On a pleasant morning in June of 1848, writer and historian Benson J. Lossing was traveling by carriage between the towns of Greenwich and Stamford, Connecticut. Along the path, Lossing happened upon an elderly veteran of the Revolutionary War. Although quite old, the man was thoughtful and pleasant, and he spent the afternoon regaling Lossing with tales of his experiences in the war. The veteran turned out to be General Ebenezer Mead, a former soldier of both the Connecticut militia and the Continental army. For Lossing, the experience was profound. He realized at once that very few men and women who had lived through the days of the Revolution were still alive, and that soon, if he did not act, their stirring stories would be lost. His mind was made up, his mission clear: “I felt an irrepressible desire to seek and find such mementos of the great conflict for freedom and independence, wherever they might exist, and to snatch their lineaments from the grasp of Decay before it should be too late.” Before reaching Stamford, Lossing commenced drawing plans for an epic pilgrimage across the United States to seek out and interview these few surviving Americans who had born witness to the start of our great nation. These are the fruits of his labor. First published in 1889, this intriguing volume preserves for the ages the stories of a wide variety of Americans who lived through these tumultuous times. Included is the story of Rebecca Motte, a heroine from South Carolina who helped Francis Marion’s soldiers set her own house ablaze to drive out British troops. Also present is the account of Uzal Knapp, the last remaining veteran of General George Washington’s Life Guards. Lossing goes to great lengths to capture the tales of Americans from many walks of life, including that of Eleanor, one of Washington’s many slaves, and Frances Slocum, who was abducted and raised by a tribe of Delaware Indians. This fascinating collection, with a new, insightful introduction by Michael C. Scoggins, is a triumph of preservation and a treasure for history-conscious Americans, present and future.
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About the Author
During the 19th century, when some of the most important American histories were written, perhaps the most popular historian was Benson J. Lossing. A tireless interviewer and researcher, he wrote a pioneering history of the American Revolution as well as studies of the American Civil War and the War of 1812. His career as a populizer of United States history ran for over sixty years. An artist as well as an author, he illustrated his own books.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Long overdue reprint of Lossing's wonderful book,
By Scott Cummings "PatriotResource" (Louisiana) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Reflections of Rebellion: Hours with the Living Men and Women of the Revolution (Paperback)
This is a reprint of a book that was published over 115 years ago. Benson Lossing was one of the foremost American historians of the 19th century. He wrote various histories on the American Revolution, War of 1812 and Civil War. The personal recollections were actually recorded by Lossing in 1848-1849 as part of research for his famous Pictorial Field Book of the American Revolution. As the fortieth anniversary of the publication of that work neared, Lossing revisited his notes and materials. The result was the twenty-one recounts found in Reflections of Rebellion.
One wonders about the true accuracy of writings done forty years after the interviews were conducted. These interviews were with men and women who were in their seventies, eighties and nineties and were recalling events from at least sixty-five years prior. That said, this book is highly enjoyable. Lossing's style is much like listening to an experienced storyteller spinning his yarn. The reader gets caught up in the tale and doesn't notice the shortcomings until later when it no longer matters. One thing to look out for is some of the recognizable tales of the war that often turn up in modern histories. Lossing's inclusion of them almost certainly popularized them, making them known to historians who have reused the accounts up to the present. The book is highly enjoyable and gave this reader a desire to read more of Lossing's works. Lossing's style meanders at a good pace and is full of information from two historical periods (the period of the subject and the period in which the author himself lived). It is easily evident why this book was chosen to be reprinted. What is a mysterry is why it took so long for its reappearance.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Reflections of Rebellion,
By NJ History Woman (New Jersey) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Reflections of Rebellion: Hours with the Living Men and Women of the Revolution (Paperback)
Really enjoyed reading it; wish there were more first person accounts of Rev War readily accessible.
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