Date: Tuesday, May 7, 2024
Location: Zoom Virtual Lecture
Time: 7:30 pm (EDT)
This presentation explains the causes and conduct of the last Indian War before the start of the American War for Independence. Set during what some would call the “Quiet Time,” many historians pay it little attention or misinterpret its historical significance. However, John Murray, fourth Earl of Dunmore, the last royal governor of Virginia, led the colony’s soldiers “in his majesty’s service” in a defensive war that culminated in a successful offensive military expedition. Set against the backdrop of the deepening constitutional crisis that soon spun out of control, the campaign’s decisive battle was fought as delegates from twelve of the thirteen colonies met at Philadelphia in the First Continental Congress. Although the victorious Lord Dunmore returned to Williamsburg in triumph and at the height of his popularity in December 1774, before another year ended he would be vilified by Virginians and flee his capital.
At the conclusion, participants will learn that Revolution was not necessarily inevitable in 1774 Virginia. Furthermore, Dunmore’s War had a surprising beneficial effect that favored the Americans in the early years of the Revolutionary War. It will also inform participants, and dispel many “myths”, about the organization, composition, and tactical doctrine of Virginia’s colonial militia before the Revolution.
The information is based on research for Lord Dunmore’s War: the Last Conflict of America’s Colonial Era (Westholme Publishing, 2017).
Registration required. Registration closes one half hour prior to lecture.
Cost: $15 per household for General Admission; $10 per household for HA Members, Military, and HA Docents
Can’t watch the lecture live? The lecture will be recorded! All registrants will receive a link to the recording of the lecture to watch at their convenience for two weeks. Live closed captioning is available for all lectures.
This lecture will be offered virtually by Zoom. Upon registration, you will be sent the link for the video conference to join on the evening of the lecture. If you do not receive your confirmation email after you register, please check your Spam folder, or email Cara Garside at cara.garside@annapolis.org. To learn more about Zoom and to download the app to your computer, visit the Zoom website.
About Our Presenter: Dr. Glenn F. Williams is a retired Army officer who entered public history as a second career. He is currently a Senior Historian at the U.S. Army Center of Military History, Fort McNair, DC, where his previous positions included Historian of the National Museum of the U.S. Army Project and Historian of the Army Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Commemoration. He has also served as Historian of the American Battlefield Protection Program of the National Park Service, Curator/ Historian of the USS Constellation Museum, and Assistant Curator of the Baltimore Civil War Museum – President Street Station. He is the author of several books, including Year of the Hangman: George Washington’s Campaign Against the Iroquois (Westholme), recipient of the Thomas J. Fleming Award for the Outstanding Revolutionary War Book of 2005, and named one of “The 100 Best American Revolution Books of All Time” by the Journal of the American Revolution in the spring 2017 issue. His newest book, Dunmore’s War: The Last Conflict of America’s Colonial Era, was released in May 2017. In 2018 he was recognized for contributions to the study of 18th Century American military history with the Shelby Cullom Davis Award of the Society of Colonial Wars and the Judge Robert K. Woltz Award of the French and Indian War Foundation. He holds a Ph.D. in History from the University of Maryland, College Park.
The information contained in the HA Virtual Lecture series represents the historical research, views and opinions of the lecture presenter and may not represent the views or opinions of Historic Annapolis, Inc.