-
The Chancellor’s War: Robert R. Livingston in the War of Independence Conclusion
Men like Robert R. Livingston were the reason that the American Revolution succeeded in creating a new country without descending into complete and utter anarchy. Livingston and his ilk, while whole heartedly believing in the cause and supporting independence, tempered the more radical elements that would have seen the social order upset as later happened… →
-
The Chancellor’s War: Robert R. Livingston in the War of Independence Chapter 10
Livingston’s homecoming was not permanent after resigning from the as Secretary for Foreign Affairs. In the coming years Livingston rose and fell only to rise again in his political fortunes. He continued to be a man who would shape the country. He sought office and recognition. As Julian Ursyn Niemcewicz noted when he visited Clermont;… →
-
The Chancellor’s War: Robert R. Livingston in the War of Independence Chapter 9
On August 10, 1781 Livingston was selected for the most important post he held during the Revolution. Livingston was elected by a vote in Congress, over Arthur Lee, as Secretary for Foreign Affairs when the Articles of Confederation took effect. The job came with a salary of four thousand dollars per annum, which Livingston sorely… →
-
The Chancellor’s War: Robert R. Livingston in the War of Independence Chapter 8
Livingston arrived back in Philadelphia in late 1779. His presence in Congress had been deeply missed by some of the leading members. In 1777 Robert Morris had written to George Washington; “We have now to lament the absence from the public Councils of Amserica, of a Johnson, A Jay R.R. Livingston, Duane, Deane, W.… →
-
The Chancellor’s War: Robert R. Livingston in the War of Independence Chapter 6
From the early days of the war Livingston made himself vital to the planning and execution of the defenses of the Hudson River. He was also important on a national level with shaping how the army would conduct the war. In October of 1775 when Congress was debating the disposition of troops, Roger Sherman said… →
-
The Chancellor’s War: Robert R. Livingston in the War of Independence Chapter 3
In April 1775 Robert Livingston was chosen to represent Dutchess County in New York City at the Provincial Convention. The Convention’s main goal that spring was to choose representatives to the new assemblage recently called for in Philadelphia, the Second Continental Congress. Livingston was unanimously chosen to represent New York. On April 23, the… →
-
The Chancellor’s War: Robert R. Livingston in the War of Independence Chapter 2
Robert Livingston’s college experience played an important role in the formation of his political beliefs and also for the future of the liberty movement in New York. Like many college students he became politically aware and active during this period. The friends he made at college shaped the very nature of the Revolution in… →
-
The Chancellor’s War: Robert R. Livingston in the War of Independence Chapter 1
Robert R. Livingston’s great-grandfather assured his family would be numbered among New York’s aristocracy through a mixture of hard work, sheer determination and a copious amount of intelligence. The first Robert Livingston, referred to as “the Founder” or “the First Lord”, was the son of a Scottish minister who had been driven to exile in… →
-
The Chancellor’s War: Robert R. Livingston in the War of Independence Introduction
Many years ago I wrote a book about Robert R. Livingston in the American Revolution as you can tell by the title. When I submitted it for publication not only was it rejected but I was told by one of the reviewers “This author should stop writing.” That stifled my writing for several years. I… →