On this day 250 years ago in Williamsburg Royal Governor Lord Dunmore wrote to Lord Dartmouth in England that every county in Virginia

is now arming a Company of men. whom they call an Independent Company. for the avowed purpose of protecting their Committees. and to be employed against Government. if occasion require. The Committee of one County has proceeded so far as to swear the men of their Independent Company. to execute all orders which shall be given them from the Committee of their County.

Source: Jim Glanville, “The Fincastle Resolutions”, Vol. XIV The Smithfield Review 69 (2010) at p. 73 found at https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/672b0c83-5d0c-4bed-85f0-57599c7a60b1/content at p. 73

On this day 250 years ago in Savannah, Georgia, Royal Governor Sir James Wright wrote to Lord Dartmouth that “Our Liberty Folks are really very active in Fomenting a Flame throughout the Province.”

Source: Norton, Mary Beth, 1774 the Long Year of Revolution, New York: Vintage Books, 2021 at p. 245.

On this day 250 years ago in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Royal Governor John Wentworth wrote to Lord Dartmouth about the capture of Fort William and Mary and lamented that if he arrested the attackers “[n]o jail would hold them long, and no jury would find them guilty . . .”

Source: https://nhsar.org/the-raid-on-fort-william-and-mary-in-1774/#[136]

While Governor Wentworth was writing the letter a group of Portsmouth men “being desirous of attaining the Military Art” and recognizing that the officers in command of the Portsmouth militia were Loyalists, organized an independent volunteer militia company that would train twice a week under its own elected officers. 

Source: https://nhsar.org/the-raid-on-fort-william-and-mary-in-1774/#[132]

Also on this day 250 years ago in Massachusetts, Mercy Otis Warren wrote to her good friend Abigail Adams:

America stands armed with resolution and virtue; but she still recoils at the idea of drawing the sword against the nation from whence she derived her origin. Yet Britain, like an unnatural parent, is ready to plunge her dagger into the bosom of her affectionate offspring. But may we not yet hope for more lenient measures?”

Source: https://curriculum.choices.edu/classes/10522/units/18/parts/1404?access_code=8ggOTrBC