On this episode of Our American Stories when the HMS Birkenhead struck rocks off the coast of South Africa in chaos should have followed Instead what happened that night became one of history's clearest displays of courage and order in the face of disaster With lifeboats too few for the hundreds aboard British soldiers stood their ground so that women and children could be saved Their calm obedience became known as the Birkenhead Drill a model of discipline that would inspire generations and set the standard for what it means to put others first The History Guy shares the story [... more]

A history professor shares a discovery about a prison ship run by the British during the Revolutionary War, where thousands of American prisoners died due to disease, starvation, and brutal treatment. The ship, known as the Ghost Ship, was used for propaganda and became a symbol of British cruelty. [... more]

The Birkenhead disaster of 1852 was a tragic event in which a British troop ship sank off the coast of South Africa, resulting in the loss of hundreds of lives. Despite the chaos and panic, the soldiers on board showed remarkable discipline and self-sacrifice, following the protocol of 'women and children first' as they loaded the lifeboats. This extraordinary story of bravery and sacrifice has become a model for military discipline and has been immortalized in poetry and history. [... more]

The HMS Jersey, a British warship, was converted into a floating prison during the Revolutionary War, where over 1,000 American prisoners of war died due to disease, starvation, and brutal treatment. The ship's commander, Sproat, used the vessel for psychological warfare, and the prisoners were subjected to inhumane conditions, including overcrowding, lack of food and water, and torture. The story of the ghost ship of Brooklyn is a testament to the horrors of war and the resilience of the human spirit. [... more]

The HMS Jersey, a British warship, was converted into a floating prison during the Revolutionary War, where thousands of American prisoners were subjected to inhumane conditions, disease, and torture, leading to the deaths of over 11,000 men, more than twice the number who died in combat. [... more]

The HMS Jersey, a British warship, was converted into a floating prison during the Revolutionary War, where over 1000 American prisoners of war died due to disease, starvation, and brutal treatment. The ship's history is a shocking and little-known chapter in American history, revealed through the research of historian Robert Watson and the diary of a 13-year-old boy who survived the ordeal. [... more]

The HMS Jersey, a British warship, was converted into a prison ship during the Revolutionary War, resulting in the deaths of thousands of American prisoners. The ship became notorious for its inhumane conditions, disease, and mistreatment of prisoners, with some estimates suggesting that twice as many Americans died on this ship than in combat during the war. [... more]