Before Washington crossed the Delaware… before the victory at Yorktown… there was William Thompson

In June 1775, this frontier fighter from Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, became the very first colonel of the United States Army—leading an elite Rifle Battalion whose skill, precision, and daring helped shape America's fight for independence.

Most Americans have never heard his name. My guest, Dr. John Bonin, is a distinguished military historian who has followed Thompson's path from his stone home—named Soldier's Retreat—along the Conodoguinet Creek, to the icy waters of Lechmere Point, through the brutal hardships of the Canada campaign, and into the quiet obscurity of his final years.

This story is more than a forgotten chapter of the Revolutionary War. It's a story about leadership, resilience, and the birth of the U.S. Army, which celebrated its 250th birthday this past June. If you love American history, military history, or storytelling that brings the past to life, you'll want to hear this. And afterwards, please share with a friend, on social media, or in an email, so we can give Thompson the recognition he deserves.

Dr. John Bonin's book can be downloaded from the Department of Defense website. Thompson’s Rifle Battalion: The Original Unit of the Army of the United Colonies

Contact at - [email protected]

Becoming America - William Thompson, Story of the first colonel of the United States Army commissioned in June 1775 - This video was filmed at the restored William Thompson's house, "Soldier's Retreat", Cumberland County, Pennsylvania.
#AmericanHistory #MilitaryHistory #RevolutionaryWar #USArmy #HistoryPodcast #WilliamThompson #StorytellingPodcast #ThompsonsRifleBattalion #ForgottenHistory #TheWanderingPen