Thomas Paine's "The American Crisis" series...
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May 31, 1777
THE PROVIDENCE GAZETTE & COUNTRY JOURNAL, Rhode Island, May 31, 1777 In 1776 Thomas Paine, a soldier in Washington's army, began publishing a series of essays entitled "The American Crisis" in some effort to bolster the sagging spirits of the American soldiers in their cause against the British. The war was not going well for the colonists and many feared the cause for independence would soon be abandoned. These essays ultimately served as a morale booster & generated support for the revolution.
There was a total of 13 essays and they were published throughout the duration of the Revolutionary War. The entire ftpg. of this issue is taken up with a continuation of his "Crisis" work number III, carrying over a bit to pg. 2, ultimately completed in a later issue. The complete text of this Crisis #3 is included with this issue so you will have the text in total, taking 12 full pages, which clarifies why the complete printing was not in this issue--and likely not complete in 3 or 4 issues.
Pg. 2 continues with important reporting from Parliament, including a bill concerning the detaining persons charged with the crime of high treason committed in North America (see photos). The inside pages also have some nice reports concerning the Revolutionary War, including a Resolve from Congress that: "...all post masters, post riders & persons ...concerned in conducting the business of the post office ought to be exempted from all military duties...". Reports from Fishkill, Providence, Boston, and New London have additional war-related items including: "...last week we had a smart engagement with the enemy near Piscataway..." and "...informs that General Gates's army at Ticonderoga consists of between 5 & 6 thousand troops...that the Canadian were disaffected with the British troops...letter of the 11th from Phila. which mentions Burgoyne's coming out with 10,000 Germans & 3000 English troops..." and some other items.
With the significant Thomas Paine content this issue has a wealth of fine reading on the Revolutionary War. Complete in 4 pgs., light staining near the spine does not affect any readability, old archival tape on the inside near the spine does not deter readability either.
There was a total of 13 essays and they were published throughout the duration of the Revolutionary War. The entire ftpg. of this issue is taken up with a continuation of his "Crisis" work number III, carrying over a bit to pg. 2, ultimately completed in a later issue. The complete text of this Crisis #3 is included with this issue so you will have the text in total, taking 12 full pages, which clarifies why the complete printing was not in this issue--and likely not complete in 3 or 4 issues.
Pg. 2 continues with important reporting from Parliament, including a bill concerning the detaining persons charged with the crime of high treason committed in North America (see photos). The inside pages also have some nice reports concerning the Revolutionary War, including a Resolve from Congress that: "...all post masters, post riders & persons ...concerned in conducting the business of the post office ought to be exempted from all military duties...". Reports from Fishkill, Providence, Boston, and New London have additional war-related items including: "...last week we had a smart engagement with the enemy near Piscataway..." and "...informs that General Gates's army at Ticonderoga consists of between 5 & 6 thousand troops...that the Canadian were disaffected with the British troops...letter of the 11th from Phila. which mentions Burgoyne's coming out with 10,000 Germans & 3000 English troops..." and some other items.
With the significant Thomas Paine content this issue has a wealth of fine reading on the Revolutionary War. Complete in 4 pgs., light staining near the spine does not affect any readability, old archival tape on the inside near the spine does not deter readability either.
Category: Revolutionary War
