Revolutionary War Historical Article
A Glossary of Revolutionary War Nicknames
By the Charles R. Lampman and Donald N. Moran
Editor's Note: This article was reprinted from the April-May 2008 Edition of the Liberty Tree Newsletter. We will add new nicknames as they are identified.
PATRIOTS
America 's Hannibal = Colonel Benedict Arnold
American Fabius = General George Washington
Boiling Water = Captain Charles Lee (French &Indian War)
Carolina Gamecock = Brigadier General Thomas Sumter
Chucky Jack = Colonel John Sevier
Dictator = Governor John Rutledge (SC)
Drill Master = Major General The Baron von Steuben
Goliath of the Revolution = Trooper Peter Francisco.
Gustavus = Major General Benedict Arnold
His Excellency = General George Washington
Light Horse Harry = Lieutenant Colonel Henry Lee
Little Lion = Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Hamilton
Lord Stirling = Major General William Alexander
Mad Anthony = Brigadier General Anthony Wayne
Monk = Major General Benedict Arnold
Old Danger = Lieutenant Colonel William Thompson (SC Militia)
Old Granny = Major General Horatio Gates
Old Grape and Guts = Captain (Navy) Stephen Hopkins
Old Put = Major General Israel Putman
Old Wagoner = Brigadier General Daniel Morgan
Swamp Fox = Brigadier General Francis Marion
Town Burner = General George Washington
Wizard owl = Major General Andrew Pickens
Young Chief = Colonel John Stark
BRITISH
Gentleman Johnny = Lieutenant General John Burgoyne
Modern Hannibal = Lieutenant Gen. Charles Cornwallis
General Esopus = Major General John Vaughan
No Flint = Major General Charles Gray
Foul Weather -Jack = Admiral John Byron
Bloody Ban = Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton
The Hair Buyer =Lieutenant Colonel Henry Hamilton
Bulldog = Major Patrick Ferguson
Bulldog's Pup = Captain Abraham DePeyster
Honest Tom = Lieutenant General Thomas Gage
Old Woman =Lieutenant General Thomas Gage
Lothario = Major John Andre
Black Dick = Admiral Richard Howe
GENERAL NICKNAMES
Abatis = Obstacles formed of trees felled toward the enemy
Bennington Rioters = Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain men
Black Watch = Scottish Forty-Second Foot
Brown Bess = The 75 caliber musket used during the war
Carolina Gold = Rice
Cold Steel = Bayonets
Even Sworded = British Twenty-Ninth Regiment of Foot
Flamers = Fifty-Fourth Regiment of Foot
Flying Camp = Pennsylvania Militia that responded to action of a skirmish in any location, then went home
Gentlemen Cadets = Attending the Woolwich Academy
Grasshopper = Mobile brass Field Cannon, 3 to 5 pounders
Havercake Lads = Thirty-Third Regiment of Foot
Kings Men = Loyalist or Tories
Liberty Boys = Generally members of the Sons of Liberty
Life Guards = George Washington's personal guard also known as "The Commander-in-Chief Guards"
Light Bobs = British Light Infantry
Lobster Backs = British Regulars
Maham Tower = A tower used during a siege to gain height to allow troops to fire over a fort wall
Marbleheaders = 14th Massachusetts Continentals
Marblehead Marines = 14th Massachusetts Continentals
Minutemen = Original Massachusetts Militia
Necessary = restroom or latrine
Plug Bayonets = The handle of the bayonet is shaped to allow it to be jammed into the musket barrel
Quaker guns = Tree trunks painted to look like guns
Regiments = Military coat
Sail = Ships
Shiners = British Fifth Regiment of Foot
Small cloths = Breeches, shirts, waistcoats (vests) and stocking.
The Shop = British Woolwich Military Academy
Springers = British Tenth Regiment of Foot
Sullivan's Bridge = Bridge over the Schuylkill at Valley Forge
Yelling Boys = Over-Mountain Men
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