Letters of Albert Theodore Brown to his wife, Amelia
Introduction
My name is Albert Theodore Brown. I am an American soldier who enlisted in the military after hearing my parents complain and suffer because of the high taxes the British Crown was imposing on everything. I was 20 years old when I left my wife, Amelia, behind with the promise of coming back soon. I thought I would be in the army for less than a year, but I was there for almost two years. At that time, I kept in touch with my wife through letters that I could barely write due to my living conditions.
February 1st, 1775
Dear Amelia,
I made it to Boston
safely. While I wait to travel to Lexington, I am staying in an Inn near
King Street, where the horrible attack happened five years ago. I went there to
pay my respects and met a man in mourning, John. I started talking to
him, and he told me how he lost his best friend in the attack.
He told the story of redcoats walking in the town,
yelling and provoking people on the streets. His pal and other friends decided to
defend themselves and started yelling back. Snow was on the ground, so they threw
snowballs at the British soldiers. The British Soldiers of the 29th
Regimen were led by Captain Preston, who ordered them to start fire, and they obliged.
They killed three of them on the spot. His pal, Samuel Maverick, was fatally
injured and died the following day.[1]
He also told me he
and his family were tired of the high taxes imposed by the Crown. They taxed
everything, including tea. Three years after the massacre on King Street, a
riot started, and colonists who opposed this taxation boycotted the tea delivery
in Boston Harbor and started dumping it in the ocean as a protest.[2]
After this riot, the town's opinion was that the British Parliament had no
authority to demand taxes from the country without being represented. They
considered it illegal and extortion.[3]
John, his family,
and the colony are tired of the injustices. After this horrible event, he
wanted to enlist, but his mom did not let him because she was scared to lose
him so young. Now, he is ready to defend his friend's honor and fight the
injustices of the British crown. He and I will embark on a journey to Ipswich
tomorrow to enlist in the militia.
I will be thinking
about you every day, my dear Amelia. I will try to make the best of my time
here, so time doesn’t go slow and I can have you in my arms again soon.
Forever yours,
-Albert
 |
| Boston Massacre 1770 |
 |
| Boston Tea Party 1770 |
April 5th, 1775
My
dearest Amelia,
John
and I made it to Ipswich. The weather is no longer cold, and a nice breeze
blesses us daily.
When we arrived,
we met with Commander John Parker. Like most of us, he comes from a farming
family. He has seven kids. He is also a skilled smith. He commands about 80 of
us. We are set to march towards Concord in the next few weeks since there have
been threats of a British presence in the area. Commander Parker seems frail,
but he has courage. He fought in the French and Indian War, so he has the
experience the troops need[4]
We signed an
agreement to be ready on short notice, and we were given a bayonet pouch and a
knapsack. This will be my first time holding an arm, and I have mixed feelings about
it. Even though the militia days are for training, we also have time to
socialize and participate in events where we eat and drink. Some of our town
leaders disagreed with these events because they said they were distracting
from our training. Soon, they also became political parties where we celebrated
and cheered for our defenders of the country.[5]
I am scared of killing people, but at
the same time, I need to defend my people from the enemy. Training has been
frequent and demanding, but I’m getting used to it as time passes.
There have been
rumors that British soldiers are more equipped and have more training than we
do, but we have been told that we are younger and, therefore, more vital, and
we are working hard to meet the expectations.[6]
Winter has passed,
and warm weather awaits us. This helps us sleep at night without suffering from
the cold nights. I will try to write to
you soon, but I don’t want you to worry about me. Your image keeps me strong,
and I’m sure I will be reunited with you soon.
-Forever yours,
Albert.
American Soldier
May 15th, 1775
My
dearest Amelia,
I feel so
fortunate to be writing this letter. As you may have already heard, we were part
of a battle that started in Lexington. I was frightened but strong at the same
time. I felt your presence every step of the way, and your voice helped me get
through the danger.
On the evening of
April 18th, Colonel Paul Revere was sent by Doctor Joseph Warren to warn John
Hancock and Samuel Adams about the possible British threats. I admire Colonel
Revere; he is a hero, and if it hadn’t been for him, we would have lost
more men in the attack. He signaled the British presence by placing lanterns in
the Old North Church. I believe that was very smart and sure helped make us
aware of the threat. He went towards Concord, and we were set up to meet him there
with about 500 men. Once we got there, the British captured Revere, Dawes, and
Prescott.[7]
When our troop of one
hundred men reached Concord, we quickly noticed that the Redcoats outnumbered us.
Their Colonel, Lieutenant Smith, told us to disperse, but our troop did not
obey. It was unclear who fired the first shot, but we advanced in attack. It
was tense, but we defended ourselves with courage. We were ordered to
retreat after seeing that we were at a disadvantage.[8]
Commander Parker was sick with a horrible cough but was still on the
battlefield with us. We lost eight of our men, including Col. Parker’s cousin. After
the British retreated, he ordered another attack and ambushed the redcoats, and
we ended up killing several of them.[9]
This was the first time that I fired a
fatal shot. It felt surreal; I felt the power, anger, and peace at the same
time.
My dear Amelia, I
cannot begin to tell you how lucky and blessed I am to be alive. Our men fought
bravely, and I believe this is only the beginning of our fight for freedom.
I will try to write to you as soon as we reach our next unknown destination.
Forever yours,
-Albert
 |
| Battle of Lexington and Concord April 19th, 1775 |
December 16th, 1775
My
dearest Amelia,
Winter
has reached us, and it feels colder without you by my side. Though the warmth
of the memory of you warms me up at night.
Since I
last wrote to you, we lost Commander John Parker in September due to what they call
the white plague. He was very sick during battle, and after, he became even
worse.[10]
As we mourned the loss of Commander Parker and the men we lost in battle, we were
informed that George Washington might become our Commander in Chief a few months
later. In the meantime, our camp was flooded with new soldiers from the nearest
colonies.
There are
men of different ages, some of them as young as 15
years old.[11]
I started talking to some of them and tried to make acquaintances. Some of them
came from impoverished families and were offered money in exchange for enlisting
for one to three years. Some were promised lands and wives.[12]
It is rare to find someone here who will defend our country from the injustices
of the British Crown, like John and me.
There are also a lot of negroes who
are here to fight; they were promised freedom after the war was over. Their
owners sold them to the Continental Army. When Commander Washington arrived, he
was not pleased to find so many of them and forbade them from being part of the
army. He had no choice but to allow those who had already enlisted.[13]
In June, we were informed that we were
no longer minutemen militia; we were now the Continental Army under the command
of George Washington. This change might benefit the weather conditions we are
about to encounter. Some soldiers said it would be a harsh winter, and some of
us may not survive.
I feel more confident in our army
now. There are thousands of us ready to fight if needed. My Amelia, I will
be with you soon. I will defend our future together and fight for freedom for
our future children.
Forever yours,
-Albert
 |
| Young American Soldier |
 |
| Commander John Parker |
 |
| African American Soldier |
September 10th, 1776
My
dearest Amelia,
My apologies for taking longer to write
to you; after Washington took over the army, training, and preparation were
harsh and tenuous.
Washington went to Philadelphia on
July 4th, and on that day, the Declaration of Independence was
read. This is fantastic news; this could change our future. A year and more has
passed without you by my side, but soon, we will be together. However, there are still British threats.
In South Carolina, a ship was seen in Charleston. They bombarded the
Harbor but failed to take over it and fled to New York. Another Ship commanded
by General William Howe and his brother, Admiral Richard Howe, was headed
toward New York. We traveled from Massachusetts to New York to meet with
Washington after he left Philadelphia.[14]
Washington gathered a ton of
soldiers, and people are saying we are more than 20,000. I believe some of them
are not ready to fight yet, but he went ahead and put them around Manhattan
Island. However, British soldiers were way more than us. Some of us were in Long
Island, and some in Brooklyn Heights. We were under the command of Major
General Israel Putnam. We were ready to hold our ground when the Howe brothers ordered
the attack. The attack was brutal and resulted in our troops withdrawing.
Despite how outnumbered we were, we were told our troops managed to kill more
than 300 British soldiers.[15]
The next day, we escaped Long Island and headed to Manhattan.
My dear Amelia, I don’t want to worry
you, but during the shooting in Long Island, I caught a bullet in the leg, and
even though it didn’t go deep, it has been impeding me from performing at my
best. I put in my discharge petition, and hopefully, they accept it. I don’t want
to continue being a burden to my comrades. I will let you know if I get the
good news in the following letter.
Forever yours,
-Albert
Declaration of Independence July 4th, 1776
 |
| Battle of Long Island August 26th, 1776 |
November 28th. 1776
My
dearest Amelia,
I want to tell you the good news of the acceptance of my discharge petition by Commander Washington. I am looking forward to getting out of here and be back home. This is not a way to live.
Our
living conditions have not been ideal ever since I enlisted. We start the day by
eating breakfast when available and then marching and training for drills for 8
hours of the day, carrying heavy weapons and ammunition. After our day, we
gather firewood to cook dinner, and everyone helps. Then we put our blankets
down on the floor and go to sleep. We don’t have a roof over our heads; about 8
or 10 of us sleep in the same tent after we are done cooking dinner. I don’t
remember the last time I bathed.[16]
Conditions
have been poor. Food is scarce, and soldiers are dying because their wounds are
not attended to in time. Some soldiers were so weak due to malnutrition that
they could barely stand and had to be helped by their comrades.[17]
My wound is almost healed, but I still have problems walking. I see other
soldiers who are not even able to walk. Some are being tended to, but there are
not enough medics to heal all of us.
George Washington is a respectable man
who has been begging John Hancock in Congress for provisions, medical care,
and fair pay for the soldiers; he believes his army is the most crucial tool on
the road to independence.[18]
He speaks very highly of his army and wants what’s fair and what was promised. Hopefully,
this will be resolved soon; it is scary to see these men suffer.
This is just a glimpse of how hard
it has been being here. I don’t want to sound like I am complaining when I
voluntarily enlisted to defend my country. I knew it wouldn’t be easy, and I would
probably end up getting killed during battle. I want to live in a country that
is not ruled by another country where their ruler is unfit to govern.
The
great news is that I will be leaving New York soon to be reunited with you. I
cannot wait to have you in my arms again and start planning for a family.
Forever
yours,
-Albert
Living Conditions of American Soldiers During Winter
[1] The
Annotated Newspapers of Harbottle Dorr, Jr. Boston Gazette and a Country
Journal.
[2] Goss,
K. D., & Grishin, A. A. (2021). Colonial America: facts and fictions. P 139
[3] The
Annotated Newspapers of Harbottle Dorr, Jr Boston Gazette and a Country
Journal.
[4] John
Parker. American Battlefield Trust.
[5]Miller,
R. et al. (2012). Daily life through American history in primary documents. P
212, 228.
[6] Middlekauff,
Robert. “Why Men Fought in the American Revolution.” P 2
[7] Goss,
K. D., & Grishin, A. A. (2021). Colonial America: facts and fictions. P 182
[8] Badertscher,
Eric. 2017. “The Battles of Lexington & Concord.”
[10] John
Parker. American Battlefield Trust
[11] Caroline
Cox. Boy Soldiers of the American Revolution. P 3
[12] Issit,
Micah, ed. Opinions Throughout History: War and the Military. P 11
[13] Geake,
Robert. From Slaves to Soldiers: The 1st Rhode Island Regiment in the American
Revolution. P 20
[14]Washington,
George. George Washington Papers, Series 3, Varick Transcripts, 1775 to 1785.
[15] Revolutionary
War Campaigns. Revolutionary War Campaigns | U.S. Army Center of Military
History,
[16] “Big Idea 3: Soldiers of the Revolutionary
War.
[17] Martin,
J. P., Scheer, G. F., & Martin, J. P. Yankee Doodle Boy: A young soldier’s
adventures in the American Revolution 1760-1850. P 37
[18] Chandler,
Jon, ed. The Schlager Anthology of the American Revolution: A Student's Guide
to Essential Primary Sources. P 225
Bibliography
Primary Sources
Miller, R. M., Zeman, T. J., Sicius, F. J., &
Girard, J. P. (Eds.). (2012). Daily life through American history in primary
documents. Greenwood.
https://vcc-nvc.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01VCC_NVC/1ur6f3m/alma990017569530204398
Martin, J. P., Scheer, G. F., & Martin, J. P.
(1995). Yankee Doodle Boy: A young soldier’s adventures in the American
Revolution 1760-1850. Holiday House.
Goss, K. D., & Grishin, A. A. (2021). Colonial
America: facts and fictions. ABC-CLIO, an imprint of ABC-CLIO, LLC.
https://vcc-nvc.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01VCC_NVC/1ur6f3m/alma9927799624304398
The Annotated Newspapers of Harbottle Dorr, Jr. Boston
Gazette and a Country Journal. Vol.3 March 12, 1770. https://www.masshist.org/dorr/
Washington, George. George Washington Papers, Series
2, Letterbooks 1754 to 1799: Letterbook 8, March 14. - July 14, 1776, 1776.
Manuscript/Mixed Material. https://www.loc.gov/item/mgw2.008/.
Secondary Sources
American Battlefield Trust, "John Parker" www.battlefields.org/learn/biographies/john-parker#:~:text=On%20the%20morning%20of%20the,was%20modeled%20after%20John%20Parker.
Badertscher, Eric. 2017. “The Battles of Lexington
& Concord.” Battles of Lexington & Concord, August
Big Idea 3: Soldiers of the Revolutionary War. Www.amrevmuseum.org, www.amrevmuseum.org/big-idea-3-soldiers-of-the-revolutionary-war.
Chandler, Jon, ed. The Schlager Anthology of the American Revolution: A Student's Guide to Essential Primary Sources. Dallas, TX: Schlager Group, Incorporated, 2021.
https://ebookcentral-proquest-om.eznvcc.vccs.edu/lib/nvcc/detail.action?docID=6724938
Cox, Caroline. 2016. Boy Soldiers of the American
Revolution. Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press. https://research-ebsco-com.eznvcc.vccs.edu/linkprocessor/plink?id=fc66d20b-65ac-3f67-8e85-a1a8020ed72f.
Geake, Robert. 2016. From Slaves to Soldiers: The 1st
Rhode Island Regiment in the American Revolution. Chicago: Westholme
Publishing. https://vcc-nvc.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01VCC_NVC/r9ee24/alma99559548304386
Issit, Micah, ed. 2022. Opinions Throughout History:
War and the Military. Amenia, NY: Grey House Publishing. https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.eznvcc.vccs.edu/lib/nvcc/detail.action?docID=6747452
Middlekauff, Robert. “Why Men Fought in the American
Revolution.” Huntington Library Quarterly 43, no. 2 (1980): 135–48. https://doi.org/10.2307/3817391.
Revolutionary War Campaigns, “Revolutionary War Campaigns.”. U.S. Army Center of Military History, www.history.army.mil/html/reference/army_flag/rw.html#:~:text=After%20the%20British%20evacuation%20of,fleet%20under%20his%20brother%2C%20Adm
Comments
Post a Comment