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Stories Of The War: A Cowboy Story
The Neutral Ground was one of the bloodiest battlegrounds of the Revolution. To the
north were the American lines, whilst to the south in New York were the British. Both
sides patrolled the area but the ravaged land was usually left to the "Cowboys"
who worked with the British Dragoons, or the "Skinners" who rode with the
Americans.
Both bands lived by stealing horses or cattle and engaging in murderous forays. They were
mostly farmhands who wore castoff jackets and boots of Yankee or Lobsterback cavalrymen
and carried swords, tomahawks or British "bagnits".
Who first named the cowboys is not known but it is generally believed that they received
the name from the British after the "Cow Boys" who tended the cattle on English
farms.
-Posted by Hobilar, a member of our club
An opinion from a different viewpoint:
American Revolution
Despite what might be taught in American High Schools today, the fact remains that the
reason for the final British departure from the American colonies in November 1783, was
not so much that we had been defeated, but rather as an effect of the unpopularity of the
war with the people at home.
Over and over again the ragged, starving 'lobsterbacks' with their German and Loyalist
allies defeated the 'rebels' in open battle, but like the Amereican experience in Vietnam
were ultimately unable to win the 'hearts and minds' of the population. The only two major
success of the rebels, Saratoga (1777) amnd Yorktown (1781) were both the results of
sieges. The custom of the day was that if a besieged garrison surrendered because it could
not be relieved, then the garrison would be allowed to march out the honours of war. That
the American leaders failed to keep their side of the surrender agreements is shameful. To
do so once may be excusable, but to do so a second time is a dishonourable indictment of
American leadership.
Following Yorktown new armies could , and should, have been raised , which would surely
have resulted in ultimate victory for the King. The rebel's allies, France, who were there
more as a bunch of adventurers out to salvage something from their losses during the Seven
Years War, and Spain, whose effect was more moral than practicable can largely be
discounted in military terms.
The loss of the King's American colonies was therefore a result not so much a military
disaster, but more one of disenchantment at home that the war had been going on for far to
long without any conclusion in sight.
-Posted by Hobilar, a member of our club
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