On this day 250 years ago in Albany, New York, Col. Henry Knox was waiting for the arrival of the artillery being hauled from Lake George on sleighs pulled by horses on snow covered roads southward toward Albany. The ice on the Mohawk River at Lansing’s Ferry was not thick enough to allow the sleds to cross on the ice so Knox had his men try to thicken the ice by pouring buckets of river water over the surface to freeze. The next day January 4th the first of the guns would cross the river at Lansing’s Ferry and arrive in Albany.
Source: https://www.hudsonrivervalley.org/documents/d/guest/theknoxtrail-history
Today January 3, 2026 there will be a commemoration of Knox’s Noble Train crossing the Hudson River at Crailo State Historic Site, although it has a few days before the actual 250th anniversary of the crossing of the Hudson.
On this day 250 years ago in Philadelphia, Thomas Drummond, Lord Drummond and Andrew Elliot, the Royal Collector of New York to meet with certain members of the Continental Congress in a last ditch attempt at reconciliation between the Colonies and Britain. The Pennsylvania Committee of Safety was suspicious of their activities in Philadelphia and asked the Congress if they should be arrested. The Congress recorded in its Journal on this day that:
Application was made from the Committee of Philadelphia asking Advice Whether to secure Lord Drummond and Andrew Elliot now in Philadelphia. Some Members gave them good political Characters & they remained unhurt.
Also on this day in Philadelphia the Continental Congress adopted a resolution to disarm Tories in Queens County (now the Borough of Queens in New York City) on Long Island in New York:
Whereas a majority of the inhabitants of Queen’s County, in the colony of New York, being incapable of resolving to live and die freemen, and being more disposed to quit their liberties than part with the little proportion of their property necessary to defend them, have deserted the American cause, by refusing to send deputies as usual to the convention of that colony; and avowing by a public declaration, an unmanly design of remaining inactive spectators of the present contest, vainly flattering themselves, perhaps, that should Providence declare for our enemies, they may purchase their mercy and favor at an easy rate; and, on the other hand, if the war should terminate to the advantage of America, that then they may enjoy, without expense of blood or treasure, all the blessings resulting from that liberty, which they, in the day of trial, had abandoned, and in defense of which, many of their more virtuous neighbors and countrymen had nobly died:
And although the want of public spirit, observable in these men, rather excites pity than alarm, there being little danger to apprehend either from their prowess or example, yet it being reasonable, that those who refuse to defend their country, should be excluded from its protection, and be prevented from doing it injury:
Resolved, That all such persons in Queen’s county, aforesaid, as voted against sending deputies to the present convention of New York, and named in a list of delinquents in Queen’s county, published by the convention of New York, be put out of the protection of the United Colonies, and that all trade and intercourse with them cease; that none of the inhabitants of that county be permitted to travel or abide in any part of these United Colonies, out of their said county, without a certificate from the convention or committee of safety of the colony of New York, setting forth, that such inhabitant is a friend to the American cause, and not of the number of those who voted against sending deputies to the said convention; and that such of the said inhabitants as shall be found out of the said county, without such certificate, be apprehended and imprisoned for three months.
. . .
Resolved, That Colonel Nathaniel Heard, of Woodbridge, in New Jersey, taking with him six hundred minute men, under discreet officers, march to the western part of Queen’s county, and that Colonel Waterbury, of Stanford, Connecticut, with the like number of minute men, march to the eastern side of said county; that they confer together, and endeavor to enter Queen’s county on the same day; that they proceed to disarm every person, who voted against sending deputies to the said convention, and cause them to deliver up their arms and ammunition on oath, and that they take and confine in safe custody, till further orders, all such as shall refuse compliance.
Source: https://americanfounding.org/entries/second-continental-congress-january-3-1776/
On This Day In The Revolution 