forces under the comte de Rochambeau during the American Revolution and serves as project historian for the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail. His publications include Hussars in Lebanon! (2004) and nearly 150 articles in American, German and French scholarly and popular history magazines, as well as chapters in books and anthologies. His honors and awards include the French Ordre national du Mérite (2022), La Médaille d’Or des Valeurs Francophones of La Renaissance Française (2019), the Erick Kurz Memorial Award of the Steuben Society of America and the Distinguished Patriot Award, National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (2012).
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[@johanblume2621]

This is the best channel for anything American Revolution. Great speakers and discussions!

[@catherineminicucci5087]

Thank you for a very informative panel. I particularly enjoyed learning about the perspectives of the French army officers as they encountered American culture.

[@jim7217]

Thank you so much in relating your investigations to us 'common folk'. Absolutely love the panelist discussing the French leaders thoughts and letters on the "respect" they expected just due to their title and disgust with the Americans. :)

[@revere0311]

Great Panel! Thank you for posting

[@davidevans3227]

greetings from south wales, britain.. thankyou for sharing this 🙂

[@CurtisWebb-en5kh]

Thank you ALL.

[@user-js7ek9oh3p]

To state that the British Soldiers that were from the area of Europe now called Germany were not accustomed to fighting in a forest is basically admitting that you have never been to the area of Europe now referred to as Germany. The 'Black Forest' may be given that name because it seems like nighttime during the day, and totally black at night..!! I believe the Allied Soldiers that fought in that area of Europe would testify that is was VERY thick and dense, even tanks had much difficulty getting through the forests.... I believe the main reason the 'Hessian Troops' were defeated is that they had families 'back home' and wanted to return, with their money, and didn't care so much about freedom..??

[@user-mn1zu5tl5i]

Great lecture but a seemingly very awkward format with them scrunched in those chairs like that. (unless that’s how they wanted to do this lecture.)

[@jim7217]

Agreed - although the emcee and 1st and 4th speakers did the audience respect with speaking from the podium. Although I respected the 2nd and 3rd speakers for their speeches, they should have gotten up and spoke from the podium.

[@richardlahan7068]

Washington's army was almost always on the verge of dissolving due to a lack of supplies, new recruits and a terrible road system.

[@Jordan_Clark]

Why do some of the British soldiers have children on their shoulders in the thumbnail picture?