Every soldier had a story. Not every story was remembered.
The Yost Post is dedicated to uncovering and sharing the experiences of lesser-known Americans who participated in the Revolutionary War.
Beyond the Famous Names
The American Revolution is often told through the lives of its most famous figures: George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Paul Revere, and the generals who commanded armies.
But the struggle for American independence involved thousands of ordinary people whose names rarely appear in history books.
They were farmers, laborers, craftsmen, sailors, physicians, and men from vastly different circumstances. Some volunteered enthusiastically. Others served under difficult conditions. Some were captured, wounded, or left impoverished by their military service.
Many survived the Revolution only to face another struggle: proving their service to a government from which they sought a pension.
Their stories remain preserved in historical documents, often written in faded ink, difficult handwriting, and language unfamiliar to modern readers.
History Through Their Own Words
Our focus is on the lesser-known individuals who participated in the American Revolution.
Rather than simply repeating familiar accounts of major battles and prominent leaders, we explore the personal experiences preserved in military records, pension applications, firsthand testimony, and local histories.
These documents sometimes reveal remarkable details: imprisonment aboard British vessels, desperate financial circumstances, families separated by war, or military service that stretched across several years and campaigns.
Other records offer only fragments of a life.
Both deserve careful attention.
Bringing Historical Documents to Life
The Yost Post transforms historical records into accessible biographies while maintaining connections to the original evidence.
Whenever possible, our articles provide links to National Archives pension files and other historical sources so readers can explore the documents themselves.
We distinguish documented facts from uncertain recollections, later traditions, and historical interpretations.
Our purpose is not to make every soldier into a hero or to impose a modern narrative upon the past. It is to understand these individuals within the circumstances of their own time.
A Growing Historical Collection
The Yost Post is being developed as a searchable collection of Revolutionary War biographies.
As the collection expands, our goal is to help readers discover soldiers through their names, military units, states, experiences, and surviving historical records.
We hope this resource will serve history enthusiasts, genealogists, educators, students, and families interested in the people who experienced the American Revolution firsthand.
To make historical evidence accessible, tell compelling stories without inventing facts, and preserve the experiences of those whose contributions have received far less attention.
The famous names of the Revolution will always have their place in history.
The Yost Post is dedicated to remembering those whose stories have received far less attention.
Interested in how these biographies are researched and prepared? Read our Research & Editorial Process.