On this day 250 years ago in Newport, Rhode Island the Newport Mercury reported that “Last Tuesday the militia of this town were mustered and exercised, when they performed extremely well, considering there has not been a muster here before upwards of ten years.”

Source: https://allthingsliberty.com/2016/01/the-organization-of-the-rhode-island-militia-1774-1783/#_edn16 n.17

Also on that day in Wilmington, North Carolina, Francis Clayton Deputy Chairman of “the Joint committees for the town of Wilmington and county of New-Hanover” wrote to James Kenan of the Duplin County Committee, to propose that the committees send representatives to each other’s committee meetings to coordinate on “several matters of much concern to American welfare, agitated”. Clayton would continue to lead the Committee in Wilmington throughout the Revolution and Kenan would serve as the commander of the Duplin militia in multiple battles of the War rising to the rank of Brigadier General.

Source: https://docsouth.unc.edu/csr/index.php/document/csr09-0353

On that day in Alexandria, Virginia, George Washington and other voters of Fairfax County to elect delegates to the Second Virginia Convention. Washington was elected as one of the delegates.

Source: https://www.mountvernon.org/george-washington/revolutionary-war/250-years-ago-day

Also on that day in Boston, Thomas Cushing would write to Benjamin Franklin in London that Americans were “as firm and United as ever” and Joseph Warren would write to Arthur Lee in London that:

It is truly astonishing that the Administration should have a doubt of the resolution of the Americans to make the last appeal, rather than submit to wear the yoke prepared for their necks. . . . It is time for Britain to take some serious steps towards a reconciliation with her Colonies. The people here are weary of watching the measures of those who are endeavouring to enslave them; . . . They even sometimes speak of an open rupture with Great Britain, as a state preferable to the present uncertain condition of affairs; and although it is true that the people have yet a very warm affection for the British Nation, yet it sensibly decays. They are loyal subjects to the King; but they conceive that they do not swerve from their allegiance, by opposing any measures taken by any man or set of men, to deprive them of their liberties. They conceive that they are the King’ s enemies, who would destroy the Constitution; for the King is annihilated when the Constitution is destroyed.

It is not yet too late to accommodate the dispute amicably; but I am of opinion that if once General Gage should lead his Troops into the country, with a design to enforce the late Acts of Parliament, Great Britain may take her leave, at least of the New England Colonies, and, if I mistake not, of all America.

Source: https://leefamilyarchive.org/joseph-warren-to-arthur-lee-20-february-1775/; Norton at p. 313.