New England Citizen Soldiers of the Revolutionary War: Minutemen and Mariners

By Robert A. Geake

Many of the leaders and heroes of the Revolutionary War are well known to most Americans. Lesser known are those unsung heroes or citizen soldiers who first enlisted with local militias before being assigned to units of the Continental Line and sent away to fight in states and regions far removed from their homes and families. In New England, these also included men of the sea who signed aboard privateers or became part of the Mariner brigades that became indispensable in navigating waterways and ferrying troops into position. It is also the larger story of their struggle to maintain their loyalty to their home states, property and family. Author and historian Robert Geake uncovers the untold story of ordinary citizens who became united in the cause for freedom.

• Language: English
• Publisher: The History Press
• Release date: Oct 21, 2019
• ISBN: 9781439668337

Robert A. Geake

Robert A. Geake is a public historian and the author of fourteen books on Rhode Island and New England history, including From Slaves to Soldiers: The First Rhode Island Regiment in the American Revolution . His other books include A History of the Narragansett Tribe: Keepers of the Bay and New England Citizen Soldiers of the Revolutionary War: Mariners and Minutemen (The History Press). His essay on Rhode Island and the American Revolution is among those contributed to EnCompass, online tutorials for the Rhode Island Historical Society and the Rhode Island Department of Education.