J.M. STRINGER GALLERY

"Boston Tea Party" Oil on panel, 7" x 12" December 16, 1773 - During the night, American patriots disguised as Mohawk Indians threw 342 chests of tea belonging to the British East India Company overboard into the Boston Harbor. This protest was in opposition to various Townshend Acts and taxation without representation.

"Constitution Debate" Oil on panel, 8" x 10" May 25 - September 17, 1787 - Washington was unanimously elected presiding officer of the Constitutional Convention, which met in the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia. He was the one most trusted by the delegates, which included many leading figures of the period, who were debating bitterly while drawing up the document. Under Washington’s guidance, 39 delegates signed the Constitution on September 17, 1787.

"Cowpens" Oil on panel, 8" x 12" Jan. 17, 1781- After several defeats, the American army verged on total collapse. British dragoons under Sir Banastre Tarleton had pushed Gen. Daniel Morgan to the open fields of the Cowpens (an area well-known as cattle pastureland). Here, Morgan made a stand. Taking an overconfident Tarleton by surprise, he commanded a counterattack. With staggering British losses, the Battle of Cowpens was a brilliant Patriot victory and turned the tide of the war.

"Heat of the Battle, Monmouth" Oil on panel, 8" x 12" June 28, 1778 - After American Gen. Charles Lee tried to retreat, a furious Washington rode through the ranks, rallying and inspiring his men amidst the swirling confusion near Monmouth Courthouse. They fought to a standstill in the open fields in the sweltering 100°F heat (so oppressive it killed Washington’s own horse). The Battle of Monmouth was the longest and final large engagement in the North.

"Lafayette, Battle of Brandywine" Oil on panel, 12" x 8" Sept. 11, 1777 - Under Gen. Howe, British forces launched a surprise bombardment on the Revolutionary Army. In a hasty attempt to counter, the American’s improvised line of defense wavered. Lafayette rallied the men in a desperate fight, until he was shot in the leg and led the retreat. In the end, British troops took the battlefield but they had not destroyed Washington’s army.

"Newport" Oil on linen panel, 8" x 12" The red building on Marlborough St., opened in 1673, is still the White Horse Tavern today and was a meeting place for the Colony’s General Assembly. Serving in the Battle of Rhode Island in 1778, John Glover and his Marbleheaders became known as the “Amphibious Regiment” for their vital nautical skills. They played a crucial role in the war, ferrying Washington and his 2,400 men across the Delaware River in a blinding snowstorm in 1776.

"Rochambeau & Washington Planning Yorktown" Oil on panel, 8" x 10" May 1781 - This famous council of war took place between Washington and Rochambeau at the Joseph Webb House in Wethersfield, CT. Washington spent five days with the French General planning the joint military campaign and mapping the route to what would become the final stance - the capture of the British forces under Charles Cornwallis in the Siege of Yorktown and the victorious end to the American Revolution.

"Sea Battle, Chesapeake Bay" Oil on panel, 7" x 12" Sept. 5, 1781 - French Admiral De Grasse outfought the combined fleets of British Admirals Hood and Graves in the Battle of the Chesapeake Capes, forcing them back to New York and gaining control of the Bay. This success was crucial to Washington’s daring victory at Yorktown and achieving American independence - preventing Cornwallis from receiving reinforcements and helping ensure Washington could use the Bay to transport troops and supplies.

"Shipbuilding, Portsmouth" Oil on panel, 8" x 12" The many tidal coves in Portsmouth were conducive for shipbuilding. Here, Ranger was constructed for Captain John Paul Jones to fight the British in 1777. It was also here that Jones’ America was outfitted, the largest warship built in the nation at that time. The house Jones spent many happy hours in still stands, as does the Wentworth-Gardner House, a powerful family dynasty in colonial New Hampshire.

"Siege of Charleston" Oil on panel, 8" x 12" Mar. 29-May 12, 1780 - British northern strategy collapsed and they focused on the Southern Colonies, forcing the American militia to set out to defend Charleston. The steeple of St. Michael’s Church sheltered Patriot lookouts during the six-week siege. The town fell to the British upon the surrender of Gen. Lincoln on May 12. The British burned almost the entire town, and this major engagement stands as one of the worst American defeats of the war.

"Swamp Fox" Oil on panel, 8" x 12" Francis Marion was called “Swamp Fox” for his cunning and resourcefulness. Marion used the landscape to his advantage, outwitting the British by mounting devastating surprise ambushes and then withdrawing to the Southern swamps and forests. In November 1780, Sir Banastre Tarleton was sent to capture Marion. After a seven-hour chase, 26 miles, oppressive heat, and mosquitoes, Swamp Fox eluded capture and helped keep American independence alive in the South.

"The First President" Oil on panel, 8" x 12" April 30, 1789 - Before a crowd of thousands, George Washington was sworn in as the first American president at Federal Hall in New York City, overlooking Wall and Broad Streets. Dressed in a plain brown broadcloth suit, holding a ceremonial army sword, the impressive and solemn 6’3” figure took the oath of office and delivered the first inaugural address – taking political helm of the new country.

"Williamsburg" Oil on panel, 9" x 12" From 1699-1780, Williamsburg was the capital of the royal British colony of Virginia. After May 1776, it was the capital of the newly independent Commonwealth of Virginia. A training ground for leaders of the cause, Virginians meeting here on May 15, 1776 became the first to propose freedom for all 13 colonies. The Declaration of Independence was adopted less than two months later. The painting depicts a typical bustling day on the Duke of Gloucester St.