On this day 250 years ago at Mosby’s Tavern, then serving as the courthouse for Cumberland County, Virginia, the Cumberland County Committee passed the Cumberland Resolves in opposition to the Intolerable Acts and in support of the Continental Association.

Source: https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=33105 [note — The only source I have found for the Cumberland Resolves is this historical marker. Jim Glanville, who has done the most research on the resolutions adopted by Virginia Counties in 1774 and 1775, does not list these resolves in his 2010 article on the subject. Most of the Virginia Counties did adopt Resolves in 1774 and 1775 and I do not doubt that Cumberland County did adopt similar resolutions, but it would be helpful if someone could supply the source for this marker.]

Also on this day in Elizabethtown, New Jersey, Patriots led by Jonathan Hampton, Justice of the Peace, Judge of the Essex County Court, and Chairman of the Essex County Committee, seized a boat offloading cargo from the British supply ship Watson in violation of the Continental Association. The Loyalist paper Rivington’s Gazette later reported:

The scene opened between twelve and one o’clock, with seizing a poor Staten Islander, for no other crime than because some people of that ever loyal island were supposed to have been ready to assist in landing some goods from Captain Watson’s Scotch ship, which lately left New York, and is departed with his cargo for Jamaica, having arrived at New York after the first of February, the day limited by the Congress for the importation of goods. 

The man’s boat was dragged ashore, and his oysters distributed to the hungry vagabonds, who were visibly headed in the centre of the town, by Jonathan Hampton, a Justice of the Peace, a Judge of the county court, and chairman of the committee. 

Hampton was the man who attempted lately to obstruct the passage of his Majesty’s royal regiment of Ireland, over the ferries, and prevented wagons from carrying their baggage; this same Hampton was the man who raised a riot lately in Sussex county, attacked a peddler, and destroyed his property. 

About four o’clock, when the mob discharged the poor oyster man, they proceeded to abuse all the people in the town who were known to be well affected to the constitution; they erected a gallows, in order more particularly to insult them, and fixed up a liberty pole in the middle of the town. 

Source: https://www.americanhistorycentral.com/entries/february-1775/

And on this day in Alexandria, Virginia, Col. George Washington drilled the Fairfax Independent Company.

Source: https://founders.archives.gov/?q=%2218%20February%201775%22&s=1111311111&sa=&r=2&sr=

On this day 250 years ago in New York City a report subsequently published in Holt’s Journal stated that

It is said that at least three-fourths of the people in Cortlandt’s manor, New York, have declared their unwillingness to enter into the Congressional measures, that a great number of the people in general in Westchester county are preparing to do the like, and that the association against the Continental Congress has been signed by three hundred persons in the neighborhood of Poughkeepsie only. Many lists are sent about Dutchess county, on which also many hundreds have subscribed.

Source: https://www.americanhistorycentral.com/entries/february-1775/

Also on this day George Mason wrote George Washington from Gunston Hall, Virginia about 80 casks of gunpowder, 10,000 musket flints, paper, and other war supplies shipped from Philadelphia to Washington for use of the Fairfax Independent Company of militia. The gunpowder was twice the amount that Washington and Mason had ordered and Mason wrote to Washington about the possibility that the excess powder could be used by the Loudoun County Independent Company and suggesting that they collect contributions from the members of the Fairfax Independent Company to help defray the cost of the powder.

Source: “To George Washington from George Mason, 17 February 1775,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/02-10-02-0198. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Colonial Series, vol. 10, 21 March 1774 – 15 June 1775, ed. W. W. Abbot and Dorothy Twohig. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1995, pp. 265–267.]

And also on this day in Boston Governor Gage wrote to Lord Dartmouth about sentiments in New York:

Your Lordship will be told of the late instance of loyalty in the New-York Assembly, which has had very good effects, and we are told that they are changing their sentiments at Philadelphia. The fury into which people were thrown, and which spread like an infection from Town to Town, and from Province to Province, is hardly to be parallelled, where no oppression was actually felt; but they were stirred up by every means that art could invent. They were made to believe that their religion was in danger; their lands to be taxed; and that the Troops were sent to enforce the measures, and wantonly to massacre the inhabitants. People well disposed caught the popular fever, and when it raged at the highest, the Delegates were chosen for the Continental Congress; so that, as we are told, the greatest incendiaries in most Provinces were elected. It required temperate management and much pains to undeceive the people, who are more moderate in general, though numbers still hold their first prejudices.

If this Provincial Congress is not to be deemed a rebellious meeting, surely some of their Resolves are rebellious, though they affect not to order, but only to recommend measures to the people.

Source: https://www.facebook.com/groups/USHistoryGroup/posts/4000578150157544/

On this day 250 years ago in Prince William County, Virginia, Captain James Scott, Jr. of the Fauquier Independent Company wrote to George Washington, on behalf of himself and Captain Thomas Marshall, to offer Washington command of Fauquier Company. Both Scott and Marshall had served in the Virginia House of Burgesses and Virginia Convention with Washington. Captain Scott would die of disease commanding the Fauquier militia company while serving under Washington’s command in Pennsylvania in 1777. Captain Marshall would become a Colonel in the Continental Army and was one of the heroes of the Battles of Great Bridge and Brandywine but is best known as the father of Chief Justice John Marshall of the Supreme Court.

Source: “To George Washington from James Scott, Jr., 16 February 1775,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/02-10-02-0196. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Colonial Series, vol. 10, 21 March 1774 – 15 June 1775, ed. W. W. Abbot and Dorothy Twohig. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1995, pp. 263–264.]

Also on that day, Holt’s New York Journal reported on a cargo of goods from England that was blocked by the people of New York from being unloaded because the shipment was in violation of the Continental Association earlier in the month:

On Thursday morning, the 2d instant, the ship James, Captain Watson, arrived at New York from Glasgow, with a cargo of coals and dry goods, but as she did not arrive within the time prescribed by the tenth article of the association of the Continental Congress, a strict watch was constantly kept, by some of the subcommittee, and a number of inhabitants, to prevent the landing of any goods, in a clandestine manner; and the captain was requested to procure such necessaries as he might stand in need of, and immediately quit the port. With this request, he seemed rather unwilling to comply, and was encouraged to hope from the assurances of a number of ministerial tools, who promised to support him, that his cargo would be landed; for which purpose they employed a few vagrants to go on board the ship, which then lay in the harbor, and bring the colors on shore, with a view of raising a posse, to assist in landing the goods; but the banditti that were collected for this purpose were soon suppressed by the inhabitants, who are for supporting the association, and who began to assemble in great numbers; upon which the captain, conceiving the ship to be in great danger, sent the mate on shore, requesting assistance to get her under sail, as the seamen refused to do that duty. This request being complied with, they immediately got her under weigh, and fell down about four miles below the city, where she remained, attended by a boat, with a member of the committee and some of the townsmen on board, till last Thursday night (9th), when she was again brought into the harbor, by an officer and a number of men belonging to his Majesty’s ship King Fisher; which ship it is supposed came down from Turtle Bay expressly for the purpose of protecting her, and intimidating the inhabitants.

Source: https://historycarper.com/1775/02/16/the-ship-james-at-sandy-hook/

Holt’s Journal on that day also published reports of gunpowder seized by Loyalists in Stamford, Connecticut at the beginning of the month only to be seized again by Patriots only a couple of days later.

The next week’s issue of Holt’s Journal published a letter written February 16, 1775 reporting:

While the county delegates were in session at Fairfield, Connecticut, the day before yesterday, the following toast was drank by a company of gentlemen in that town:— Addition to Whigs; Subtraction to Tories; Multiplication to the friends of Liberty, and Division to the enemies of America.

Source: https://www.americanhistorycentral.com/entries/february-1775/

On this day 250 years ago the Massachusetts Provincial Congress passed resolutions stating:

That Mr. [Samuel] Adams, Major [Joseph] Hawley, Mr. [Elbridge] Gerry, Hon. Mr. [Thomas] Cushing, Mr. [Robert Treat] Paine, Col. [Joseph] Palmer, and Mr. [Benjamin] Freeman, be a committee to bring in a resolve holding up to the people of this province, the imminent danger they are in, from the present disposition of the British ministry and parliament, and that there is reason to fear that they will attempt our sudden destruction: and the importance it is to the inhabitants of this colony to prepare themselves for the last event.

. . .

That the great law of self-preservation, calls upon the inhabitants of this colony, immediately to prepare against every attempt that may be made to attack them by surprise; and it is, upon serious deliberation, most earnestly recommended to the militia in general, as well as the detached part of it in minute men, that they spare neither time, pains, nor expense, at so critical a juncture, in perfecting themselves forthwith in military discipline, and that skillful instructors be provided for those companies which may not already be provided therewith: and it is recommended to the towns and districts in this colony, that they encourage such persons as are skilled in the manufacturing of firearms and bayonets, diligently to apply themselves thereto, for supplying such of the inhabitants as may still be deficient.

Source: https://archive.org/details/journalsofeachprma00mass/page/100/mode/2up?view=theater

On this day 250 years ago in 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 Middleborough, Massachusetts, the Town Meeting voted to support American liberty, and approved the actions of a mob in town that surrounded a British officer, took his sword and broke it into pieces.

Source: https://www.southcoasttoday.com/story/news/local/the-gazette/2015/07/12/local-heroes-american-revolution/33887772007/

And on this day in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the Provincial Congress issued a broadside declaring

Whereas it appears necessary for the defence of the lives, liberties, and properties, of the inhabitants of this province, that this Congress … should be made fully acquainted with the number and military equipments of the militia, and Minute Men … Resolved, that … the commanding officers of each regiment … take an exact state of their numbers, and equipment

Source: https://www.loc.gov/item/rbpe.03800200/

On this day 250 years ago in London, Parliament requested that the King:

direct your Majesty’s governor of Massachusetts Bay to take the most effectual methods for procuring the fullest information that can be obtained touching all treasons or misprision of treason committed within this government since the 30th day of December last… together with the names of the persons who were most active in the commission of such offences… in order that your Majesty may issue a special commission for… hearing and determining the said offences within this realm

And on that day in Cambridge, Massachusetts the Provincial Congress formed a committee “for the encouragement of making saltpetre” and another committee

for inquiring into the state of the militia, their numbers and equipments, and recommending to the selectmen of the several towns and districts of this province, to make return of their town and district stock of ammunition and warlike stores to this Congress.

Source: https://archive.org/details/journalsofeachprma00mass/page/98/mode/2up?view=theater

Also on this day 250 years ago in Perth Amboy, the New Jersey Assembly adopted a petition to the King listing the Colony’s grievances

All which necessarily tend to reduce us to a state of servitude, from which our affection for the English Constitution, and duty to ourselves and our posterity, loudly call upon us to avert, by all lawful means in our power.

Source: https://archives.gnb.ca/exhibits/forthavoc/html/NJCouncilofSafety.aspx?culture=en-CA

On this day 250 years ago in London Lord Camden wrote to the Earl of Chatham:

The ministry are proceeding with the most mischievous expedition, to plunge the nation irrecoverably into a civil war, which, indeed, I consider as commenced by the joint address; and the bill to cut off the four New England colonies from the fishery is to be brought on to-day. I am grieved to observe, that the landed interest is almost altogether anti-American, though the common people hold the war in abhorrence, and the merchants and tradesmen, for obvious reasons, are likewise against it. Nevertheless, my opinion of the justice and the success of it is precisely the same, and does not yield to the majority within doors, or the powerful assent without.

Source: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php/?story_fbid=122115888764712560&id=61571376809799

On this day 250 years ago in North Carolina, John Harvey, the moderator of the First North Carolina Provincial Congress and the leader of the Patriots in North Carolina, issued a call for the people of North Carolina to elect representatives to another Provincial Congress to be held on April 3.

Source: https://www.carolana.com/NC/Revolution/nc_brunswick_county_regiment.html