Who was this Man, George Adams
Abstract
During the Revolutionary War, the members of the Eighth Pennsylvania Regiment were recruited mainly from the county of Westmoreland, with one company formed from Bedford County. The regiment spent a majority of the war defending the western frontier, but it did serve with General Washington in the eastern campaign for a limited number of battles. Much of the time, the regiment was widely scattered, serving as individual detachments or companies attached to other commands. This study focuses on George Adams, a distant relative, who as a young boy in 1776, served as a fifer of Captain Samuel Brady's company in the Eighth Pennsylvania Regiment of the Continental Line. The impact of musical instruments as a control element was recognized early on by military leaders. The role of the fifer in the Revolutionary War provides an example of how music has an ability to affect the outcome of a battle or campaign. George Adams was a common person, doing what may have been a simple job, but its contribution in terms of inspiration and the lifting of the spirits would be captured in the popular tune, 'Yankee Doodle', which we all have come to associate with this important period in our history's development. The study of the specific role of one simple soldier, George Adams, leads to a more comprehensive appreciation of the Revolutionary War.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 30, 1988
- Accession Number
- ADA194177
Entities
People
- Michael A. Mcfarlin
Organizations
- United States Army War College