Hagist on the Soldiers of the Boston Garrison, 1 Nov.

On Thursday, 1 November, Don Hagist will visit the site of Gen. George Washington’s main headquarters in Cambridge to speak about Washington’s adversary: “The Boston Garrison, 1775-1776.”

The event description:

We all have an image of the “embattled farmers” who served in the Continental Army, but who were the British soldiers? What sort of men filled the ranks of the regiments that fought for the King? Far from ruffians or conscripted criminals, the British army of the era was largely a force of career soldiers who had voluntarily enlisted after trying their hands at other trades.

This talk will look at the demographics of a typical British regiment serving in Boston in 1775 and 1776, presenting the nationalities, ages, background and experience of the common soldiers that served in it. It will show the diversity of the army by detailing the careers of several individual soldiers. The real stories of these professional soldiers are sure to be surprising.

Don Hagist is the author of British Soldiers, American War, collecting the few surviving first-hand accounts of British soldiers fighting in America, and of his similarly-named blog, British Soldiers, American Revolution. He’s also the managing editor of the Journal of the American Revolution.

This lecture is free, but to reserve a seat call 617-876-4491 or email reservationsat105@gmail.com. It will start at 6:30 P.M. in the carriage house at the back of the Longfellow House–Washington’s Headquarters National Historic Site, 105 Brattle Street in Cambridge. Parking on site is limited to a couple of spots for handicapped drivers, but after 6:00 P.M. the street-parking regulations in the neighborhood loosen up.