Washington County, NY Historian

11/06/2025

Come See Ken Burns Screening clips of the Docuseries of the American Revolution.
https://washingtoncounty.fun/revolution-screening/?fbclid=IwY2xjawN5jjlleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEemReHUheAE_jxN5JOI_TdDk3TzGLcXEZX0cSxgUO-nc2bGiHNHjZ5rBEHtv8_aem_fQGXoCLRE5uw5vNK6gLPFw

11/06/2025

11/05/2025

Agriculture & Livestock in Washington County:

Farming is the heartbeat of Washington County- from rolling pastures and red barns to family-run dairies, maple producers, and local farm stands.
You’ll spot cows, sheep, and chickens along our scenic roads, and taste the freshness of local products at markets and fairs throughout the year.

Our Photos below are from the book Argyle, My Argyle compiled by The Argyle History Group

Quick Question: What do you think is the most popular type of agriculture here in Washington County

Crops?
Maple?
Dairy Farms?
Sheep?

Comment your guess below- we’ll share the answer tomorrow!

11/05/2025

Let’s think about who fought the War of Independence on both sides. Remember, not everyone fighting wanted to. There were many that deserted before fighting, during fighting and even after capture. Making a new life for themselves in the colonies.
Part 4
British Officers could be as young as 15 or 16 at the start of their careers. Wealthy families of status, purchased their rank in the military such as Lieutenant or Captain, which were their commissions.


“The “Average” British Soldier

1. 23 years old, 5’ 6” in height. Farmers were most common, followed by weavers and shoemakers.
2. Most had joined voluntarily, but a few had been forced into the army by “press gangs.”*
3. Some enlisted because they were out of work. Others wanted to get out of their boring farm lives. Others joined in order to avoid death sentences or prison. Some were tricked into enlisting.
4. Most were Scottish or Irish. English recruits made up only about 30% of the army.
5. Only a third of enlisted men could read and write.
6. Most received an enlistment bonus equivalent to $100 US today. This rose to the equivalent of $800 today.
7. They were paid only 8 pence a day, but they had to pay for their uniform and equipment, so they actually received much less. Some took extra jobs on the side”

“Discipline was very strict. Beatings and floggings were frequent and severe, with up to 1000 lashes.
Officers were drawn mainly from “gentlemen”, including the aristocracy, the gentry, clergy, and politicians. Many officers were Scottish and Irish, just as with the enlisted men.
There was no military academy. Most officers simply bought their office. The higher the rank, the higher the cost (but even the lowest rank was very expensive).”

https://www.historyonthenet.com/continental-army-british-army

* Press gangs were well known for the physical force they used in recruiting men into the Royal Navy during the 17th and 18th centuries.

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11/04/2025

Let’s think about who fought the War of Independence on both sides.
Part 3
“By contrast, the British army was a reliable steady force of professionals. Since it numbered only about 42,000, heavy recruiting programs were introduced. Many of the enlisted men were farm boys, as were most of the Americans, while others came from cities where they had been unable to find work. Still others joined the army to escape fines or imprisonment. The great majority became efficient soldiers as a result of sound training and ferocious discipline. The officers were drawn largely from the gentry and the aristocracy and obtained their commissions and promotions by purchase. Though they received no formal training, they were not so dependent on a book knowledge of military tactics as were many of the Americans. British generals, however, tended toward a lack of imagination and initiative, while those who demonstrated such qualities often were rash.
Because troops were few and conscription unknown, the British government, following a traditional policy, purchased about 30,000 troops from various German princes. The Lensgreve (landgrave) of Hesse furnished approximately three-fifths of that total. Few acts by the crown roused so much antagonism in America as that use of foreign mercenaries.”

The American Revolution (1775–83) was an insurrection carried out by 13 of Great Britain’s North American colonies, which won political independence and went on to form the United States of America. The war followed more than a decade of growing estrangement between the British crown and many No...

11/04/2025

10/30/2025

Looking at who fought the War for independence
Part 2
“Continental Army

1. At first, the largest unit was a militia company. These companies elected their own officers and initially did not adhere to traditional military discipline.
2. Over time, they were grouped into regiments and were made more “regular” along the British model.
3. By the summer of 1775, the militias organized into armies specific to each colony, each with its own generals and other senior officers. But officers from one colony did not usually obey orders from officers of other colony. Units often came and went as they pleased.
4. Uniforms (when troops had them) were similar to British ones, except they were blue and buff (especially after 1779) or blue and red. Militia tended to not have uniforms, especially at first. After the French joined the war, they began sending brown uniforms with red trim.
5. Muskets and other equipment were similar, except that they increasingly used French muskets and gunpowder, which were superior to their British equivalents.
6. Most continental soldiers were of British descent, although descended from other European nations. Also, Native Americans fought on both sides, as did African-Americans. Most Continentals were farmers.
7. The average age was 21 for the American-born but 29 for foreign-born (14% of whom were transported convicts who were sent to the colonies as indentured servants).
8. In other words, many of the men who joined the Continental Army did so for financial reasons. The bounties were a big draw.
9. Officer positions were given on the basis of merit; they were not sold as in the British army. Many American officers had been traders beforehand.”

https://www.historyonthenet.com/continental-army-british-army

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10/29/2025

Let’s think about who fought the War of Independence on both sides. They came from the similar backgrounds but mismatched military training.
The individuals that came from our county, for the most part, were not trained fighters. We were also a very divided area, with may Loyalist families, that supported the Crown
Neighbors fighting Neighbors. British and loyalists would move through an area and burn the Patriot’s homes. Continentals, Militia and Patriots would move through an area and burn the Loyalists homes.

Part 1
“The American colonies fought the war on land with essentially two types of organization: the Continental (national) Army and the state militias. The total number of the former provided by quotas from the states throughout the conflict was 231,771 soldiers, and the militias totaled 164,087. At any given time, however, the American forces seldom numbered over 20,000; in 1781 there were only about 29,000 insurgents under arms throughout the country. The war was therefore one fought by small field armies. Militias, poorly disciplined and with elected officers, were summoned for periods usually not exceeding three months. The terms of Continental Army service were only gradually increased from one to three years, and not even bounties and the offer of land kept the army up to strength. Reasons for the difficulty in maintaining an adequate Continental force included the colonists’ traditional antipathy toward regular armies, the objections of farmers to being away from their fields, the competition of the states with the Continental Congress to keep men in the militia, and the wretched and uncertain pay in a period of inflation.”

https://www.britannica.com/event/American-Revolution

more to follow on this!

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10/29/2025

Join us Sunday, November 9 at 4 PM at The Strand Theatre for a special advance screening of "The American Revolution," a documentary by Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein, and David Schmidt. This event is presented in collaboration with WMHT Public Media and PBS as part of the Washington County 250th Celebration. Don’t miss out!

Free admission. Limited seating, RSVP early!
https://washingtoncounty.fun/revolution-screening/