Month: October 2025

On this day 250 years ago in the Revolution — October 21, 1775

October 21st, 2025

On this day 250 years ago in Braintree, Massachusetts, Abigail Adams wrote to her husband John attending the Continental Congress an interesting account of a man named Haskings who had escaped from Boston:

He had been in Irons 3 weeks, some malicious fellow having said that he saw him at the Battle of Lexinton, but he proved that he was not out of Boston that day, upon which he was releazd, and went with two other men out in a small boat under their Eye to fish. They play’d about near the shore a while catching small fish, till they thought they could possibly reach Dorchester Neck; no sooner were they perceived attempting to escape than they had 20 cannon dischargd at them, but they all happily reachd the shore. He says no Language can paint the distress of the inhabitants, most of them destitute of wood and of provisions of every kind. The Bakers say unless they have a new supply of wood they cannot bake above one fortnight longer—their Bisquit are not above one half the former size. The Soldiers are obliged to do very hard duty, and are uneasy to a great degree, many of them declareing they will not continue much longer in such a state but at all hazards will escape; the inhabitants are desperate, and contriveing means of escape. A floating Battery of ours went out two nights ago, and row’d near the Town, and then discharged their Guns. Some of the Ball went into the Work house, some through the Tents in the common, and one through the Sign of the Lamb Tavern; he says it drove them all out of the common, Men, women and children screaming, and throe’d them into the utmost distress. But very unhappily for us in the discharge of one of the cannon, the Ball not being properly ramed down one of them split and killd 2 men and wounded 7 more, upon which they were obliged to return. . . . This Man is so exasperated at the ill usage he has received from them that he is determined to inlist immediately. They almost starved him whilst he was in Irons, he says he hopes it will be in his power to send some of them to Heaven for mercy.

I have read a few other accounts of the cannon that blew up on the floating batteries in the siege of Boston, but unfortunately have not identified the two men who were killed and the seven who were wounded. Please let me know if you can identify these men who gave their all in defense of American Liberties.

Abigail Adams continued her letter:

At present it looks as if there was no likelihoods of peace. . . . The time is hastning when Gorge like Richard may cry a kingdom a kingdom for a horse, and want even that wealth to make the purchase.

Although most Americans at that time were still proclaiming loyalty to the King, it is clear that 250 years ago today Abigail Adams was ready for No Kings.

Source: “Abigail Adams to John Adams, 21 October 1775,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Adams/04-01-02-0202. [Original source: The Adams Papers, Adams Family Correspondence, vol. 1, December 1761 – May 1776, ed. Lyman H. Butterfield. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1963, pp. 305–309.]

Also on this day 250 years ago, the Lynch and the Franklin sailed from Marblehead, Massachusetts, with orders from General Washington to capture “two north country brigantines of no force” and to also “seize and take other transports laden with men, ammunition, clothing, or other stores for the use of the Ministerial Army or Navy in America.”

Source: https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/1955/november/birth-american-na
On this day 250 years ago in the Revolution –October 20, 1775

October 21st, 2025

On this day 250 years ago in Cambridge, Massachusetts, General Washington’s military secretary Lt. Col. Joseph Reed suggested a flag for the new Continental Navy that Washington had commissioned:

Please to fix upon some particular colour for a flag, and a signal by which our vessels may know one another. What do you think of a flag with a white ground, a tree in the middle, the motto “Appeal to Heaven?” This is the flag of our floating batteries.

Two heavily armed American scows, or “floating batteries,” on the Charles River were already using the “Pine Tree flag” as an ensign. Six schooners authorized by Congress and outfitted at Washington’s command — the Hancock, Lee, Franklin, Harrison, Lynch, and Warren— would use the Pine Tree flag.

Sources: https://military-history.fandom.com/wiki/Joseph_Reed_(politician); https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pine_Tree_Flag; https://allthingsliberty.com/2018/07/armed-and-equipped-at-continental-expense-the-birth-of-the-continental-navy/

[note to readers — I try to post this blog daily but I am in California this week. It is still October 20 in California.]
On this day 250 years ago in the Revolution — October 19.1775

October 19th, 2025

On this day 250 years ago in Philadelphia, John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail:

Congress has appointed Mr. [George] Wythe, Mr. [Silas] Deane and me, a Committee to collect an Account of the Hostilities committed by the Troops and Ships, with proper Evidence of the Number and Value of the Houses and other Buildings destroyed or damaged, the Vessels captivated and the Cattle, Sleep, Hogs &c. taken. We are about writing to all the general assemblies of New England, and to many private Gentlemen in each Colony to assist Us in making the Collections.

The Gentlemen with me are able Men. Deane’s Character you know. He is a very ingenious Man and an able Politician. Wythe is a new Member from Virginia, a Lawyer of the highest Eminence in that Province, a learned and very laborious Man: so that We may hope this Commission will be well executed. A Tale of Woe it will be! Such a scene of Distress, and Destruction and so patiently and magnanimously born. Such a Scene of Cruelty and Barbarity, so unfeelingly committed.

Source: https://americanfounding.org/entries/second-continental-congress-october-19-1775/
On this day 250 years ago in the Revolution — October 18, 1775

October 18th, 2025

On this day 250 years ago in Philadelphia, the New Hampshire delegates to the Continental Congress formally presented their instructions from the New Hampshire requesting the Congress to advise and direct New Hampshire in establishing a new government.

Click to access DC9-09-00-02_N.H.-Chronology.pdf

On this day 250 years ago the British fleet bombarded Falmouth, Massachusetts (now Portland, Maine) and a British landing party set fire to the town. In all more than 400 buildings and houses were damaged or destroyed, and an estimated 1,000 people were made homeless.

Today, the State of Maine commemorated the 250th anniversary of the burning of Falmouth by “celebrat[ing] Maine’s revolutionary heritage through tours, talks and exhibitions across the City of Portland organized by the First Parish Church, Greater Portland Landmarks, Maine Historical Society, Maine Ulster-Scots Project, Osher Map Library, Spirits Alive at Eastern Cemetery, and Tate House Museum”

Gratwick at pp. 82-83; https://www.mainepublic.org/show/maine-calling/2025-10-16/the-burning-of-falmouth; https://www1.maine.gov/governor/mills/official_documents/proclamations/2025-10-day-commemorate-burning-falmouth-october-18;

A Tale of Two Cities: The Destruction of Falmouth and the Defense of Hampton

On this day 250 years ago, Americans commanded by Maj. John Brown and Canadians commanded by Col. James Livingston captured Fort Chambly from the British Army.

https://revolutionary-war.org/campaigns/canadian-campaign/siege-of-fort-saint-jean; https://www.dar.org/national-society/historic-sites-and-properties/fort-chambly

Americans were defending their liberties from the King’s army 250 years ago. And on this day in 2025, over six million Americans participated in No Kings rallies to defend our liberties.

Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/no-kings-trump-rallies-protests-october/
On this day 250 years ago in the Revolution — October 17, 1775

October 17th, 2025

On this day 250 years ago, Captain Henry Mowat, the British commander of the HMS Canceaux, HMS Halifax, and two other ships anchored in the harbor of Falmouth, Massachusetts (today’s Portland, Maine) sent Lieutenant Alexander Fraser onshore to deliver this warning:

After so many premeditated Attacks on the legal Prerogatives of the best of Sovereigns; After the repeated Instances [of] Britain’s long forbearance of the Rod of Correction; and the Merciful and Paternal extension of her Hands to embrace you, again and again, have been regarded as vain and nugatory And in place of a dutiful and grateful return to your King and Parent state; you have been guilty of the most unpardonable Rebellion … Having it in orders to execute a just Punishment on the Town of Falmouth … I warn you to remove without delay the Human Species out of the said town; for which purpose I give you the time of two hours.

That evening residents of Falmouth scrambled to save their possessions from the impending bombardment and militia from surrounding communities began to arrive to try and defend the town.

Sources: Gratwick at 79-80;

A Tale of Two Cities: The Destruction of Falmouth and the Defense of Hampton

Also on that day in Norfolk, Royal Governor Lord Dunmore of Virginia ordered a British force of over 100 soldiers, sailors, and marines to embark in small boats and proceed up the eastern branch of the Elizabeth River. Newtown. The British raiders then marched three miles to Kemp’s Landing where they encountered no resistance from militia but did capture militia Captain Matthews and a delegate to the Virginia convention representing Princess Anne County, William Robinson, and seized from several warehouses “a good many small arms, musket locks, a little powder and ball, two drums, and a quantity of buckshot, all of which we either brought off or destroyed.”

Sources: https://allthingsliberty.com/2018/12/recognizing-the-skirmish-at-kemps-landing/; Selby at 62
On this day 250 years ago in the Revolution — October 16, 1775

October 16th, 2025

On this day 250 years ago, a squadron of four ships — HMS Canceaux, two other warships and a troop transport — under the command of Captain Henry Mowat anchored in Casco Bay off the Town of Falmouth, Massachusetts (now Portland, Maine). The Reverend Jacob Bailey later recalled that Mowat’s small fleet fired on a small schooner in the refused to surrender for inspection and that

Notwithstanding the discharge of several muskets and two cannon [the schooner] escaped in safety to the town. The populace, which were gazing by hundreds, were immediately thrown into furious agitation by this incident, and vowed revenge with the utmost menace and caution. The Committee, composed of tradesmen and persons of no property, prompted only for a flaming zeal for the liberty of their country, were not less enraged at this hostile appearance and … ordered the company of guards to … secure the cattle, intimidate the tories and observe the motions of the enemy

Sources: Gratwick at 79;

A Tale of Two Cities: The Destruction of Falmouth and the Defense of Hampton
On this day 250 years ago in the Revolution — October 15, 1775

October 15th, 2025

On this day 250 years ago in London, Prime Minister Lord North wrote a memorandum to King George III recommending an expedition to the southern colonies to suppress the rebellion. North contended that the Patriots in the southern colonies were in a “perilous situation” because of “the great number of their negro slaves, and the small proportion of white inhabitants.”

Source: https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/lord-dunmores-proclamation/

On this day 250 years ago in Marblehead, Massachusetts, Col. John Glover wrote a report to Gen. Washington on the work was nearly complete to outfit the armed schooners Hancock and Franklin, to be commanded by Captains Nicholson Broughton and John Selman, respectively. Broughton and Selman had served as captains of companies in Glover’s Marblehead Regiment. Captain Broughton had previously commanded the first ship commissioned by Gen. Washington, the Hannah, which was now decommissioned because of damage from its engagement with the HMS Nautilus. The Hancock and Franklin would become the second and third ships of the Continental Navy.

Source: “Colonel John Glover to George Washington, 15 October 1775,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-02-02-0161. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 2, 16 September 1775 – 31 December 1775, ed. Philander D. Chase. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1987, pp. 169–170.]; O’Donnell at 162-63.
On this day 250 years ago in the Revolution — October 14, 1775

October 14th, 2025

On this day 250 years ago in Philadelphia, the Continental Congress resolved that “a director general and chief physician of the Hospital in Massachusetts be appointed in place of Doctor Benjamin Church, who is taken into custody for holding a correspondence with the enemy” and scheduled the vote for his replacement on the next day the Congress was scheduled to meet.

Source: https://americanfounding.org/entries/second-continental-congress-october-14-1775/

On this day 250 years ago, from his home at Gunston Hall, Virginia, George Mason wrote a lengthy report to his friend George Washington on the resolutions adopted by the Virginia Convention:

The Convention, not thinking this a time to relye upon Resolves & Recommendations only, and to give obligatory Force to their proceedings, adopted the Style & Form of Legislation, changing the word enact into ordain: their Ordinances were all introduced in the Form of Bills, were regularly referred to a Committee of the whole House, and underwent their Readings before they were passed. I inclose You the Ordinance for rising an arm’d Force for the Defence & protection of this Colony; . . . I hope it will merit your Approbation. The Minute-plan I think is a wise one, & will in a short time furnish 8,000 good Troops, ready for Action, & composed of Men in whose Hands the Sword may be safely trusted: to defray the Expence of the Provisions made by this Ordinance, & to pay the Charge of the last Year’s Indian war, we are now emitting the Sum of 350,000£ in Paper Curry. I have great Apprehensions that the large Sums in Bills of Credit now issueing all over the Continent may have fatal Effects in depreciating the Value, and therefore opposed any Suspension of Taxation, and urged the necessity of imediatly laying such Taxes as the people cou’d bear, to sink the Sum emitted as soon as possible; but was able only to reduce the proposed Suspension from three Years to one. . . . Our Friend the Treasurer was the warmest Man in the Convention for imediatly raising a standing Army of not less than 4000 Men, upon constant Pay: they stood a considerable time at 3000, exclusive of the Troops upon the western Frontiers; but at the last reading (as you will see by the Ordinance) were reduced to 1020 rank & file. In my Opinion a well judged Reduction, not only from our Inability to furnish at present such a Number with Arms & Ammunition, but I think it extreamly imprudent to exhaust ourselves before we know when we are to be attack’d: the Part we have to act at present seems to require our laying in good Magazines, training our People, & having a good Number of them ready for Action. An Ordinance is passed for regulating an annual Election of Members to the Convention, & County-Committees—for encouraging the making of Saltpetre, Sulphur & Gunpowder—for establishing a Manufactory of Arms, under the Direction of Commissioners; and for appointing a Committee of Safety, consisting of eleven Members, for carrying the Ordinances of the Convention into Execution, directing the Stations of the Troops, & calling the Minute Battalions, & Draughts from the Militia into Service, if necessary &c.

There is also an Ordinance establishing Articles for the Government of the Troops, principally taken from those drawn up by the Congress, except that a Court Martial upon Life & Death is more cautiously constituted, & brought nearer to the Principles of the common Law.

Source: “George Mason to George Washington, 14 October 1775,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-02-02-0156. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 2, 16 September 1775 – 31 December 1775, ed. Philander D. Chase. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1987, pp. 163–166.]
On this day 250 years ago in the Revolution — October 13, 1775

October 13th, 2025

On this day 250 years ago in Philadelphia, the Continental Congress received a report from Gen. George Washington that a British fleet, including six ships-of-the-line, was transporting five regiments of Royal Marines to America, and that four heavily armed ships and two transports with 600 men, two mortars, four howitzers, and several other artillery pieces, were preparing to sail from Boston. In addition, the Congress received another report from General Washington that he had authorize three schooners to cruise off Massachusetts in order to intercept and capture British supply ships. In response to these reports from General Washington the Congress

Resolved, That a swift sailing vessel, to carry ten carriage guns, and a proportionable number of swivels, with eighty men, be fitted, with all possible dispatch, for a cruise of three months, and that the commander be instructed to cruise eastward, for intercepting such transports as may be laden with warlike stores and other supplies for our enemies, and for such other purposes as the Congress shall direct.

That a Committee of three be appointed to superintend the fitting the said vessel to prepare an estimate of the expense, and lay the same before the Congress, and to contract with proper persons to fit out the vessel. That another vessel be fitted out for the same purposes, and that the said committee report their opinion of a proper vessel, and also an estimate of the expense.

The Congress further resolved that a committee “bring in regulations for” the navy and named Silas Deane, John Langdon, and Christopher Gadsden as the initial members of the Navy Committee, although the Committee would soon add more members including John Adams. Because of these actions that day, October 13, 1775 is generally considered the birthdate of the United States Navy, although the case can be made that the Navy was born in the previous month when General Washington commissioned the Hannah to go to sea.

Sources: https://americanfounding.org/entries/second-continental-congress-october-13-1775/; https://www.usni.org/magazines/naval-history/2025/october/birth-navy

On this day 250 years ago at the Great Carrying Place in Maine, Col. Benedict Arnold wrote to General Washington reporting that his entire command, which had been reduced to 950 men from the 1100 who started out, had left the Kennebec River and were engaged in hauling their bateaux on trails and over three ponds to the Dead River. Arnold predicted that in eight or ten days the men and their provisions would be on the Chaudiere River in Canada. Although Arnold acknowledged that “you would have taken the Men for amphibious Animals, as they were great Part of the Time under Water, add to this the great Fatigue in Portage,” he also claimed that “the Officers, Volunteers and privates in general have acted with the greatest Spirit & Industry.” Arnold’s report to Washington was entirely too optimistic, and the expedition would soon face calamity as they learned the distance to the Chaudiere River was much further than they had anticipated, torrential downpours would soak the men, provisions would run out and wash away in the flood, men would fall ill and be sent back to Fort Western to recuperate, and an entire division of the force would turn back against orders.

Source: “Colonel Benedict Arnold to George Washington, 13 October 1775,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-02-02-0145. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 2, 16 September 1775 – 31 December 1775, ed. Philander D. Chase. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1987, pp. 155–156.]; https://www.americanrevolution.org/arnolds-expedition-march-into-the-wilderness/

This past weekend in October 2025, the Arnold Expedition Historical Society conducted a reenactment of the march of Arnold’s force on the Great Carrying Place Trail that follows the historical route of the trails and ponds for the portage between the Kennebec River and the Dead River in Maine. You can hike the route today to commemorate the brave men (and a few women) of Arnold’s Expedition. https://www.facebook.com/groups/475361355497753/; https://arnoldsmarch.org/; https://www.mainetrailfinder.com/trails/trail/great-carrying-place-trail
On this day 250 years ago in the Revolution — October 12, 1775

October 12th, 2025

On this day 250 years ago, Dr. John Connolly arrived in Portsmouth, Virginia where Royal Governor Dunmore commissioned him as a Lieutenant Colonel. Connolly had been Dunmore’s agent in the Fort Pitt area the previous year and had participated in Dunmore’s War against the Shawnee and Mingo. Connolly proposed to Dunmore a plan for Connolly to return to Fort Pitt where he would raise a force of Indians and Loyalists to seize Fort Pitt and Cumberland, Maryland then march down the Potomac River to meet Dunmore at Alexandria, Virginia.

On that same day, William Cowley, who had been an aide to Connolly and had traveled with Connolly to meet General Gage in Boston, disclosed Connolly’s plot to General Washington and his staff in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Cowley provided Washington a letter that declared that

a real Friend to Liberty would join in my Sentiments to stop such outragious Actions & Rebellious Works which are going to be put into Execution—please your Excellency I lived along with Major John Connelly of Fort Pitt have done this two years—last July he was obliged to retire from Fort Pitt the Inhabitants had a suspicion of his being an Enemy to his Country . . . the Major . . . just after we left Boston he ask’d me if I was willing to go with him into the Indian Country as he had been with General Gage to get a Commission & Orders to go into the Indian Countrys to raise the Indians & the French . . . he intends to fall upon is Fort Pitt & to take That & then he says that he thinks that most part of that Quarter will join him as he says he has Orders to give them three hundred Acres of Land to each Man that will join him—And another Scheme he told me he was going to put into Execution that is in regard to Convicts & indentured Servants to set them at their Liberty & to give them Land to join him & when he has taken Fort Pitt he intends to proceed down for Alexandria & there he is to be reinforced by Lord Dunmore & some men of War & then to sweep all the Country before him

General Washington on that same day wrote to John Hancock, President of the Continental Congress in Philadelphia and his cousin Lund Washington at Mount Vernon, who passed the information on to George Mason of the Fairfax Committee of Safety. Mason in turn alerted the Virginia and Maryland Committees of Safety to Dunmore’s plans. By the end of the month local committees of safety in Virginia were on the lookout for Connolly.

“William Cowley to George Washington, 30 September–12 October 1775,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-02-02-0063. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 2, 16 September 1775 – 31 December 1775, ed. Philander D. Chase. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1987, pp. 67–69.]; “George Washington to John Hancock, 12 October 1775,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-02-02-0140-0001. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 2, 16 September 1775 – 31 December 1775, ed. Philander D. Chase. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1987, pp. 146–150.]

The Connolly Plot

Also on this day 250 years ago in Philadelphia, John Adams forwarded to his close friend James Warren, President of the Massachusetts Provincial Congress a “Proposal Regarding the Procurement of Powder” by sending vessels to Antigua, Montserrat, Nevis, St. Kitts, St. Martins and St. Eustatius in the West Indies.

Sources: “Enclosure: A Proposal Regarding the Procurement of Powder, 12 October 1775,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Adams/06-03-02-0100-0002. [Original source: The Adams Papers, Papers of John Adams, vol. 3, May 1775 – January 1776, ed. Robert J. Taylor. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1979, pp. 197–198.]

And on this day 250 years ago in Topsham, in the District of Maine, Massachusetts, Sarah Fulton, Alenar Clarke, Jannet Berry, and Hannah Harvard wrote to General Washington:

We your humble Petitioners beg Leave to lay our pitiful Circumstances before you & intreat your Favour. we would hope from your Elevated Station & Goodness that something may be done in our Favour. In the Month of August in the present Year, Messiers Robert Fulton, Robert Clarke, Joseph Berry, Thomas Harvard, our Husbands, with John Patten, William Patten & David Fouke young Men, went in a Sloop eastward as far as St Mary’s Bay, in the Province of Nova-Scotia, to get food Hay for themselves & were unfortunately taken by two Sloops of War, Cap. Douson, Cap. Graves, being Commanders of them, & sent them to Boston —We have, some of us, large Families of Young Children & are unable to help ourselves or them—our Friends & Neighbors, tho’ never so willing, can afford us but little Relief—by reason of the great Scarcity of Provisions occasion’d by the Drought, the Sterility of the Land, & Trade being stopped—We would humbly Intreat you, honor’d Sir, to give our Petitions a gracious hearing; & if you please, upon the Redemption of Captives to favor the above mention’d Persons, it will Cause our Hearts to sing for Joy.

We should today remember the suffering of not just the crew of the Merry Meeting imprisoned for their service to America but their wives and families who also suffered on behalf of American liberty.

Source: “Sarah Fulton, Alenar Clarke, Jannet Berry, and Hannah Harvard to George Washington, 12 October 1775,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-02-02-0139. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 2, 16 September 1775 – 31 December 1775, ed. Philander D. Chase. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1987, pp. 145–146.]