The Forgotten Revolution

The Forgotten Revolution depicts battlefields, encampments and sites of many critical events of the American Revolution that have been lost or neglected by history. Man-made changes to terrain have been enormous since that time and this work revives these forsaken locations with fresh research from original military records and onsite visits. The author's onsite visits to battlefields, encampments and places of many critical events of the Revolutionary War shed light on revered places where patriots fought and died but are unmarked, shrouded in mystery, distorted by mythology and unknown even to local people. Bob Mayers' quest for these sites took many unexpected turns. Analysis of obscure sources ignored by earlier writers yielded many surprises and unknown details were revealed at well-known sites. He made detours outside of known boundaries and textbook timelines and found that myths were often created when the winner wrote the history. Little known British, Hessian and Loyalist accounts often reveal more than the details we have traditionally accepted as authentic. At each of the places he sought out "witnesses," people with special local knowledge. They were staff at national and state parks, regimental re-enactors, members of historical societies, private owners who live on the land and descendants of original settlers whose ancestors are buried in local cemeteries. All have become caretakers of local history and they provided him with special insights and information that cannot be found in recorded history. An index to full-names, places and subjects completes this work.