“The line between disorder and order lies in logistics…”- Sun Tzu
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Yet again, some history that tends to get forgotten by the media and by the critics of contractors. We are very much a part of the history of the U.S. and arguably, we wouldn’t have won our war of independence without the help of private industry. From the guys and gals following the Continental Army around as Camp Followers, to the Privateers sticking it to British commerce on the high seas–private industry during that war was very American and necessary.
I posted three nice little historical references for contractors or ‘camp followers’ during the Revolutionary War. The first one is from Holly Mayer’s book that is posted up on Google Books for everyone to read and enjoy. I pulled this quote out of the preface, because it pretty much sums up how todays military views contractors in this war. Funny how history repeats itself. And if we are to continue this thought, I imagine there will be every effort by historians and those in the military and politics who are ‘haters’ of contractors to discredit our service and sacrifice. I wouldn’t doubt that when the memorial is put up in D.C. for the dead of this current war, that there will be any place for contractors on that wall.
The second article is from Holly’s treatment of the subject in an article she wrote. Another great example of the unsung heroes of the Revolutionary War. The wagoners and camp followers were essential as described in the article, and it makes sense. She also goes into how this was forgotten, and how there was even an effort to just forget about those contributions
This also fits in nicely with how privateers were treated after the war. The Continental Navy wanted to do it all, and did not want to deal with any competition or recognize the profound impact that a bunch of private naval companies had. When the war was over, privateers were instantly ignored by those in the military or politics, and considered to be ‘less than’. No mention of the sacrifice or true contribution to the war. They were just a bunch of vile profiteers who were one step away from a pirate. Pfffft. Some thanks.
The final post was from Strategy Page. They pump out some cool little articles every once in awhile, and this one was a good one. I had no idea about the ratio of contractors to soldiers in all the various wars. They also talk about how camp followers were armed to protect forts, so soldiers could run back to the forts to recover and seek shelter. That sounds like what is happening on FOBs in Iraq or Afghanistan, complete with Ugandans protecting soldiers at the fort walls, and a multitude of expats/local nationals/third country nationals all doing ‘camp follower’ activities to support the troops. The DEFACs, the PX, the Gym’s–all of it being run by contractors.
So I am going to say it. Contractors or Camp Followers, were the other essential element to winning the Revolutionary War, that no one talks about or wants to acknowledge. Camp Followers were the ‘logistics train’ during that war, and privateers were the navy. Without that their help and contribution, the outcome of that war would have been very different. I feel the same way about today’s contractors and without us, the military would not have been able to go anywhere. And because of us, this concept of an all volunteer military works. That is reality, but you won’t hear that from today’s politicians or military leaders. –Matt
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Their (camp followers) presence and production may have meant survival, but control meant success. Furthermore, as it did with it’s soldiers, the army also tried to make camp followers fit the image of the army (for the army was supposed to reflect the visionary quest of the new nation), but when it could not do that, it tried to make them “invisible”. It was not very successful in that endeavor during the war, but afterward it was another story. –Holly A. Mayer, from the book ‘Belonging to the Army: Camp Followers and Community During the American Revolution
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Women and Wagoners: Camp Followers in the American War for Independence
by Holly A. Mayer
An old tune called “The Girl I Left Behind Me” tells of a lovelorn soldier yearning to return home to his waiting fair maid. Although there is a good chance that this song was fifed during the war, the earliest transcripts only date to the 1790s. Even if redcoats and rebels did not whistle it in 1776, it echoes what people of the Revolutionary Era believed about men honor-bound to cause, country, and home-bound consorts. The reality, however, was that not all men left to serve in the military and not all women stayed home. Over the course of the war, thousands of women, many with children, and throngs of civilian men trailed after the combating armies. Known collectively as camp followers, these men, among whom many were wagoners, and women made up a people’s army encompassing civilians as well as soldiers. The majority of these civilians were hard-working, though not necessarily heroic, contributors to military life and operations. Acknowledging their presence expands our image of the Continental Army and our understanding of civilian contributions to waging the Revolution’s war.
Followers, especially the female followers, have seldom rated much mention in histories of the War for American Independence, perhaps because most women and girls did stay behind tending to farms and businesses or sheltering with friends and relatives. Society tended to applaud those who stayed behind as fitting feminine heroes—heroines —who sustained the home front. Such applause helped build and identify girls’ and women’s proper activities and social sphere. That was certainly the case in America as later generations used the Founding Era to determine standards by which to judge what was appropriate for American women. Although the representations are not fully aligned with the reality of women’s wartime challenges and roles, especially those defined by race, the Revolution produced at least two iconic female stereotypes: the first, what today may be called the “American Girl,” was usually young, ‘free’ and engaged in adventure; the second, the “Republican Mother,” was married or maternal and showed her brave spirit by serving others. While later generations created the popular image of the camp follower as the free-spirited “American Girl,” in reality more “Republican Mothers” may have filled that role.