Odd Facts About the American Revolution Quiz

Answer: To commemorate Benedict Arnold's participation in the Battle of Saratoga.

Despite what Benedict Arnold is most famous for today (betraying America by planning to turn over West Point, where he was commander, to England), he was a valuable officer of the Continental Army before he decided to commit treason. A brilliant general, he was wounded in the foot at the Battle of Quebec, had his horse shot out from under him on another occasion, and was last wounded at the Battle of Saratoga, a wound which caused him to lose his combat status. Arnold later decided to defect (with West Point as a gift to his new "home") because he was offended by the American treatment of him after this event.

The inscription on the monument reads:
Erected 1887 By JOHN WATTS de PEYSTER, Brev: Maj: Gen: S.N.Y., 2nd V. Pres't Saratoga Mon't Ass't'n:
"In memory of the "most brilliant soldier" of the Continental Army who was desperately wounded on this spot the sally port of BURGOYNES GREAT WESTERN REDOUBT 7th October, 1777 winning for his countrymen the decisive battle of the American Revolution and for himself the rank of Major General."

Answer: True

Much is known about the Battle of Lexington and Concord, the "shot heard round the world" and the early beginnings of the Revolution. But it may be surprising to know that a British soldier was wounded during the retreat, dying at a local tavern a few days later. He is interned in The Old Burying Ground, along with some of the earliest settlers to America and veterans of the Revolution and the Civil War.

The inscription reads:
THE GRAVE OF A BRITISH SOLDIER, WOUNDED APRIL 19, DIED IN BUCKMAN TAVERN APRIL 22, 1775. The grave is often seen decorated with the Union Jack.

There are other British Revolutionary War casualties buried in the US, most notably at the British Cemetery in Ocracoke, NC.

Answer: The date the Declaration was actually signed

The Declaration was approved on July 2, 1776, but it took time to get the document properly designed and printed. There were originally 200 copies printed. Only one, the copy currently in the National Archives, was signed by the delegates on August 2, the rest were signed by only John Hancock (President of the Continental Congress) and Charles Thompson (Secretary). About 25 of these copies still exist today.

The battle commonly acknowledged as the beginning of the war was Lexington and Concord (April 19, 1775) and the first major battle of the "Continental Army" was the Battle of Bunker Hill - famous for actually taking place on nearby BREED's Hill!

Answer: True

Smallpox was a major problem within the Army, accounting for up to 17% of all American casualties. Washington had contracted smallpox in Barbados in 1751, and in 1775 an epidemic was raging in the Colonies. Washington decided that in order to protect his troops, those who had not been previously exposed would need to be "inoculated." This involved exposure, usually via a string soaked in pus from the virus inserted under the skin, to the virus, generally resulting in a lesser case of the disease, but granting the same immunity.

Answer: She served for 2 years in the Army as Robert Surtleff.

Sampson is best known for disguising herself as a man so she could serve in the Continental Army from May 1782 to October 1783. She was in the Fourth Massachusetts regiment and was stationed at West Point in the Light Infantry. She also led a raid on a Tory home which captured 15 men. When she was found out, she was honorably discharged, but later did a lecture tour about her service. She was also one of the first women to receive a pension for her military service.

Molly Pitcher carried water to the soldiers at Monmouth. She is thought to be based on Mary Hays, who accompanied her husband into battle. After he was wounded, she is said to have thrown off the pitcher and occupied his post-loading the cannon. The design of the US Flag is usually credited to Betsy Ross. Many women were spies for America, but this is something Ms. Sampson has not been associated with.

Answer: Paul Revere, William Dawes, Samuel Prescott

Paul Revere and William Dawes began the ride, but they were joined by Samuel Prescott, a native of Concord, as he knew the terrain. Revere and Warren were detained by the British along the way but Prescott was able to evade them and rode on to Concord with the news that the British Regulars were on the march. Contrary to public opinion, Revere never said "The British are coming." This would have betrayed the mission as it required great secrecy so as not to alert the British who were already in the area.

The others are American officers (Wayne, W. Washington, Hamilton), Gates was a British General and Samuel Adams was a cousin of John Adams and one of the early insurrectionists.

Answer: Paul Revere identified a false tooth he had implanted in Warren's jaw.

Dr./Major General Joseph Warren and Paul Revere were friends, even before Warren had organized the ride to warn Lexington and Concord. Revere is remembered as a talented silversmith, but he also dabbled in dentistry, a highly lucrative, but under trained, trade at the time. Dr. Warren had been one of his patients. In June 1775 Revere was asked to identify the severely decomposed body of a soldier (too decomposed to enable facial or clothing recognition). It was impossible to accomplish until Revere remembered the the ivory tooth that he had previously made and wired into Warren's jaw. Sure enough, he checked the man's mouth, the tooth was there and the body was identified as Joseph Warren.

This is believed to be one of the earliest uses of post-mortem identification using dentition.

Answer: The 1st Maryland Continentals

In January 1776, the Maryland Provincial Convention established a regiment of uniformed regulars. What distinguished the Maryland troops from other colonial troops was time they spent drilling before joining the Continental Army, resulting in a disciplined, cohesive unit. This group would later form the core of Smallwood's Battalion.

Early in the War, the Continental Army was trapped on Long Island by Admiral Howe's much larger force. Deciding to evacuate to Manhattan, Washington had only a narrow escape route. On August 27, 1776 the 1st Maryland Regiment under the command of Major Mordecai Gist, repeatedly charged a vastly superior British force, Buying Washington enough time to evacuate the bulk of his army. Of approximately 270 men, less than 12 made it back to the Army. Adopting a name originally given to the Spartans at Thermopylae, they (along with others from Smallwood's Battalion) became known as The Immortal 400.

Answer: Invisible Ink

This invention, made of Iron Sulphate and water, needed heat or a special reagent to be visible, allowing messages to be exchanged in plain view. The secret writing was placed between the lines of an innocent letter or on the "blank" pages of a pamphlet or book and could be read by treating the letter with heat or a chemical substance. George Washington encourage use of the "sympathetic stain*," writing that it "will not only render. . .communications less exposed to detection, but relieve the fears of such persons as may be entrusted in its conveyance." * the sympathetic stain refers to the method that required a second substance required to make the ink visible since the British were also using an ink which required only heat.

Answer: Major John Andre

Andre arranged for Arnold to surrender the garrison at West Point to the British in exchange for a large sum of money and a commission as a Brigadier General. Unfortunately for both men, Andre was captured with incriminating documents in his possession and Arnold fled for his life. He reached the British and received both the money and his commission. Andre was hanged as a spy.