Latest / Plausibly Live - The Dave Bowman Show Podcast / The Army

Transcript

The Army · Plausibly Live - The Dave Bowman Show Podcast

0:15
Live from the banks of the Sheet Tucket River in the heart of
0:18
downtown Norwich. It's revolutionary talk here on
0:22
WREV. 760 AM where Patriots talk.
0:26
The phone and text number is 209565, Dave.
0:30
That's 209-565-3283. Now here's your host, Dave
0:35
Diamond. Well, good afternoon Patriots,
0:42
and welcome. To revolutionary talk, I am
0:44
your. Host Dave Diamond.
0:47
Text and telephone. 209. 565, Dave, that's 209-5653. 283
0:52
E-mail Dave at. Powder2parchment.org.
0:57
Powderthe#2parchment.org. So it would appear.
1:04
That General Washington has convened a Council of War this
1:10
evening in. Cambridge While there is much to
1:14
discuss, obviously. I am told.
1:20
That the purpose. Of this meeting.
1:24
Is to discuss the structure of the.
1:27
Continental Army for the upcoming campaigns of 1770. 6
1:34
There are proposals out there to.
1:38
Form an. Army of 26.
1:40
Regiments as much as 26 regiments?
1:46
18,000 men to 26 regiments? Or is that 26 regiments made-up
1:52
of 18,000 men? I think that's what it This memo
1:55
here is a little confusing to me, but I think that's what it
1:58
is. 18,000 men in 26 regiments. That makes sense.
2:04
To a smaller. Quote defensive force UN Quote
2:12
Of course, the problem with. That theory is defensive force I
2:22
get. It around Boston and Boston,
2:23
that kind of makes sense. We have the.
2:26
City encircled. More and more cannon are
2:30
arriving from Fort Ticonderoga. Thank you, General Benedict
2:35
Arnold. Our own Norichiro who did that?
2:42
And look, I'm I'm not a. Military expert by any stretch
2:46
of the imagination. I'm a sailor.
2:50
But it. Sure looks to me like Boston has
2:52
become untenable for the British.
2:56
I they've got to be thinking about how to get out of there.
2:59
Because the longer they stay, the worse this is going to get.
3:05
And our forces. Surrounding Boston I.
3:09
I guess they're defensive, right?
3:13
The British could try to break out.
3:14
But it would it would mean they'd have to.
3:16
Make a frontal. Assault and that would be
3:21
insane. I think I read somewhere some
3:26
French general saying something about frontal assault should be
3:32
avoided, but I don't remember. Anyway, the general Washington
3:40
has stressed the need. To do away.
3:47
With the. Short term militias.
3:50
These 90 day enlistments, the idea that we can just.
3:57
Show up for. A few weeks and then go home.
4:02
We did this. You know, back in April we had
4:04
all the volunteers from Lexington, Concord, Those are
4:07
the days. And those guys, they did their
4:09
90 days and they went home, leaving the Army essentially.
4:14
Bereft. Of men not.
4:19
Sure, where I. Stand on this to be honest with
4:21
you, I Washington. Says has said.
4:25
That we need experienced long term enlistments rather than
4:31
short term. Militias.
4:34
Now look at. This seems to.
4:36
Fly in the. Face of.
4:38
Our traditions of a citizen. Militia it leaves us with.
4:44
The concept of a standing army and folks.
4:49
That is a very Catholic belief, this decide.
4:51
That's the very Popish. Thing standing armies we don't.
4:55
As Englishmen, we don't. Do that, we're supposed.
5:00
To be again that. And yet here's General
5:04
Washington, the Virginian Anglican question mark,
5:11
advocating for this very thing. It's very suspicious.
5:15
To me and and. While on the.
5:18
One hand, I see what he means. This 90 day thing isn't working.
5:25
How do we limit that? On the other end, how do we keep
5:27
this from becoming a a a standing army right here in the.
5:31
Midst of the peoples. I don't.
5:36
Think a smaller. Defensive force is going to
5:38
work. I just don't.
5:40
We already know that the king is going to essentially already has
5:44
declared war on us. We already know that he is
5:47
planning a 1776 invasion. We know there's more troops
5:52
coming. A smaller defense force isn't
5:54
going to get the job done, folks.
5:57
It's just not. Going to work.
6:00
But at the same time, how many men do we need 18,000?
6:08
Seems like a lot. Not only that, but who's going
6:11
to pay? These guys.
6:14
We already have problems with the economy as it is.
6:16
What are we going to pay these people with?
6:18
Congress don't got no money. Congress.
6:21
Is essentially neutered when it comes to this.
6:28
I get. What Washington wants, He wants
6:30
a professional army. But.
6:33
I'm not sure that's what we want, not sure that's what we're
6:36
fighting for. I'm not sure that's what we're.
6:38
Trying to do in point of fact in many.
6:41
Ways it's exactly what we I. Don't know, don't want.
6:49
It does create a problem. And, and I have to acknowledge
6:53
this, I have to agree. With him it does create
6:55
problems. When these short term
6:58
enlistments, these short term militias just up and leave.
7:04
There were rumors the other day that.
7:06
One of the regiments, militia regiments.
7:09
I don't know where it was from, Delaware.
7:12
For some reason Delaware sticks in my.
7:13
Head basically just said that's it, we're done, we're out of
7:17
here. And got up and left guarding a
7:21
an important section. Of the line.
7:25
And took their muskets and their.
7:27
Powder and their they're rounds with them they could.
7:31
Have left that. I mean, they're not going to
7:33
need them in. Delaware, I'm told there was a
7:40
great deal of. Jeering.
7:41
But. I wasn't there so I don't
7:43
actually know and I can't really blame them if their time is up,
7:50
but at the same time. Folks, are we fighting for
7:52
liberty or are we fighting for 90?
7:55
Days I don't like the idea of standing arm but I think.
8:06
Is this really going to? Be a standing arm and we're
8:09
talking about 1770. 6 Here we're talking about a year, a year
8:14
which. In theory, could see us win our
8:18
independence. With relatively little
8:21
bloodshed. Or it could see us dragged into
8:25
a very long war. Against the.
8:28
British Army, it could see us in a very lose, a very short war as
8:32
well. I don't.
8:36
Know the answer I I don't know, but Washington.
8:40
Has told his. Command and he's told the
8:42
council this afternoon that they need experience, long term
8:45
enlistments. They're going to let Congress
8:51
know this. I guess Congress is going to
8:53
have to make the final decision. But Washington has made it clear
8:57
what he wants now. Concurrent with this.
9:01
He has also recommended Quote UN Quote.
9:08
That the Army. Not except the enlistments.
9:15
Of black soldiers. No Africans will be allowed in
9:24
the army, whether they're free or enslaved, are going to be
9:28
allowed to enlist in this army. I look, I we're not here to,
9:37
we're not here to solve the slavery issue.
9:40
I'ma get it, you know that. I think it's a moral, morally
9:44
repugnant. I don't see how we can stand
9:48
here and say that. We believe in liberty.
9:50
We. Believe in freedom and still.
9:53
Have slavery, I just. I just, I don't get it.
9:58
But I also know that if I lived in Charleston, SC.
10:02
I I might see it differently. A lot of that I'm sure has to do
10:08
with my background. It has to do with where we live.
10:10
It has to do with how we've been.
10:12
Raised and someone in. South Carolina, Georgia, even
10:19
Virginia, where Washington or Washington owns.
10:21
Slaves, for God's sakes. Might see that issue
10:26
differently, I don't. Understand the rhetoric.
10:29
I don't. Understand the logic.
10:30
I don't understand where it comes from, but I know it's
10:33
there. And this decree, this idea that
10:38
we're not going to allow Africans to.
10:39
Enlist in the. Guess they're calling it the
10:44
Continental Army now. Is contradictory to our
10:49
principles of liberty. It's contradictory to the ideas
10:54
that we have put forward as this is what we're fighting for.
11:02
I've heard the phrase bandied around all men are equal.
11:06
Well, if we're all equal, then why aren't?
11:08
We taking people who want to. Fight.
11:10
Do I have to? Remind you.
11:13
That just weeks ago at Bunker Hill.
11:16
One of the. Heroes of that action was an
11:19
African American. By the name of Salem Poor.
11:25
He was credited, he's been credited with mortally wounding
11:29
James Abercrombie, that British Lieutenant Colonel who's a
11:34
Jackass, that guy yelled. Jumped into our readouts and
11:40
yelled. Surrender, you rebels.
11:42
But Salem? Port took care of him.
11:49
He led people during that. During that fight, he led troops
11:58
his. Valor.
11:59
His gallantry at Bunker Hill have led to numerous officers.
12:06
Colonel William Prescott. Included and Jonathan.
12:09
Brewer have cited him for heroism, and they have.
12:12
Petitioned the Massachusetts General.
12:14
Court with the. Following statement I.
12:17
Actually have it right here. You ready quote the reward due
12:21
to so. Great and distinguished.
12:22
A character the subscribers beg leave to report to Your
12:26
Honorable House. Which we do.
12:28
In justice to the character of brave of so.
12:31
Brave a man. That under our own observation,
12:34
we declare. That a Negro man called Salem
12:36
poor. Of Colonel Fry's regiment,
12:38
Captain. Ames Company under captain
12:42
names. In the late Battle of
12:44
Charleston, Bunker Hill behaved like an experienced officer as
12:48
well. As an excellent.
12:48
Soldier we set forth the particulars of his conduct would
12:52
be tedious. But we only beg leave to say
12:55
that. The in.
12:56
The person of this Negro centers a brave and gallant soldier.
13:01
UN quote. There are others who will tell
13:07
you who were there that. Without Salem poor, we might not
13:10
win that battle. Well, you know.
13:14
Maybe, maybe we didn't win. There's people saying no, we
13:16
didn't win anyway, but the British sure didn't, do we?
13:22
Need to remind ourselves that there are there are Africans out
13:25
there who will fight for us. That want that.
13:29
Believe in the things that we say.
13:30
We believe in liberty. This is outrageous.
13:35
And while. There's some political element
13:37
to. This and I get it, people in
13:41
the. South are terrified of slave
13:43
revolts. They're terrified of arming
13:47
Africans. They're they're they're they're
13:48
terrified of. This and I get it.
13:53
But do we believe in liberty or not?
13:55
Do we believe in what we say we are fighting for, or do we not?
14:00
We're fighting a war for freedom.
14:04
How do we start that war? By limiting who counts as human
14:09
enough to fight for it. Line 1 go.
14:13
This is Samuel Hodge, the blacksmith down by the river.
14:17
I've seen free men of color swing a hammer beside me, and
14:21
I'll tell you plain they're as strong and steady as any soldier
14:24
I've ever met. If a man's willing to bleed for
14:27
liberty, what fool would turn him away?
14:29
You say all men are created equal, then let them prove it
14:32
with powder and shot. The British don't ask the colour
14:35
of the bullet that kills them, so why should we?
14:37
I say open the ranks and let every willing hand strike for
14:41
freedom. I couldn't go.
14:42
I couldn't agree more. I I politically I understand.
14:47
This decision politically, I understand.
14:51
That this is a SOP. Thrown to the southern colonies
14:56
who still have slaves and. People who incorrectly believe
15:02
that. Skin color somehow identifies a
15:04
man's character. But I I don't see how.
15:11
We can do. This We're going to need every
15:13
man. We're going to need every man.
15:14
That can fight. We're going to need every person
15:18
that can possibly support this to support it, and we're
15:22
automatically. Telling people who want to fight
15:24
no, you're the wrong. Color.
15:29
I get it, but this? Is the insidiousness.
15:32
Folks of slavery, This is why slavery should be abolished.
15:36
Right now, today. Because if we don't.
15:42
Do it right now, today. When?
15:46
Are we going to and how are we going to?
15:49
Do it right. Now is the time to do it.
15:52
We're. Fighting for liberty.
15:53
Now let's establish. Liberty now, not later, Line 3.
15:58
Go ahead, Liberty. You patriots talk of it as if it
16:02
were gold, yet you cannot agree who's worthy to touch it.
16:06
One day you claim all men are equal, the next you cast out
16:09
those who would fight at your side.
16:11
Hypocrisy, Sir. Dressed up as virtue.
16:14
The King's army asks no such riddles.
16:17
It serves order, loyalty and law.
16:19
Your Congress bickers, your generals contradicts, and your
16:22
so-called liberty collapses under its own confusion.
16:26
Mark me Sir, rebellion breeds only chaos.
16:31
Well, Bob? I I mean.
16:34
I can't actually disagree with you.
16:36
I hate, I hate. Agreeing with a.
16:38
Loyalist. I really do.
16:39
But how do we? How do?
16:43
We not see this. How do we not understand this?
16:48
And hopefully Congress will tell Washington, no, you can't, you
16:52
can't do that. You've.
16:53
You've got to let. Anybody that wants to fight in
16:56
you can't. You can't cut people out.
16:58
That would be insane and and not liberty.
17:03
Guess we'll have to see. What happens from Norwich to New
17:08
Haven? No one scratches a sharper.
17:10
Petition then with widow cartwrights quills powder may.
17:15
Fail, but Ink endures by a dozen.
17:17
She'll throw in a. Blotting rag free of charge,
17:20
Widow Kite writes. Fine ink and.
17:22
Quilts. Quills.
17:23
Sorry, not quilts, write bold. Write often and.
17:27
Write like your liberty. Depends on it.
17:31
Widow Cartwright's. Fine ink and.
17:33
Quills brought you this segment. Of revolutionary talk.
17:36
Stay with us, we'll be right back.
17:42
Welcome back. I'm Dave.
17:47
There is news out of. Boston, by the way, it is now
17:49
official. It is now confirmed that General
17:53
Gage has in fact been relieved. General.
17:56
Howe is his replacement. Dick Howe.
17:58
Is his. Not Dick William.
18:00
Got to get you right house anyway.
18:05
Gentleman William, Gentleman Billy is the is the new
18:09
commanding office. Again, we we've talked about
18:12
him. Yes, he's a wig.
18:15
Yes, he he supported us during. The Stamp Act, but he abandoned
18:24
us during the during the. The later issues.
18:29
I don't. Think that he's here to.
18:34
To make peace. I don't.
18:36
Know what his plans are. I don't know what we're going to
18:38
do. I don't know what British are
18:41
planning. If we do know, if Washington
18:46
knows, then he's not telling anybody.
18:50
And I'm certainly. Not getting the memos, so I
18:52
mean. Why would I?
18:53
Obviously, but. But I don't know, I'm told.
18:59
That General Howe. Reviewed the fortifications.
19:02
He has prepared a report on their supplies.
19:05
And. A copy of a letter that he wrote
19:08
to London. Was sent.
19:09
Out was captured. Copy shows that he is asking for
19:17
reinforcements. That he cannot hold Boston
19:20
without reinforcements now. That's a good.
19:24
Thing on the one hand, it means that he's not necessarily
19:27
planning offensive operations, but.
19:29
I find that hard to believe. We know that the king.
19:33
Is getting ready to basically. Declare war on us if he hasn't
19:37
already, we know. That there are troops on the
19:38
way. Are those to reinforce Boston?
19:43
Or are they to? Conduct offensive operations.
19:45
We don't know. We do know that in the city of
19:48
Boston, prices are just You think they're bad here?
19:52
Don't go. There there are rumors that the
19:56
British are going to leave. Boston, I find.
19:59
That hard to believe I. Find that almost.
20:02
Impossible to believe, but Gage. Leaving Boston is a good thing.
20:11
He is a man who leaves Boston. He was undone by his.
20:14
Failures. General Howe, however, is a
20:18
soldier who is probably ready to strike.
20:21
Between them lies a question that defines.
20:23
Every commander who does. When does patience?
20:26
Become cowards. And there.
20:28
Are many who are calling General Gage a coward?
20:31
There are many who are of the belief.
20:34
That the reason? General Howe has replaced
20:36
General Gage is because they are going to attack us, which goes
20:39
back to General. Washington Yeah, we we might
20:42
need more troops, but if we need more troops, then why in God's
20:46
name are we telling people? You can't fight for us because
20:51
you. Are the wrong color.
20:56
Come and get. Your news and your brew in One
20:58
Cup. Come on down to Mr. Tuttle's.
21:01
Patriot Coffee House, Strong coffee, stronger opinions.
21:03
And there are no loyalists allowed.
21:05
Past the hearth, Mr. Tuttle's. Coffee house right down on North
21:09
Green where? Rebellion tastes like roasted
21:10
beans, and liberty is stirred with.
21:14
Sugar, Mr. Tuttle. 'S Patriot Coffee House.
21:18
Norwich, CT Stay with us, we'll be right.
21:19
Back. Welcome back.
21:23
It's me, Dave Diamond. You want to join me 2095?
21:26
65 Dave, it's 2. 095. 653283 Text me text.
21:30
You can text me 24/7, you can leave me a voicemail there if I
21:34
don't answer the phone, you know, this past Sunday.
21:41
I'll be the first to. Admit I'm not much of A
21:43
churchgoer. Just not.
21:45
It it. It's not that I don't believe in
21:48
those things, it's just. I only get a couple of.
21:52
Days off a week I don't want to spend it in.
21:56
Church I'm. Going to spend it out on the
21:58
green watching cricket but this past Sunday I dropped into a
22:04
couple. Of churches wanted to hear.
22:07
What was being said? Sermons were warning.
22:11
After the after the church. Event sermons have been warning
22:15
of of of the sins of betrayal and deceit at least one minister
22:22
specifically named. Doctor Church's proof that even
22:26
righteous causes. Such as ours need vigilance.
22:28
We have to be attentive. I was happy to see the churches
22:34
were. Full That's yet another reason
22:35
they don't need me. They got plenty of people.
22:38
There, but you start looking around and you wonder well how
22:43
many these people are really hearing what he's.
22:45
Saying and how many of these people?
22:46
Are possibly loyalists. How many of them are?
22:51
Just here to subvert what we're trying to do.
22:57
The committees of correspondence here in town are investigating
23:01
the. Reports of.
23:02
Hoarding and inflated. Prices, which is good, don't.
23:06
Know if they're going to get to the bottom of that and we
23:10
continue. To struggle with the currents,
23:15
as my buddy Chris told me the other day, he's.
23:18
Not taking your paper money you want you want something from
23:21
his. Farm, you better bring hard
23:23
coin. There are rumors.
23:28
In the Taverns. That British ships have been
23:29
sighted off Long Island Sound. I don't know if I believe them
23:33
or not. I'm not at Long Island Sound.
23:35
I can't see it. From here.
23:39
I'll wait for confirmation of that.
23:43
If there are British ships in. Long Island Sound it might.
23:49
I I'm starting to. Lean into the.
23:51
Idea. That the British are going to
23:52
leave Boston. I I.
23:54
Militarily. That's the only thing that makes
23:56
sense. They can't.
23:56
Afford. Another frontal attack.
24:00
So where do they go? If they evacuate?
24:01
Where do they go? Canada.
24:04
Halifax. Or do they just give up and go
24:08
to the West Indies? If it was.
24:10
Anybody but William Howe. I'd I'd.
24:12
Vote for that. But I just don't know.
24:19
I just don't know and as long as.
24:22
There are. Divisions here in town.
24:24
I mean, you heard loyalists bobbed.
24:25
Yourself, you know what's going on, King has.
24:30
His regiments. Washington.
24:32
Has his army. But here in Norwich, our battle
24:34
is one of faith. Faith in the cause, faith in our
24:37
neighbors and. Faith that.
24:38
Liberty can survive its own mistakes.
24:42
And I. Want to be.
24:43
Clear. Washington's decision the War
24:48
Council to not. Allow African Americans.
24:50
To enlist is a mistake. Washington draws his battle
24:54
lines not on a map, but in the hearts of men.
24:57
He decided. Who will fight?
24:58
And who will be turned away? Liberty.
25:04
If it means anything at all, must mean.
25:07
Liberty for all. It cannot be.
25:09
Parceled out like rations. It cannot be measured by the
25:12
shade of a man's skin. Either all men are created equal
25:16
or the phrase. Is empty word.
25:21
Has reached us from Cambridge that.
25:24
Washington's council has agreed that no black man, free or
25:27
enslaved, will be allowed to serve in the Continental Army.
25:30
They call it a practical decision.
25:33
Meant to preserve unity amongst the columns that may make sense
25:37
politically. But politically right.
25:39
Is not the same. Thing as morally right.
25:42
It is not. The same thing as just.
25:45
And I will say it plainly, and I know Washington staff is
25:50
listening this. Decision is wrong.
25:55
It is. Wrong.
25:55
In the eyes of God, it is. Wrong in the.
25:57
Eyes of Reason. And wrong in the spirit of the
26:00
very liberty we. Claim to fight.
26:01
For Salem poor. Fought at Bunker Hill.
26:08
He fought like a. Lion His.
26:10
Valor was so great that Massachusetts.
26:13
Is probably going to have to give him some kind of award and
26:15
now you. Say that.
26:17
Men like him are unfit to serve. How do we preach liberty in the.
26:21
World. And yet close our ranks to those
26:23
willing to die for it. How do we condemn the tyranny of
26:26
a king? While practicing the smaller
26:28
tyranny on our own, we speak of freedom as if it were a sacred
26:33
flame. Yet we.
26:34
Guard it like. It's some kind of private
26:36
candle. We put a we put a shade over it
26:40
because we're afraid to share its light.
26:43
If this revolution. Is to mean anything, it must be
26:45
better than the injustice. It fights.
26:49
We cannot build a nation of freedom while denying.
26:51
That freedom, to those who would fight for it, liberty has.
26:55
No. Color.
26:57
Musket does not. Care who pulls the trigger.
27:00
And the enemy's bullet does not. Pause to say what color is the
27:03
man I'm about to hit. So tonight.
27:07
Let's let the record show here in Narch that we remember.
27:10
Salem poor and every man like him.
27:12
We honor the courage, even if. Congress and the.
27:14
Army do not. And we remind those in.
27:17
Power, that true liberty. Cannot survive hypocrisy.
27:21
This revolution is still young. Already beginning to test its
27:25
own soul. Let us pray that it.
27:28
Does not. Fail the test.
27:33
I'm Dave Diamond. This has been revolutionary talk
27:36
right here on AM 760 AM March. We'll see you tomorrow.