7 Things You Forgot Happened During the Revolutionary War
During the American Revolution, 13 British colonies in North America fought for independence from English rule in what became one of the most defining conflicts in history. Certain moments from the Revolutionary War — which spanned from 1775 to 1783 — have certainly been etched into popular memory. But it was a long, complex conflict, and for every renowned tale such as the Boston Tea Party or Washington crossing the Delaware, there are lesser-known events that don’t always make it into textbooks. Here are some of the most fascinating but often overlooked events that unfolded during America’s fight for independence.
A Woman Disguised Herself as a Man To Fight
Women weren’t permitted to serve in the military during the Revolutionary War, but they were nonetheless instrumental throughout the conflict — whether they were sewing uniforms, tending to the wounded, or even acting as spies. Some, such as Massachusetts weaver and school teacher Deborah Sampson, took an even more direct approach.
In 1782, Sampson disguised herself as a man and joined the Fourth Massachusetts Regiment under the name Robert Shurtliff. She served in the Continental Army for more than a year, fighting in several battles and even tending to her own wounds — including removing a bullet from her leg. (Another bullet, too difficult to remove, remained in her leg for the rest of her life.)
After serving for a year and a half, she fell ill while in Philadelphia in 1783. She was taken to a hospital, where a high fever caused her to lose consciousness, ultimately leading to the discovery of her true identity. Sampson was honorably discharged in 1783, and, after starting a family, petitioned for back pay and a disability pension for injuries sustained on the battlefield.
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Smallpox Almost Derailed the War
Gunfire and bayonets weren’t the only threats during the Revolutionary War — smallpox also loomed large. The highly contagious disease had been an epidemic in the colonies at several times throughout the 1700s, and at the outset of the Revolutionary War in 1775, a particularly grim outbreak was taking place in Boston.
General George Washington knew the risks well: Having survived a monthlong battle with the virus as a teenager, he warned that smallpox could be “more destructive than the sword,” and in 1777, made the bold decision to order mass inoculations for his Continental Army. The procedure involved making a small incision in the arm and inserting a dose of the virus. Though it was controversial at the time, it paid off, reducing death rates and helping keep Washington’s army in fighting shape.
An Amateur Spy Ring Helped Win the War
Winning a war against the mighty British military required more than just soldiers — it also took sleuthing and secrets. From 1778 to 1783, the Culper Spy Ring, led by Continental Army Officer Benjamin Tallmadge, relied on informants who were not professional agents but ordinary citizens — shopkeepers, farmers, and merchants — to gather intelligence from British sources in English-occupied New York.
Through code names, cipher messages, invisible ink, and even laundry strategically placed on clotheslines, the Culper Ring provided crucial intelligence to General Washington, including a key report in 1780 that saved French troops in Newport, Rhode Island, from a British attack. Despite the constant danger, none of the Culper Ring’s agents were ever discovered by the British, and their underground work helped win the war not with weapons, but with whispers.
British Prison Ships Held Unsung Heroes
While the conflict raged on land, thousands of American soldiers and even civilians faced a different kind of horror during the war: British prison ships. Stationed along the Eastern Seaboard, these makeshift jails were overcrowded, disease-ridden, and notoriously brutal, and could be just as deadly as the battles themselves.
The most infamous was the HMS Jersey; it housed as many as 1,000 prisoners at a time, most of whom suffered from starvation and rampant disease. Captured Americans were given a choice: Switch sides and fight for the British or face the harsh reality of imprisonment on the ship. Many refused to switch sides — historians estimate that only about 8% of prisoners joined the Brits — and instead endured unimaginable conditions. It’s estimated that around 11,000 people died on the ships because they chose not to betray the cause.
George Washington’s Security Helped Plot His Assassination
In 1776, as Washington and his troops prepared for battle in New York, a plot on his life by the Loyalists — American colonists who remained loyal to the British crown — was uncovered. The conspiracy involved members of his own Life Guard, an elite security detail, and was allegedly orchestrated by New York’s Loyalist governor, William Tryon. But the plot was exposed before it could happen: One of the conspirators, Washington’s security guard Thomas Hickey, had been jailed for suspected money counterfeiting and leaked the details to fellow inmates while behind bars.
Ironically, Washington himself wasn’t above similar schemes — he later approved a plan to kidnap Prince William, the son of King George III, as leverage for prisoner exchanges. (The prince remained out of reach and the kidnapping plan fell through.) Hickey, though he pleaded innocent, was found guilty for his role in the plot to assassinate Washington and was executed for treason.
America Hired Pirates
The Continental Navy was no match for Britain’s powerful 18th-century fleet, so the colonies turned to a different maritime strategy during the Revolutionary War: privateering. Privateers were ships owned and manned by private citizens, hired by the government to attack and capture British vessels. It’s estimated that nearly 800 vessels — ranging from whaling boats to schooners and brigantines — were commissioned during the war.
These legal pirates not only disrupted British shipping and supply lines but also took valuable cargo; whatever was seized was usually sold and profits were split with the privateers, while the rest was used to help fund the new nation. Privateers weren’t universally accepted — some colonists saw them as money-hungry opportunists — but they ultimately played a critical role in weakening the Brits. By the war’s end, American privateers had captured or destroyed an estimated 600 British ships.
The First Submarine Attack Happened
Submarines are a common part of naval fleets around the world today, and the first one ever used in combat debuted during the American Revolution. The Turtle, as it was known, was designed by American inventor David Bushnell. The single-passenger, hand-cranked submersible consisted of two shell-shaped wooden halves that were fastened together with iron bands and covered in a thick waterproof coating. It was built to maneuver under and attach explosives to enemy ships, and on September 6, 1776, the Turtle set out on its first mission.
Deployed to target the British warship HMS Eagle in New York Harbor, the Turtle did successfully make its way under the massive ship, but was ultimately unable to secure the explosive. Though rudimentary by today’s standards and never able to successfully sink an enemy vessel, the Turtle was dubbed “an effort of genius” by Washington and helped lay the groundwork for future naval technology.
