On this day 250 years ago in Watertown, Massachusetts, the Boston Gazette published a song written by Benjamin Franklin satirizing “The King’s own REGULARS; And their Triumphs over the Irregulars.” The song begins:

Since you all will have singing, and won’t be said, nay,

I cannot refuse where you so beg and pray;

So I’ll sing you a song-as a body may say.

’Tis of the King’s Regulars, who ne’er run way.

O the old Soldiers of the King, and the King’s own Regulars.

Through several stanzas, Franklin cataloged battles in the Jacobite and French and Indian Wars in which British regulars were routed by irregular fighters. Then he turned to the Revolution:

Grown proud at reviews, great George had no rest,

Each grandsire, he had heard a rebellion supprest.

He wish’d a rebellion, look’d round and saw none,

So resolv’d a rebellion to make of his own-

With the old soldiers, &c.

The Yankees he bravely pitch’d on, because he thought they would not fight,

And so he sent us over to take away their right,

But least they should spoil our review clothes, he cried braver and louder,

“For God’s sake, brother kings, don’t sell the cowards any powder.”

O the old soldiers &c.

Our General with his council of war did advise,

How at Lexington we might the Yankees surprise.

We march’d-and we march’d-all surpriz’d at being beat;

And so our wise General’s plan of surprise was complete.

O the old soldiers &c.

For fifteen miles they follow’d and pelted us, we scarce had time to pull a trigger;

But did you ever know a retreat perform’d with more vigour?

For we did it in two hours, which sav’d us from perdition,

’Twas not in going out but in returning consisted our expedition.

O the old soldiers, &c.

Says our General, we were forced to take to our arms in our own defence:

(For arms read legs, and it will be both truth and sense.

Lord Percy (says He) I must say something of him in civility,

And that is, I can never enough praise him for his great-agility.

O the old soldiers, &c.

Of their firing from behind fences, he makes a great pother,

Ev’ry fence has two sides; they made use of one, and we only forgot to use the other.

That we turn’d our backs and ran away so fast, don’t let that disgrace us;

’Twas only to make good what Sandwich said, “that the Yankees would not face us.”

O the old soldiers, &c.

As they could not get before us, how could they look us in the face?

We took care they should not, by scampering away apace;

That they had not much to brag of, is a very plain case.

For if they beat us in the fight, we beat them in the race.

O the old soldiers of the King, and the King’s own Regulars.

Source: “Song: ‘The King’s Own Regulars,’ 27 November 1775,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Franklin/01-22-02-0163. [Original source: The Papers of Benjamin Franklin, vol. 22, March 23, 1775, through October 27, 1776, ed. William B. Willcox. New Haven and London:: Yale University Press, 1982, pp. 274–277.]

On this day 250 years ago in Braintree, Massachusetts, Abigail Adams wrote to her husband John with her thoughts and fears for the future government of America:

I wish I knew what mighty things were fabricating. If a form of Goverment is to be established here what one will be assumed? Will it be left to our assemblies to chuse one? and will not many men have many minds? and shall we not run into Dissentions among ourselves?

I am more and more convinced that Man is a dangerous creature, and that power whether vested in many or a few is ever grasping, and like the grave cries give, give. The great fish swallow up the small, and he who is most strenuous for the Rights of the people, when vested with power, is as eager after the perogatives of Goverment. You tell me of degrees of perfection to which Humane Nature is capable of arriving, and I believe it, but at the same time lament that our admiration should arise from the scarcity of the instances.

The Building up a Great Empire, which was only hinted at by my correspondent may now I suppose be realized even by the unbelievers. Yet will not ten thousand Difficulties arise in the formation of it? The Reigns of Goverment have been so long slakned, that I fear the people will not quietly submit to those restraints which are necessary for the peace, and security, of the community; if we seperate from Brittain, what Code of Laws will be established. How shall we be governd so as to retain our Liberties? Can any goverment be free which is not adminstred by general stated Laws? Who shall frame these Laws? Who will give them force and energy? Tis true your Resolutions as a Body have heithertoo had the force of Laws. But will they continue to have?

When I consider these things and the prejudices of people in favour of Ancient customs and Regulations, I feel anxious for the fate of our Monarchy or Democracy or what ever is to take place. I soon get lost in a Labyrinth of perplexities, but whatever occurs, may justice and righteousness be the Stability of our times, and order arise out of confusion. Great difficulties may be surmounted, by patience and perseverance.

Source: “Abigail Adams to John Adams, 27 November 1775,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Adams/04-01-02-0218. [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. 328–331.]

On this day 250 years ago, Americans were not celebrating Thanksgiving. Despite the origin stories for Thanksgiving more than a hundred years earlier in Plymouth, Massachusetts and at Berkeley Plantation in Virginia, the American colonists did not celebrate Thanksgiving as an annual event prior to the Revolution and in 1775. Thanksgiving celebrations were held on an occasional basis for various reasons. For example, Massachusetts held a Day of Thanksgiving on November 20, 1778 and a Day of Thanksgiving and Prayer on November 8, 1783 at the conclusion of the War. The Continental Congress called for a National Day of Thanksgiving on December 18, 1777, and President Washington called for a Day of Thanksgiving on November 26, 1789. After the Revolution, several states began holding annual Thanksgiving celebrations during October or November, but there was no standard date or national holiday until after the Civil War.

[note — I have to amend the paragraph above. I just discovered that on November 4, 1775 the Massachusetts General Court had issued a proclamation designating November 23 a day of public thanksgiving

to offer up our praises, and prayers, to Almighty God, the Source and Benevolent Bestower of all good; That he would be pleased graciously to continue, to smile upon our Endeavours, to restore peace, preserve our Rights, and Privileges, to the latest posterity; prosper the American Arms, preserve and strengthen the Harmony of the United Colonies, and avert the Calamities of a civil war.

On November 18, General Washington ordered the Continental Army to observe the day “with all the Solemnity directed by the Legislative Proclamation.” In contrast to the solemn religious service envisioned by the Massachusetts Legislature and General Washington, Corporal Moses Sleeper recorded in his diary a celebration much like our modern Thanksgiving:

Thirsday Novr 23 Pleasant Weather to work In the forenoon Dind upon turkey to day It being thanksgiving last night had a verry Grand Supper upon turkeys & geese

Source: https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/revolutionary-war-diary-of-moses-sleeper.htm