The General Society The Sons of the Revolution

12/05/2023

This is just swell....

09/28/2022

On This Day in History, September 27, 1778, Baylor's Massacre takes place when dozens of Virginia militiamen are killed or wounded in a surprise attack as they slept in River Vale, New Jersey.

05/12/2022

Announcing! The return of our annual weekend-long showcase of 18th century military music, Drummers Call, from May 20-22.

Visiting corps from around the country join our own Colonial Williamsburg Fifes and Drums for an unforgettable weekend filled with performances throughout the Historic Area.

To learn more about Drummers Call and to start planning your next weekend getaway today, visit https://bit.ly/3v5LT0x 🥁

05/07/2022

03/27/2022

Today in Hampton History
1781 - Miles King of Hampton writes to Virginia Governor Thomas Jefferson to report arrivals of new British ships in the Chesapeake Bay and the dire situation, as Hampton and Newport News were nearly defenseless: “Must not our situation be deplorable. The only protection is a Guard of six men below Old Point Comfort, and a guard of twelve men at Newport News….How sorry I am that we should have only such men to trust to.”

Image: Plan des environs de Williamsburg, York, Hampton, et Portsmouth. 1781. Library of Congress. View larger: https://www.loc.gov/resource/g3882h.ar144500/?r=-0.227,0.312,1.454,0.842,0

03/24/2022

March 24 1765:
The Quartering Act was passed in the House of Commons. This amendment to existing laws forced colonist to provide housing and food to the occupying forces that England had sent to control them. It specified the places and conditions in which British soldiers were to find room and board in America.
The Act required the colonies to house British soldiers in "barracks provided by the colonies." If the barracks were too small to house all the soldiers, then localities were to accommodate the soldiers in local "inns, livery stables, ale houses, victualling houses, and the houses of sellers of wine." Should there still be soldiers without accommodation after all such "publick houses" were filled, the colonies were then required "to take, hire and make fit for the reception of his Majesty s forces, such and so many uninhabited houses, outhouses, barns, or other buildings as shall be necessary."
So why do we think today that they were trying to house soldiers with families? Largely people in the time believed that and propaganda spread that belief further. Also occupying soldiers tend to take things farther than the rules stipulate so home invasion was distinctly possible. In recent years documents from Perth Amboy have been uncovered that clearly show soldiers were quartered with families against their will after hostilities began but none have been found from before. At any rate the American's found it so objectionable that quartering of soldiers is mentioned in the Declaration of Independence and the 3rd Amendment to the Constitution.

05/26/2021

02/16/2021