VLS Resources
Sybil Luddington Patriotic Rider
During the American Revolution Colonel Henry Ludington commanded the Dutchess County militia. On April 26,1777 he received a message. The British were advancing up the Hudson River and were attacking Danbury CT. Colonel Ludington immediately needed to alert his militiamen. Could he go? Would Torries (Loyalists) notice him riding and interfere? Was it best for…
JOHN JACOB “RIFLE JACK” PETERSON
John Jacob “Rifle Jack” Peterson was a Revolutionary war era patriot of African and Kitchewan descent whose quick thinking helped repel British forces in Croton, New York. His actions threw Benedict Arnold’s treasonous plans into disarray and led to the capture of Major Andre. In September 1780, Peterson and a fellow private class soldier named Moses…
Our First Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton
Image of Alexander Hamilton Courtesy of www.biographyicon.org Alexander Hamilton, one of the Founding Fathers, is regarded as the architect of American capitalism. Born in the Caribbean around 1755, he was orphaned while still young and worked as a clerk as a young man. His writing talent caught the attention of local patrons who sent him…
Benjamin Franklin: A Renaissance Man
Benjamin Franklin was what many might consider to be a renaissance man. Among his many inventions were the lightning rod, bifocals, odometer, the glass harmonica and the Franklin stove. But he also invented swim fins and proved with his kite experiment that lightning is electricity. Franklin did not secure patents for any of his inventions…
Washington Crossing the Delaware
On Christmas Eve 224 years ago General George Washington crossed the Delaware River and attacked the Hessian mercenaries garrisoned in Trenton, New Jersey. The Hessian’s stopped in Trenton after forcing the American Patriots out of New Jersey into Pennsylvania. The Hessian’s now had a river between opposing armies, and intelligence reports that the Americans were…
A Salute to the U.S. Navy
About 30 angry colonists set out in a whaling sloop called Success May 13-14, 1775, to retrieve a pair of merchant vessels captured by HMS Falcon in Buzzards Bay off the coast of Fairhaven Massachusetts. The sloop was aptly named. Outnumbered almost 4 to 1, the colonists, under no military command, retrieved the ships, killed…
Sarah Josepha Hale: The Godmother of Thanksgiving
Sarah Josepha Buell Hale was born on October 24, 1788, on a farm in Newport, New Hampshire. From a tender age, she was curious, smart, and eager to learn. As a young girl, Sarah was taught by her mother about history and literature. Later, her brother Horatio taught her everything that he was learning as…
The British Surrender at Yorktown: The Decisive End to the American Revolutionary War
Seige of Yorktown by Louis Charles Auguste Couder, c. 1836. The painting depicts George Washington and the Comtee de Rochambeau giving orders during the siege. The British surrender at Yorktown in October 1781 marked a pivotal moment in history. It effectively ended major combat operations in the American Revolutionary War and paved the way for…
HALLOWED GROUND
Pea Ridge, Arkansas Battlefield Following Patriot Day, September 11, America will remember and recognize another group who dedicated their lives to this country – our veterans. On November 11, Veteran’s Day, we will pay tribute and thank those who have repeatedly defended our freedom. How does this nation honor its fallen veterans? President Abraham Lincoln…