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Chatham’s Last Stand
In early April of 1778, the venerated Lord Chatham was frail in body but intrepid as ever in spirit. He had come to Parliament to excoriate a motion by the Duke of Richmond to grant independence to those thirteen American colonies engaged in a war for independence for the past three years. Blooming bluebells, daffodils,… Continue reading
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Banastre Tarleton: His Exploits in America and Portrait in London
One of the most imposing portraits by Joshua Reynolds at the National Gallery in London depicts Colonel Banastre Tarleton. During the American Revolution, Tarleton commanded the elite British Legion, colloquially known as the Green Dragoons. The calvary regiment gained a fierce reputation, particularly in the Southern Campaign. It never ceases to intrigue how men from… Continue reading
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The Genius of Handel’s Music
On my five trips to the UK, I have yet to tour the home of the premier eighteenth century composer, George Frideric Handel. However, his music is wonderful not only for performing minuets, but also as a background while writing. Hailing from a German state, he settled in England and impressed the German born* king,… Continue reading
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General Gage and his American Wife: an Anglo-American Romance
Thomas Gage grew up on a lush estate surrounded by perpetually green fields grazed by flocks of affable sheep in Gloucestershire. Life on the estate afforded Gage an upbringing of musketry on horseback during fox hunts with the hounds, fencing, and tending to the English gardens around the light hued stone mansion. He was also… Continue reading
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Remembering the Lusitania
About 11 miles off the rugged, rocky coast of Kinsale, Ireland lies a wreck that has sat there since May 7, 1915. The wreck is slowly corroding and was used for depth charge practice by the Allies in WWII. In the debris field divers will find starfish and seahorses bobbing around corroding telegraph machines, a… Continue reading
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18th Century Painting Feature: Watson and the Shark
One of the American born John Singleton Copley’s most prominent epic paintings is Watson and the Shark. The original, in the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC, evokes the style of religious depictions of saints crushing serpents. It depicts an arduous attempt to rescue a young Brook Watson from the jaws of a shark.… Continue reading
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Lord Mersey’s Maritime Inquiries
What makes shipwrecks so fascinating? If there is any historical figure one would want to sit down with to discuss this, an interesting contender would be Lord Mersey. A sometime politician and jurist, Mersey presided over three British inquiries into famous maritime disasters: the sinking of Titanic, Lusitania, and Empress of Ireland. So what makes… Continue reading
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The Great Siege of Gibraltar
One of the most remarkable feats to occur during the wider Anglo-French and Spanish War in the American Revolution was the British victory at the Great Siege of Gibraltar. It was commemorated in various paintings, including an epic by John Singleton Copley that remains the centerpiece of the Guildhall in London. Ever since 1704, the… Continue reading
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The Outstanding Art of the Glorious Revolution
When King James II had a Catholic son in 1688, the Protestant population became hysterical about a Catholic heir. The unpopularity of James II was exacerbated by his insistence on repealing statutes against Catholics and Protestant dissenters. Willing to tolerate a Catholic monarch who had two Protestant daughters (Mary and Anne), the final straw came… Continue reading
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The Legacy of the Two Franklins in London
Two people with a prominent role in British and American history are still remembered well in London. The indomitable Benjamin Franklin spent a great deal of time living in London and traveled throughout Britain. He learned a great deal about the printing business during his first visit to the city in the 1720s and when… Continue reading
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White Star Night: The Anniversary of Titanic’s Maiden Voyage
“Pride breakfasted with plenty, dined with poverty, and supped with infamy” – Benjamin Franklin The notoriously brash water of the North Atlantic was particularly tepid on that cold night of April 14, 1912. The sky was brilliantly clear and the moon had already set, providing passengers out to “take the air” on Titanic’s smooth wood… Continue reading
About Me
With a mission to seek sublime experiences and live to the fullest, Christopher is a writer and explorer working on many projects. His work can be supported via Patreon at https://patreon.com/BritishAmericanHistorian
The British-American Historian 