More than two years ago, someone posted a message to a list I subscribe to, advising that if anyone was interested, there was an old medical book for sale at eBay. I had been looking for a copy of that book for some time. Not just any copy, but one that was complete, legible, and yet in poor enough shape that it would be relatively inexpensive, and I wouldn't feel guilty doing what I intended with it - destroying it in order to immortalize it electronically. The book is now available for everyone to enjoy at: http://www.americanrevolution.org/medicine.html I believe you'll find it more than a curiosity of medical history. For one thing, it'll dissipate a lot of myths about 18th century medicine, such as the common misconception that bleeding was the end-all and be-all of medical science. Dr. Buchan tells when and when not to bleed, and most of his treatments put the emphasis on other aspects of patient care. Indeed, you'll find his exhortations on exercise, diet, and cleanliness to be downright modern. In fact, I daresay his suggestion to wash ones hands and changing clothes after attending a contagious patient before venturing into public foreshadowed by a century the giants like Lister, Semmelweiss and Pasteur - although I will admit that the advice to stuff ones nostrils full of tobacco to avoid infection was a bit off the mark. For students of 18th century life, or those merely curious about how their ancestors lived, the work is a veritable gold mine. Anecdotes about patients, observations on improving the public health, and derogatory remarks about the filthy habits of the peasntry provide insight into how 18th c. British thought and lived. Removing foreign bodies from the eye with the tongue, putting fresh manure on wounds, etc., bring the era into sharper focus than many a learned tome written from hindsight. About all that's missing in the internet version is the poignancy of noticing that the most well-thumbed chapter is that dealing with small-pox, or suddenly realizing what the small, round, reddish-brown stains on the pages dealing with wounds probably are. I could go on for hours (hey, two+ years work makes one an advocate!) but I'll simply suggest you check it out, and enjoy. Best regards, Ed -- For Revolutionary War information on the Internet, your first choice should be AMERICANREVOLUTION.ORG

While poking around the SC site I ran across a 1795 letter from James Jackson to "General Morgan". [Daniel Morgan?] http://www.schistory.org/displays/RevWar/archives-online/Myers__p__45.html Jackson is trying to set the record straight on Cowpens for an upcoming history by Longworthy. In the letter he mentions the Georgia troops who served at Cowpens & mentions their officers as; "Major Cunningham and Captains Samuel Hammonds, George Walton and Joshua Inman" 'Captain' George Walton makes it seem unlikely to me that it is the Signer, but it wouldn't surprise me greatly. Though Walton was a member of Congress & on the Board of War in Jan 1781, I don't see him mentioned by name in the Journals after Nov 1780. Might a former Col, wounded, captured & exchanged & a former Gov., now a Congressman, have joined the troops in a capacity for which he was probably well-suited? Doesn't seem likely-- but if it is, I'd hate to pass up a great anecdote. Jim

I've been doing a little housecleaning this morning & found a 2 yr old email I had in my inbox from the SC Historical Society discussing their 'upcoming' CD on SC in the Rev-war. It has been produced in the interim is available for $35, which looks like a bargain from the description. Contents include maps, letters, timelines, and modern day walking tours. Has anyone used it and can they comment on its usefulness? [I have some CD's which I wouldn't part with because of their content, but curse at for their search engine.] The SC Historical Society has a great deal of content on their website, too. http://www.schistory.org Jim

The complete Roster of Men in Capt. Parker's Co. of Militia on April 19, 1775 !!!! <A HREF="http://users.rcn.com/waynemccarthy/LMM/Roster.html">Lexington Minute Men - Roster</A> CAPTAIN PARKER'S COMPANY OF MILITIA Captain Parker's Company had a roster of 144 men. Seventy-seven members stood on the Common on the morning of April 19, 1775 in defiance of the King's orders to "lay down your arms". Those men included: http://users.rcn.com/waynemccarthy/LMM/Roster.html

“we trust in God that, should the state of our affairs require it, we shall be ready to sacrifice our estates and everything dear in life, yea, and life itself, in support of the common cause”. This oath has been taken by every member of the Lexington Minute Men since the Company was first mustered in December of 1773. http://users.rcn.com/waynemccarthy/LMM/oath.html

The History of Whitcomb's Rangers http://www.mafseminars.com/wr1.htm Benjamin Whitcomb enlisted as a Lieutenant in a regiment of Colonel Bedel' s New Hampshire Rangers on January 22, 1776. Whitcomb's company served as a rear guard for the American Army in the Northern Department as the army moved south from Canada after the failed History of Whitcomb's Rangers at above website ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Subject: Benjamin Whitcomb of Lancaster, MA Source: Birth, Marriage, Death Register, Church Records and Epitaphs of Lancaster Massachusetts, 1643 to 1850 by Henry S. Nourse, A.M., Lancaster, 1890 p.65 Benjamin Whetcomb ye Son of Benjamin and Dorathe Whetcomb was born ye 2nd day of July, 1737 p.63 [Tamar Whitcomb was the sister of Major Benjamin Whitcomb -Whitcomb's Rangers] Tamar Whetcomb ye Daughter of Benjamin & Dorathy Whetcomb was born March ye 38, 1735 p.66 [Another sister of Major Whitcomb of Whitcomb's Rangers Dorathy ye Daughter of Benjamin and Dorathy Whetcomb was born May ye 13, 1739. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Major Benjamin Whitcomb born at Lancaster, Mass., in 1737 became "the" Whitcomb of Witcomb's Rangers in the Rev. War. (see website below) Whitcomb - My 4th great grandfather, Major Benjamin Whitcomb, was born in Lancaster, MA in 1737. "He served in the French and Indian war in 1755, under General Johnson, and again in 1757, in Capt. Wilder's Co., Mass., and again in Capt. Reed's Co., Mass. in the expedition against Montreal. In July 1776 he was living in Newbury, Vt., and was in command of a scout on the Sorel, and had mortally wounded Gen. Gordon as he was riding between Chambly and St. Johns, and took his watch and sword. Several attempts were made to capture him, but without success. Oct. 14 1776, he was captain of an Independent Core of Rangers until they were taken from under his command to join the Continental army by order of Congress. He was promoted Major, Nov. 10, 1777, and commanded a body known as Major Benjamin Whitcomb's Independent Core of Rangers from Nov. 10, 1777 to Feb. 1, 1781, the date of his last muster roll. He came to Lisbon about 1782, and settled on Lot 1 in the gore, and on the west side of the river, and opposite of Samuel Young's lot. Here he built the first two-story house in Lisbon. He finally sold out to Moses Emery, and located in Savageville, so-called, where the late Edward Knight lived. He was a miller, and ran the first grist mill in Lisbon Village."..."He was pentioned June 23, 1818, $240 per year." [Rix manuscript]. He married Lydia Howe, of Westmoreland, NH. http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/2821/Links.html ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Benjamin Whitcomb in Col Oliver Wilder's Regiment Source: History of Lancaster, Mass by Rev. Abijah Marvin, 1879, Lancaster, MA p. 257 Col. Oliver Wilder, Esq., a veteran aged sixty three, led the following men on a march westward. The note on the Roll reads: "marched as far as Springfield, on the alarm at Fort William Henry, 1757. Among those listed was Benjamin Whitcomb of Lancaster (full Roll on request) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Source: 24. Howe Family Records, 9 January 1999, by William D. Howe, El Paso, Texas. Lydia Howe (Joshua4, Margaret3Willard, Benjamin2, Simon1); born 1739 at Westmoreland, Cheshire Co., New Hampshire;29,24 married Benjamin Whitcomb, Maj., 14 December 1769. [ Note: below...birth date is correct, place of birth is incorrect for Benjamin Whitcomb] Benjamin Whitcomb, Maj was born on 2 July 1737 at Leominster, Massachusetts. [should be Lancaster, MA] He died circa 1827 at Lisbon, New Hampshire. The six known children of Lydia5 Howe and Benjamin Whitcomb, Maj. were as follows: + 375. i. Benjamin6 Whitcomb, married Sally Young; born 8 August 1770. 376. ii. Lydia Whitcomb; married Ezra Cogswell;24 born 1 January 1772.24 377. iii. Joshua Whitcomb; married (--?--) Bailey;24 born 7 December 1775.24 378. iv. Azubah Whitcomb; married (--?--) Rankin.24 379. v. Anna Bedel Whitcomb; born circa 1781.24 380. vi. Ruth Whitcomb; married Ralph Merry.24 http://hallock.home.mindspring.com/Benjamin/benja005.htm#id6034 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ WHITCOMB'S RANGERS Source: U. S. Army Military History [Wright, Continental Army, p. 200] Authorized 15 October 1776 in the Continental Army as Whitcomb's Rangers, an element of the Northern Department Organized in November 1776 at Fort Ticonderoga, New York, to consist of two companies from northwestern New Hampshire Disbanded 1 January 1781 at Coos, New Hampshire ENGAGEMENTS [Wright, Continental Army, p. 200] Saratoga Source: U. S. Army Military History for N.H. in the Revolution: http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/lineage/revwar.htm ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Materials gathered/transcribed by Janice Farnsworth

Charles Wetherbee, a subscriber to American Revolution, in his retirement, has joined this group of PA Re-enactors and having a grand good time. His website below has his new collection of photos. Hope Lodge, Fort Washington, PA <A HREF="http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4292276897&code=2211755&mode=invit e">http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4292276897&code=2211755&mode=invite </A>

Dear Sandel, it is nice to hear from you once again after such a long time. But I do have a serious question to your statement of today - According to the history of the American Revolution, French officers did NOT have to change sites, they fought on the side of the Americans. France was an ally of the Americans in their fight against Britain. Your statement that you know these ancestors of yours having been French officers,should really open the door to find out when and with whom they came to America. There were not too many of them. Unless of course your statement is undocumented hearsay, such as is said about every second Hessian soldier married an Indian princess, or every other Hessian deserter served in General Washington's body guard I don't really know how that subject suddenly re-appeared on the Am-Rev. list, but since an old study of mine was pulled from the archives with additional family information, all I really did was to acknowledge and add a small commentary. I want to do the same for your benefit, I also want to add a small commentary: Janice, who posted the initial Briskie/Briskey issue yesterday, found the family information in respect to William Nicholas Brisky's marriage in May 1789 to a German girl, Susan Elizabeth Merck, born 1757 in South Carolina. This leads me to believe that this Brisky most likely was German too. Wish you best of luck in your search, John Merz ----- Original Message ----- From: AngelSandel@aol.com Sent: Sunday, November 04, 2001 2:47 AM Subject: Re: [A-REV] Re: Briskie/Briskey Hessian soldiers or not? Hello, I know you get so far back and it's like running into brick walls finding people in the American Revolution or sometimes where they came from in Europe. We know that he and his brother Charles we're french officers and they changed sides to the American Army. But can't find records. Thanks for your support. Sandel

Ray Charles - America the Beautiful http://www.duck.org/PlayRam.asp?SongID=923 1. Armerd Forces Medly http://www.duck.org/PlayRam.asp?SongID=1054 2. Where the Stars, Stripes & the Eagle Fly http://www.duck.org/PlayRam.asp?SongID=1103 3. The Ragged Old Flag http://www.duck.org/PlayRam.asp?SongID=930 4. Star Spangled Banner - Kate Smith http://www.duck.org/PlayRam.asp?SongID=931 5. America, Why I Love Her - John Wayne http://www.duck.org/PlayRam.asp?SongID=933 6. God Bless America - Kate Smith http://www.duck.org/PlayRam.asp?SongID=443 7. Battle Hymn of the Republic http://www.duck.org/PlayRam.asp?SongID=925

Greetings Many thanks to those people who responded to my query - Jan, Anne and Charles among you! You're right, Charles: we Brits hold both the knife and fork and don't switch. Most people (of course!!) have the fork in the left hand but being "caggy" (left) handed, I have my cutlery the opposite way. The Washington "instructions" are fascinating: I wonder how he went on with his wooden false teeth... Best Marjie.

The following is taken from the North Carolina State Records, Vol XVI. It most likely does not contain the names of EVERYONE who served with the 2nd NC during the Revolutionary War. http://www.2nc.org/2ncroster.htm Roster of Officers and Men of the 2nd North Carolina Continental Line

A Return of the Men of Caplain Gamble's Company when Stony Point was laken from the Enemy, 15th July, 1779. (much more at website) http://www.ls.net/~newriver/va/gamble1.htm Robert Gamble, Captain. David Williams, Lieutenant. William Spencer, Sergeant Eighth Volunteer Regiment. George Grimes, Sergeant First State Volunteer Reg't. Richard Piles, Sergeant Eighth Volunteer Regiment. Randolph Death, Corporal Eighth Volunteer Regiment. Samuel Glen, Corporal Seventh Volunteer Regiment. Jesse Page, Corporal Eighth Volunteer Regiment. John Farrell, Drummer Seventh Volunteer Regiment. Belonging to the Seventh Virginia Regiment. Joshua Haycraft, William Gibbs Mathias Martin, William Hinds Alexander Dresdal Daniel Rich John Malvin, Aaron Redmond Peter Sherriden Thomas Miller Joseph Fox, William Campbell Daniel Burcher, Moses Plain Thomas Roberts, Peter Barret Sylvester Hurly, Alexander Strickling Charles Steward. Belonging to the Eighth Virginia Regiment: George Ward, Michael Moore John Bray, James L. Masters James Balls Richard Barlow Henry Denny Steven Smythers Henry Normond John Bland Jacob Roads Marshall Burton William McCollum, Peter Warren Henry Denny, John O'Harroh John Trotter, Patrick Lyons George Sell, William Stewart John Hanson. James Flanherty, Sergeant-Major, ought to have been included in the company. Lieutenant Lind will have him put in the field and staff. ROBERT GAMBLE, Captain Colonel Febizger's Regiment http://www.ls.net/~newriver/va/gamble1.htm

I did a google search of the internet for AngelSandel@aol.com. I dont have connections with the Briskie (s)....merely responding to a request to help. Yours was excellent research by the way.

Hello Janice, it is indeed very interesting what you were able to find on the Web, and I closely examined all the data you presented. According to what I read, there is still no proof of this William Nicholas Brisky having come before the AmRev from France, the very first mentioning of him is his marriage to Susan Elizabeth Merck in May 1789. This still leaves it wide open if he was a Hessian soldier or not. As I said in my original posting, we need something with his signature on it. Cheers, John From: <Farns10th@aol.com> AMREV-HESSIANS-L Archives From: "John Merz" <hessian@cgocable.net> Subject: [REV-HESSIANS] Re: Regiment von Rall - Briske - Briskey - Broeske - Broescke. Date: Sun, 7 May 2000 21:39:43 -0400 As previously noted on this mail list, there were indeed two POW's listed on the Trenton Prisoner list, one by the name of BROESCKE, Henrich of the Rall Regt. 5.Comp., and one BROESKE (c missing), George, Rall Regt., 1. Comp., both were taken to Lancaster, PA. There are no Briske or Briskey names listed anywhere. In closing, we still have no clue as to the true identity of the Hessian soldier who settled under the name of Briske or Briskey, Your best bet is to find a document which he signed with his original German name, a Will or signing over a deed, etc. > Mr. Merz, > I was given your name by Sandel DeMastus. We are both related to a > Nicholas Briskey that mysteriously appeared in South Carolina after > the Revolutionary War. No trace of how he got to America has been located. > Brisky, William Nicholas Birth : 1765 France http://www.negia.net/~billh/HTML/dat9.html Best regards, Janice Farnsworth

Greetings Recently I was in the company of American friends and we were discussing the War of Independence (as one does...). Over dinner, we started to talk about the odd way that Americans eat their food and they thought that using the fork only, and in the right hand, originated from the colonial period: that "patriots" used that way of eating - in public - as a sort of "secret sign" that they _were_ rebels and not loyalists. I said I'd no idea (I eat with the fork in my right hand because I happen to be left handed - which sparked the discussion) but I possibly "knew" a lot of folk who might. I'd be grateful for suggestions/answers/comments! Cheers Marjie.

Roll of Officers of the British American or Loyalist Corps http://personal.nbnet.nb.ca/halew/Roll_of_Officers.html

AMREV-HESSIANS-L Archives From: "John Merz" <hessian@cgocable.net> Subject: [REV-HESSIANS] Re: Regiment von Rall - Briske - Briskey - Broeske - Broescke. Date: Sun, 7 May 2000 21:39:43 -0400 Dear Keith Young, As previously noted on this mail list, there were indeed two POW's listed on the Trenton Prisoner list, one by the name of BROESCKE, Henrich of the Rall Regt. 5.Comp., and one BROESKE (c missing), George, Rall Regt., 1. Comp., both were taken to Lancaster, PA. There are no Briske or Briskey names listed anywhere. For anyone who has not heard of the Trenton POW list, it is a list of appr. 900 names, taken from a copy located at the Library of Congress, and published by the Johannes Schwalm Historical Association in their Journal Vol. 3/1 (1985) on pages 1 to 21, and the credit for compiling goes to Richard C.Barth, Ph.D., William Dornemann, Ph.D, and Mark A. Schwalm. Now let's check the Hetrina Vol.III (that's the one with the Rall Regt. entries, all names are listed alphabetically and numbered in that order): 1818-1843 covers Broescke, Georg, of the Rall Regt., 1. Regt., he was born 1752/53 in Hanau/Hessen, and is listed as a Free Corporal on Muster Roll Dec.1776, but in Feb 1777 and June 1777 was promoted to Ensign (Faehnrich) in the 4.Comp. (Line #1821 and Line 1823), then he appears almost every month on the Muster Roll as POW until July 1778 when he is reported as (05) ransomed (from POW status) or returned to unit after desertion. Then #1838 lists him as a Second Lieutenant with the 3.Comp., #1842 as S.L.with the 4.Comp. in Jan.1783. Finally, in March 1783 is is listed as (07) having died through sickness or accident. But this is not all - One can see that there are some entries missing, like the promotion from Ensign to Second Lieutenant, and here are some more entries under the name Broeske, Georg (without the 'c') #1849 FK Ral1 (11-POW) 2/1777 #1850 SL Ral (O4) promoted Nov.1779 #1851 SL Ral (04) promoted March 1780 #1852 SL Ral (07) died March 1783. This other Henrich Broescke, has only 4 lines #1844 to 1847, he is born in Wolfhagen D3549 in 1751/52, first listed as a Private, Rall Regt., 5.Comp., (11-POW) 2/1777, then transferred (13) in July 1779, #1846 says he is promoted to Quartermaster-Sergeant in Aug.1779, and his last entry #1847 shows his promotion to Sergeant in July 1780. That's the last entry, no further information. Now anybody reading this may be wondering, what about #1848? Well, a one line entry: Broescke, Salomon, born 1751/52 at Heimbressen D3521, private, Rall Regt., 3.Comp., (01) appointed, especially in the unit rolls 0/1775 (this means, he could have been in the reserves, but was never called up) I never intented to go that deep into this case, just got carried away a bit, but it may serve as a demonstration of how to look at the Hetrina entries. They are a tremendous help, we should be forever grateful to the Archivschule Marburg in Hessen, whose students took on this task of compiling all those files from the Hessen-Kassel, Hessen-Hanau, and Waldeck troops, under the guidance of Inge Auerbach and Otto Froehlich. In closing, we still have no clue as to the true identity of the Hessian soldier who settled under the name of Briske or Briskey, Your best bet is to find a document which he signed with his original German name, a Will or signing over a deed, etc. From: Richard K. Young <RKeith_Young@compuserve.com> Sent: Friday, April 28, 2000 9:00 AM > Mr. Merz, > I was given your name by Sandel DeMastus. We are both related to a > Nicholas Briskey that mysteriously appeared in South Carolina after > the Revolutionary War. No trace of how he got to America has been located. > > My hypothesis is that the mysterious Nicholas Briskey could very well be a > Hessian soldier of Grenadier Regiment von Rall, one Georg Broescke. > Several details of Broescke's career as a soldier in America have eluded > me. Can you tell me if he is listed as a Continental prisoner of war after > the battle of Trenton, Dec. 26, 1776? Secondly, is there any record of his > having deserted his regiment? The German regimental records list him > as "dying of disease, accident or other causes" in March 1783. A significant > number of the family legends about Nicholas fit Georg very well. I am > hopeful that someday it may be possible to learn if Georg Broescke really > did die or whether his death was only "on paper" and whether he really > is Nicholas Briskey. > Your assistance is appreciated! > Thanks, > Keith Young http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/read/AMREV-HESSIANS/2000-05/0957749983 1885 Obituaries BRISKEY.--On the 18th of November, in Elk Lick township, Somerset county, Pa., Susanna Briskey (widow), aged 76 years, 11 months and 5 days. Her life was one of faithfulness, and she passed away in the blessed hope of a better life beyond. http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~mennobit/1885/dec1885.html Brisky, William Nicholas Birth : 1765 France Gender: Male Family: Marriage: MAY 1789 Spouse: Merck, Susan Elizabeth Birth : 1757 South Carolina Gender: Female Parents: Father: Merk, John Balthasar Mother: Merk, Elizabeth Margeret Children: Brisky, Margaret "Peggy" Brisky, Kate Brisky, Polly Birth : 1791 Gender: Female Brisky, John Brisky, Elizabeth Birth : 1801 Gender: Female Brisky, Nicholas http://www.negia.net/~billh/HTML/dat9.html Best regards, Janice Farnsworth

Greetings all, I am trying to determine if the following individuals served enlisted from New Hampshire during the Revolution: Moses Bailey (or "Bayley") Israel Bailey (or "Bayley") I would greatly appreciate it if someone could look up their names in one of the New Hampshire Revolutionary soldier books. Many thanks, Ryan D. Wood __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Find a job, post your resume. http://careers.yahoo.com

Benjamin J. Lossing: "Pictorial Fieldbook of the War of 1812", can be found online at http://freepages.history.rootsweb.com/~wcarr1/Lossing2/Contents.html

There was a movie with Alan Ladd--I don't remember the title, but it had to do with the OSS (a spy movie) in WWII. There was a restaurant scene where one of the American operatives cut his meat and switched the fork back to the right hand and was caught--an obvious American trait. I believe Europeans use the knife in the right hand and fork in the left and don't switch. Charles