FEB 2026

Greetings.  How about if we all gather together for a Zoom meeting for a fascinating American Revolution talk with great images?  I will be hosting a Zoom only meeting on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, at 7: p.m.  If you are interested in attending, please respond to me with this email and I will email you the Zoom link on the afternoon of the day of our meeting.  To be clear, this is not an in-person event at Mount Vernon Inn and there is no charge for attending.

I also set forth below our Spring schedule.

I further set forth information on the upcoming America's History LLC 12th Annual Conference March 28-30 and information on a new Rev War conference in the Shenandoah Valley, Feb. 20-21.

I was informed that John Grady passed away on October 6th. He was a long-time member of our group and also made some presentations to it. He will be missed.

1.    Here is the topic of our February 17 meeting:

John Trumbull’s Declaration of Independence is an icon of American history reprinted millions of times in textbooks, commemorative posters, $2 bills, and much more. But is the painting accurate? What happened on July 4, 1776, and what event does the painting purport to show?  Like today’s movies “based on a true story,” Trumbull arranged the characters for maximum dramatic effect. The painting’s history is also a surprise: the composition was conceived by Trumbull with Thomas Jefferson’s direct influence. Additionally, the painting was begun in Paris—part of a commercial scheme that failed miserably¬—with the mural-size version in the United States Capitol Rotunda completed almost 40 years after the original smaller painting was begun.  Paul Glenshaw presents two narratives in tandem: the story of the Declaration of Independence and the events preceding and directly after July 4th, 1776, and how those events ultimately intersected with Trumbull’s multifaceted career, a soldier, artist, and diplomat who was on a first-name basis with the founders of the country.
Paul Glenshaw is an artist, educator, author, and filmmaker with more than 30 years’ experience working across disciplines in the arts, history, and sciences. He teaches drawing for Smithsonian Associates and studied painting at Washington University in St. Louis.  He has recently been speaking widely on classic American Revolution paintings at both in-person and remote learning events (including for the Smithsonian Associates).  He resides in Silver Spring, Maryland.  His website is at https://www.glenshawcreative.com.

2.    Line-up for Our Spring Meetings:

We will be holding hybrid in-person and Zoom meetings this Spring on the following dates (the June date has not yet been nailed down):
March 10, 2026:  Harold M. Knudsen speaks on his recent book on Federalist Founder Fisher Ames. 
 April 7, 2026:  Gabriel Neville speaks on his book on the Virginia 8th Regiment of Continentals.
 May 12, 2026:  Richard Bell, professor of history at the University of Maryland, speaks on his new book, The American Revolution and the Fate of the World).
    3.  America's History LLC Presents:  13th Annual Conference of the American Revolution, March 27-29
This terrific annual conference is scheduled for March 27-29 at the Virginia Crossings Hotel and Conference Center, 1000 Virginia Center Pkwy, Glen Allen, VA.
Richard “Rick” Bell—”The American Revolution and the Fate of the World”
Todd W. Braisted—'”You must expect to hear me talked of as a monster of cruelty’: Colonel Francis Lord Rawdon and the Revolutionary War”
Denver Brunsman—”Prisoners, Press Gangs, and the Battle for Sailors in the Revolutionary War.”
Iris de Rode—”Something New to Think About: The Dutch in the American Revolution”
William “Larry” Kidder – “Defending Fort Stanwix: New York’s Frontier During the Revolutionary War:
Lorna Hainesworth Sponsored Speaker: Stephen L. Kling – “An Underappreciated Victory: Bernardo de Gálvez’s Mississippi River Campaign Against the British in 1779”
Mark Edward Lender—”War Without Mercy: Liberty or Death in the American Revolution”
Charles P. Neimeyer—”Revolutionary Riverine Warfare: The War for Independence on America’s Rivers and Lakes”
Gordon Blaine Steffey—”‘Trust Not Professions’: Feuding Founders and Diplomatic Disorder in the Arthur Lee-Silas Deane Affair”
Andrew Waters—”Backcountry War: The Rise of Francis Marion, Banastre Tarleton and Thomas Sumter”
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Cocktail Reception on Friday Evening at 6:30pm for All Speakers and Attendees
Friday Bus Tour (8am-4:30pm): “More Virginia Founding Fathers: Essentially Important for Independence”—Ferry Farm, Gunston Hall, and Historic St. John’s Church. 
Tour Leader: Edward G. Lengel—independent Historian and Washington Scholar
**Limited to one bus, so please register early!**
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Conference Registration: includes cocktail reception, two buffet breakfasts lunch and refreshment breaks:  $325, if paid by 3/1/26; after 3/1/26 registration is $375.
Friday Bus Tour: includes an experienced guide, all admissions, lunch, refreshment breaks, and all gratuities $195. Bus leaves Virginia Crossings Hotel promptly at 8 AM.
Bus Tour Information:
“More Virginia Founding Fathers: Essentially Important for Independence—Ferry Farm, Gunston Hall and Historic St. John’s Church”
Last year’s Founding Fathers bus tour was so successful we decided to continue a good thing. We want to use the “power of place” to understand the origins of the American Revolution by visiting the homes and hearths of men who were significantly important to our fight for independence. Our tour guide is a renown Washington scholar. We will visit Washington’s boyhood home, Ferry Farm on the Rappahannock River and Gunston Hall, the home of a sometimes-overlooked Founding Father, George Mason. Gunston Hall is a favorite site with America’s History. Plus, our stop at Historic St. John’s Church will include a reenactment of Patrick Henry’s famous “Give me liberty, or give me death” speech. Our tour will be fully narrated, interpretated and analyzed by Ed Lengel and onsite staff, so you’ll come away with a better understanding of the decisions made by men who pledged their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor for the “Glorious Cause.” Don’t miss this one.
What’s included: Bus coach transportation, all admissions, lunch, beverage and snack breaks, including Lynne’s world-famous brownies, all gratuities, and the services of an experienced tour leader. Tour goes out rain or shine. There is some walking, so wear comfortable shoes. Please see our policy page for information about cancellations.
Our Tour Leader: Edward G. Lengel is an award-winning historian and educator. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Virginia, where he directed the Washington Papers Project for many years. An author, speaker and battlefield tour guide, Lengel has written fourteen books on American history. These include the official history of Colonial Williamsburg; General George Washington: A Military Life; and Never in Finer Company: The Men of the Great War’s Lost Battalion. Lengel is a co-recipient of the National Humanities Medal and has won two awards from the Army Historical Foundation. He makes frequent television and radio appearances, including in the new Ken Burns American Revolution documentary.
Conference Hotel (Currently booked up**): We have booked a block of rooms at the Virginia Crossings Hotel and Conference Center (Hilton property) at a rate of $125.00 per night (double or single occupancy.) You may reserve a room by calling 888-444-6553 and identifying yourself as an America’s History conference attendee. You can also make reservations online at https://group.tapestrycollection.com/osdi86
**Conference Hotel Rooms Added: Proving yet again that America’s History LLC really does offer the “premier” conference on the American Revolution, we sold out our room block at the Virginia Crossings Hotel and Conference Center. Fortunately, we were able to secure 23 king rooms at the avid Hotel located about two miles from the conference hotel. The ratings for this hotel are excellent. Lynne and I visited it today and Lynne approved. The avid (yes small “a” is their trademark) hotel is located at 10261 Washington Highway, Glen Allen, Virginia. It is an IHG (Holiday Inn) property. The rate is the same as the conference hotel: $125.00 (+ tax/) Call 804-800-5960 and tell them you are with the “American Revolution Conference” and want a room at the group rate. This rate is valid until March 12, 2026. 
 
There is a gigantic soccer tournament in Richmond which is sucking up all the area’s hotel rooms. Rooms may open up at the conference hotel in March, if soccer families cancel rooms for one reason or another. Canceled rooms will be added to our block.

Our Featured Vendors: Westholme Publishing Company, Tim Sampson’s Battlemaps.us, Emerging American Revolution and the Saratoga County 250th Commission

    4.  2026 Revolutionary War Conference: Forging Independence: The Revolutionary War's Early Years
This conference is being held at the DoubleTree Hotel in Front Royal, Virginia, on February 20-21, 2026.
John Maas, Gary Ecelbarger, Rob Orrison, and I are included as speakers. John Maas organized the speakers. It is sponsored by the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation.
The event is sold out!  I include the information below because (i) you could put your name on the waiting list using the link below, and (ii) I thought you should know about this conference since it is relatively close to the Washington, D.C. Area and I expect it will be held next year.
Cost:  Member: $55, Non-Member: $65
Schedule for Friday (February 20)
10:30 and 11:45 AM: Tour of The General Adam Stephen House and Museum, 309 E John St, Martinsburg, WV 25401. Visit the home of Revolutionary War General Adam Stephen in Martinsburg, WV. The shaped limestone house was built between 1772-1789 and was restored in the 1960s by the General Adam Stephen Memorial Association. Two tour times are available on a first come, first served basis on-site. Admission is $2 so bring your cash! For more information on this site, visit https://www.cityofmartinsburg.org/about-us/general-adam-stephen-house.
7:00 PM: The Barns of Rose Hill, Berryville, VA: 95 Chalmers Ct, Berryville, VA 22611. Dr. Kevin Weddle: America’s Turning Point: Leadership and Strategy in the Saratoga Campaign, 1777. Based on his award-winning book, The Compleat Victory: Saratoga and the American Revolution, Weddle provides an analysis of the strategic underpinnings of the historic Saratoga campaign, why events unfolded the way they did, and a new interpretation of George Washington’s role in the American success. Colonel (Ret) Kevin Weddle, Ph.D., is a Distinguished Fellow at the US Army War College. He previously served as professor of Military Theory and Strategy and as the Elihu Root Chair of Military Studies. His most recent book is The Compleat Victory: Saratoga and the American Revolution, winner of six national and international literary awards including the Gilder Lehrman Prize in Military History and the Society of the Cincinnati Prize. This free presentation is jointly hosted by the Barnes of Rose Hill.
Saturday (February 21)
8:00 AM: Registration Opens. 
8:45 AM: Welcome/Introduction
9:00 AM: Robert Orrison: Opening Shots - The Battles of Lexington, Concord, and Bunker Hill. Prolific military historian Rob Orrison focuses on the initial outbreak of violence between British troops and Massachusetts militia at Lexington, Concord, and the bloody retreat of the Redcoats to Boston in April 1775. Followed by the brutal fighting at Bunker Hill, these clashes were important early milestones on the road to independence. Robert Orrison received a bachelor’s degree in historic preservation at Longwood University and a master’s degree in public history from George Mason University. Rob serves as the Division Manager for the Prince William County (Virginia) Office of Historic Preservation. He is the co-author of A Single Blow: The Battles of Lexington and Concord and the Beginning of the American Revolution, April 19, 1775 (2018).
10:00 AM: Dr. John R. Maass: Horatio Gates: The Rise of a Controversial General. Continental Army general Horatio Gates served the American cause from the war’s outbreak to the conflict’s final days. Although hailed as the “Hero of Saratoga” in 1777, his military service was also fraught with controversy. Learn about Gates’s early role at Trenton, and his conflicts with Washington through 1778. John R. Maass is a staff member of the National Museum of the U.S. Army at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. He received a BA in history from Washington and Lee University and a PhD in early American history at The Ohio State University. He is the author of several books and numerous articles on early U.S. military history, including From Trenton to Yorktown: Turning Points of the Revolutionary War (2025).
11:00 AM: Elizabeth L. Maurer: Martha Washington: Founding Mother, Political Partner. Forget the frilly cap—Martha Washington was no passive figurehead. Museum educator Elizabeth Maurer uncovers the real Martha: a savvy political partner, wartime confidante, and symbol of revolutionary resilience. From managing a vast estate to shaping public perception at winter camps, Martha played a vital role in the founding of the nation. Her influence helped define the image of the new republic, and made America’s first First Lady one of its most surprising Founding Mothers. Elizabeth Maurer is the Chief of Programs & Education at the National Museum of the United States Army. She previously held various roles in education, operations, and collections at notable institutions including Colonial Williamsburg, Mount Vernon, the National Women's History Museum, and the DEA Museum. She's a former editor-in-chief of The Journal of Museum Education and currently teaches at the George Washington University.
LUNCH - 12:00-1:30 PM
1:30 PM: Christian McBurney: The Enigmatic Charles Lee. Since the Revolutionary War, Maj. Gen. Charles Lee has been treated as either an enemy of George Washington or a defender of American liberty. Neither approach is accurate, argues author Christian McBurney. Rather, he was the war’s most complicated general. Learn how McBurney uses original documents (some newly discovered) to combine two dramatic stories to create one balanced view of one of the Revolutionary War’s most fascinating personalities. Christian McBurney is a retired attorney and author of six books on the American Revolutionary War, including The Rhode Island Campaign: The First French and American Operation in the Revolutionary War, and George Washington's Nemesis: The Outrageous Treason and Unfair Court-Martial of Major General Charles Lee during the Revolutionary War.
2:30 PM: Robin Young: Bold, Brave and Brash, Anecdotes of Valley Revolutionary War Soldiers. Generals Daniel Morgan, “the old waggoneer,” and Pete Muhlenburg, “the fighting Pastor.” Captain Isaac Hite Jr of Belle Grove, 8th VA, ADC to the above, and cousin to: LT George Hite, 7th VA. Substitute soldier David Spong, and escaped POW Militia member John Forehand. From Shenandoah, Frederick, Berkeley, and Rockbridge counties. Robin Young is the author of For Love and Liberty, the Biography of Major Sullivan Ballou. Upcoming: the Biography of Nelly Madison Hite. Valley Historian, based at Belle Grove Plantation. MSc The London School of Economics and Political Science.
3:15 PM: Gary Ecelbarger: George Washington at Trenton and Princeton. How did George Washington and his hard-pressed army pull off decisive victories at Trenton and Princeton? Historian Gary Ecelbarger demonstrates that these winter battles of 1776 and 1777 were a desperately needed turning point early in the Revolutionary War, in no small part due to Washington’s courageous perseverance. Gary Ecelbarger is an award-winning author of ten books and more than three dozen articles and essays relating to 18th and 19th Century personalities and events. His presentations and discussions have frequently appeared on BookTV (C-Span). His most recent work, George Washington's Momentous Year, is a two-volume history and analysis of Continental army headquarters during the iconic Valley Forge winter and the two campaigns that surrounded it.
If you want to put your name on the waiting list, go to the bottom of this page and fill out the form: https://www.shenandoahatwar.org/2026-rev-war-conferenc

Thank you!
Christian McBurney
President, George Washington American Revolution Round Table of the District of Columbia