Glover Regiment’s garb, leads a
tour of Fort Sewall for students. COURTESY PHOTO
“The American Revolution,” 10 years in the making, is another engaging and high-quality documentary by Ken Burns. This 12-hour series, currently airing on PBS, and at the Cabot Theater in Beverly, presents the story of the founding of the United States in a way that is accessible to a general audience and is also thought-provoking. It offers a wider and perhaps, a more nuanced view than what you may have learned in elementary school. Some new ideas to consider are that this was really a civil war with divisions among families and communities; in fact, everyone knew someone fighting on the other side. The 13 colonies were distinct entities almost like independent countries with competing rivalries. Additionally, the series addresses the role of both free and enslaved African Americans on both sides of the conflict, and while colonists pursued their fight for freedom and independence, a significant portion of the population remained enslaved with no prospect of liberty despite the ideals expressed in the Declaration of Independence.
The Revolution also split Native American nations as they took up arms to fight on both sides. It was interesting to see that many Native Americans joined the British army because they hoped it would prevent the colonists from crossing the Appalachians to take over their land. Colonists remaining loyal to the Crown considered the Patriots to be rebels who were rejecting the legitimate authority of the sovereign. Also, contrary to what may be commonly thought, it was not merely the regular British Army waging war on liberty-seeking colonists; indeed, approximately 50,000 colonial men joined the army to quash the rebellion. Also, this series makes it clear that this was a violent conflict with atrocities committed by both sides, and the fact that the Revolution succeeded and a new country came to be was largely due to the power of weapons and the eight years of warfare. Sometimes, the portraits of those leaders clad in knee britches and powdered wigs can obscure this very real aspect of the Revolutionary War.
The town of Marblehead received many mentions through the first three episodes of the series. According to Larry Sands, captain of Glover’s Marblehead Regiment, “from threats of the town being torched by the Royal Navy, to the successful capture of British ships for powder and military stores by Captain John Manley, to John Glover’s critical contributions, our little town had a big impact on gaining our independence.” As a reenactor with Glover’s Marblehead Regiment, my favorite episode to date is “The Times That Try Men’s Souls” where it features the significant part played by Col. John Glover and the seafaring men of Marblehead. If you cannot commit to viewing the entire 12 hours, episode 3 is the one for you. It highlights the effective retreat of Gen. Washington and the Continental Army from Long Island under the cover of darkness and under the nose of the British Army. It was Glover and his skilled sailors and fishermen who carried out the evacuation of 9,000 men, artillery, horses and wagons throughout the night, thus preserving the army to fight another day.
Similarly, there is a great account of Christmas Night 1776 when Washington devised the plan for the surprise attack on the garrison at Trenton, New Jersey. Of the three attempted crossings of the ice-clogged Delaware River amidst a nor’easter, only one succeeded in the mission, and again, it was Glover and his capable mariners from Marblehead who commanded this endeavor. They rowed back and forth for about nine hours to transport 2,400 men, over 100 horses and 18 cannon through the sleet and rain. Then they marched nine miles to Trenton and carried a successful surprise attack on the Hessians — a significant morale boost for an army who had been on the retreat for that fall — and another save by Glover and the Marblehead fishermen and sailors.
This documentary is “an opportunity to learn more about Marblehead’s contributions to the Revolutionary War,” according to Lauren McCormack, executive director of the Marblehead Museum, “and to encourage people to learn more about how it affected the town.” Watching this documentary is a great way to foster curiosity about the “great events we have coming up in 2026 to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the war.” When you see Glover’s Marblehead Regiment participate in town events and reenactments, it is a reminder of the contribution of Marblehead men and women to the founding of this country. Why not join them on Saturday, Dec. 6 at 3 p.m. after the Christmas Walk down at State Street Landing when they hold a short ceremony to commemorate the role of Glover and his mariners in the Crossing of the Delaware River?
Kay O’Dwyer is a history teacher, docent at the Jeremiah Lee Mansion and member of the Glover’s Marblehead Regiment. She has always been deeply interested in history.
