Episodes

  • The Battle of Bennington: How Militia Farmers Crushed a British Raid

    The Battle of Bennington: How Militia Farmers Crushed a British Raid
    Jun 30 2026
    In August 1777, a British-German raiding force under Lieutenant Colonel Friedrich Baum was dispatched into Vermont to seize horses and supplies for General John Burgoyne's advancing army. At the Battle of Bennington, a hastily assembled militia force led by General John Stark utterly destroyed Baum's command, killing or capturing over 900 enemy troops. This episode explores the battle's pivotal role in setting up Burgoyne's eventual surrender at Saratoga, the tactical decisions that led to the American victory, and the wider strategic context. We discuss Stark's famous rallying cry, the composition of the British force (including Hessian dragoons and Loyalist volunteers), the impact of a summer thunderstorm, and how the shortage of supplies ultimately doomed Burgoyne's invasion. The conversation also touches on the often-overlooked role of the Green Mountain Boys and the legacy of Bennington in Vermont memory. #BattleOfBennington #JohnStark #FriedrichBaum #SaratogaCampaign #GreenMountainBoys #VermontHistory #AmericanRevolution #Bennington #Hessians #Loyalists #ContinentalArmy #1777 #NewEnglandMilitia #JohnBurgoyne #StrategicTurningPoint #MilitaryHistory #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    7 mins
  • John Paul Jones: The Pirate Who Terrified Britain

    John Paul Jones: The Pirate Who Terrified Britain
    Jun 30 2026
    Step aboard the USS Bonhomme Richard with Lucas and Luna as they recount the audacious naval career of John Paul Jones — the Scottish-born captain who became the American Revolution's most feared sea raider. From his early command of the Providence to the epic 1779 Battle of Flamborough Head, this episode explores how Jones raided British ports, captured the HMS Drake, and famously declared 'I have not yet begun to fight!' when his own ship was sinking. Learn how his attacks on the British coastline forced the Royal Navy to divert ships from America, weakening their blockade. We also discuss his post-war service in the Russian navy under Catherine the Great and his forgotten legacy as the 'Father of the American Navy'. No ads, just history — supported by listeners at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. #JohnPaulJones #BonhommeRichard #FlamboroughHead #AmericanRevolution #ContinentalNavy #NavalHistory #Serapis #Ranger #Whitehaven #HMSDrake #CatherineTheGreat #Russia #ScottsBorn #SeaRaid #18thCentury #WarAtSea #FexingoHistory #History Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    8 mins
  • Theodosia Burr: America's Lost Founding Daughter

    Theodosia Burr: America's Lost Founding Daughter
    Jun 29 2026
    In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the tragic story of Theodosia Burr Alston, the brilliant and accomplished daughter of Aaron Burr. Born into the heart of the revolutionary generation, Theodosia was educated as few women of her time were — fluent in Greek, Latin, French, and well-versed in philosophy and politics. She served as her father's political confidante and later married Joseph Alston, a wealthy South Carolina planter who became governor. But her life unraveled after Aaron Burr's treason trial and exile. In 1813, at age 29, Theodosia boarded the schooner Patriot in Georgetown, South Carolina, bound for New York to reunite with her father. The ship vanished without a trace, sparking two centuries of legend: pirates, storms, and even claims she survived as a castaway. We examine the known facts — her letters, her education, the political scandal that destroyed her family — and separate history from myth. #TheodosiaBurr #AaronBurr #LostLady #PatriotSchooner #BurrConspiracy #EarlyRepublic #WomenInHistory #AmericanRevolution #FexingoHistory #GeorgetownSC #JosephAlston #FoundingDaughter #PirateLegends #HistoryMystery #19thCentury #LostShip #SouthCarolinaHistory #History Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    7 mins
  • The Hessians: German Soldiers in the American Revolution

    The Hessians: German Soldiers in the American Revolution
    Jun 29 2026
    When the American Revolution erupted, King George III turned to a surprising source for troops: the German states of Hesse-Kassel and Hesse-Hanau. In Episode 127, Lucas and Luna explore the story of the Hessians — the roughly 30,000 German soldiers hired to suppress the rebellion. They delve into the political economy of 18th-century German principalities, where rulers like Landgrave Frederick II profited from leasing their subjects as soldiers. They examine the Hessians' fearsome reputation, their role in key battles like Trenton and Saratoga, and the grim conditions they faced. The episode also highlights the Hessian perspective: many were conscripts, not volunteers; some deserted to join the American side; and others settled in the United States after the war. Lucas and Luna discuss the Hessian officer Johann Rall, who died at Trenton, and the famous Hessian mercenary nickname that became a household word. They also consider the legacy of the Hessians in American memory and the moral complexities of using hired foreign troops. #Hessians #AmericanRevolution #HesseKassel #Mercenaries #LandgraveFrederickII #JohannRall #Trenton #Saratoga #GermanSoldiers #18thCenturyWarfare #RevolutionaryWar #HessianMercenaries #FrederickTheGreat #ForeignTroops #Desertion #BattleOfTrenton #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    7 mins
  • Theodosia Burr: The Lost Daughter of the Revolution

    Theodosia Burr: The Lost Daughter of the Revolution
    Jun 28 2026
    In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the life and mysterious disappearance of Theodosia Burr Alston, the brilliant and accomplished daughter of Aaron Burr. They discuss her education, her role as a political confidante, her marriage to South Carolina governor Joseph Alston, and the tragic loss of her only son. The conversation then delves into the enduring mystery of her disappearance at sea in 1813, examining the evidence and the theories, including the possibility that pirates captured her ship. The hosts also touch on her legacy and the fictionalized portrayals that have shaped her story. #TheodosiaBurr #AaronBurr #AmericanRevolution #EarlyRepublic #HistoryMystery #Disappearance #Pirates #FemaleIntellectual #SouthCarolina #JosephAlston #TalesOfTheAlhambra #HistoricalFiction #18thCentury #19thCentury #WomenInHistory #FexingoHistory #Podcast #History Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    6 mins
  • Theodosia Burr: The Lost Daughter of the Revolution

    Theodosia Burr: The Lost Daughter of the Revolution
    Jun 28 2026
    In this episode of The American Revolution: How Colonies Defeated an Empire, Lucas and Luna explore the tragic story of Theodosia Burr Alston, daughter of Aaron Burr. Born into the heart of the Revolution, she was one of the best-educated women of her era, fluent in Greek and Latin, and a confidante to her father during his rise and fall. After his duel with Alexander Hamilton, she stood by him through scandal and exile. In 1812, she vanished at sea aboard the schooner Patriot, becoming one of history's great unsolved mysteries. The conversation covers her education, her role in Burr's political life, the conspiracy of 1807, and the theories surrounding her disappearance—including the legend that she survived and lived out her days as a fortune teller. A poignant look at a woman shaped by the Revolution and lost to its aftermath. #TheodosiaBurr #AaronBurr #AlexanderHamilton #BurrConspiracy #PatriotSchooner #AmericanRevolution #RevolutionaryWomen #LostDaughter #HistoryMystery #UnsolvedMystery #Piracy #18thCentury #19thCentury #NorthCarolina #NewYork #SouthCarolina #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    8 mins
  • The Franco-American Alliance: 12,000 French Soldiers Arrive

    The Franco-American Alliance: 12,000 French Soldiers Arrive
    Jun 27 2026
    In 1780, a French expeditionary force of 12,000 soldiers landed in Rhode Island, an event often overshadowed by the later Battle of the Chesapeake. This episode explores the logistics, diplomacy, and cultural clashes behind the arrival of the Comte de Rochambeau's army. We discuss the secret negotiations between Louis XVI and the American rebels, the perilous Atlantic crossing, the tensions between French and American troops at Newport, and how George Washington and Rochambeau forged a partnership that culminated at Yorktown. Featuring insights on the role of the Marquis de Lafayette as liaison, the supply challenges, and the strategic delays that nearly doomed the campaign. #Rochambeau #LouisXVI #FrancoAmericanAlliance #Newport #RhodeIsland #GeorgeWashington #Lafayette #Yorktown #FrenchArmy #ContinentalArmy #AmericanRevolution #ComteDeRochambeau #ExpeditionaryForce #1780 #History #FexingoHistory #MilitaryHistory #FrenchHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    8 mins
  • The Overmountain Men: How Frontier Fighters Crushed the British at Kings Mountain

    The Overmountain Men: How Frontier Fighters Crushed the British at Kings Mountain
    Jun 27 2026
    In October 1780, a ragtag army of frontier settlers marched over the Appalachian Mountains to deliver one of the most stunning defeats of the American Revolution. Patrick Ferguson, the British officer who invented the breech-loading Ferguson rifle, thought the backcountry loyalists would shield him. Instead, a force of 900 Overmountain Men from the Watauga and Holston settlements caught his army of loyalists at Kings Mountain. Using their own long rifles and frontier tactics, they annihilated Ferguson's force in just 65 minutes. The battle shattered British plans to subdue the southern colonies and forced General Cornwallis to abandon his invasion of North Carolina. This episode covers the origins of the Overmountain settlements, the character of Patrick Ferguson, the brutal close-quarters fighting on the rocky ridge, and the battle's decisive impact on the war. The story also touches on the post-war fate of the region and the legacy of the Overmountain Men in American memory. #OvermountainMen #BattleofKingsMountain #PatrickFerguson #AmericanRevolution #SouthernCampaign #WataugaSettlement #FrontierWarfare #LongRifle #Loyalists #IsaacShelby #JohnSevier #WilliamCampbell #Cornwallis #FergusonRifle #Cowpens #SycamoreShoals #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    8 mins