On this day 250 years ago in Braintree, Massachusetts, Abigail Adams wrote to her husband John:

there has been some movements amongst the Ministerial Troops as if they meant to evacuate the Town of Boston. Between 70 and 80 vessels of various sizes are gone down and lay in a row in fair sight of this place, all of which appear to be loaded and by what can be collected from our own observations and from deserters they have been plundering the Town. I have been very faithless with regard to their quitting Boston, and know not how to account for it, nor am I yet satisfied that they will leave it—tho it seems to be the prevailing opinion of most people; we are obliged to place the Militia upon Gaurd every Night upon the shoars thro fear of an invasion. There has been no firing since Last twesday, till about 12 o clock last Night, when I was waked out of my sleep with a smart Cannonade which continued till nine o clock this morning, and prevented any further repose for me; the occasion I have not yet heard, but before I close this Letter I may be able to give you some account of it.

By the accounts in the publick papers the plot thickens; and some very important Crisis seems near at hand. Perhaps providence see’s it necessary in order to answer important ends and designs that the Seat of War should be changed from this to the Southeren colonies that each may have a proper sympathy for the other, and unite in a seperation. 

Source: “Abigail Adams to John Adams, 16 March 1776,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Adams/04-01-02-0233. [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. 357–361.]

Abigail Adams would be satisfied the next day when the British did indeed evacuate Boston. Tomorrow, March 17, 2026, the people of Boston will not just be celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, but they will also be celebrating Evacuation Day — the 250th Anniversary of the British Army’s evacuation of Boston. If you are near to Boston tomorrow, please join the celebration and commemoration. https://www.revolution250.org/250th-commemorations/evacday/; https://home.nps.gov/articles/000/evacuation-day-250.htm

On this day 250 years ago in Philadelphia, the Continental Congress read a “petition from Coquataginta or Captain White Eyes,” the principal chief of the Delaware (or Lenape) Indians. The Congress also adopted a Resolution introduced by Congressman William Livingston of New Jersey calling for a Day of Fasting and Prayer declaring that

In times of impending calamity and distress; when the liberties of America are imminently endangered by the secret machinations and open assaults of an insidious and vindictive administration, it becomes the indispensable duty of these hitherto free and happy colonies, with true penitence of heart, and the most reverent devotion, publicly to acknowledge the over ruling providence of God; to confess and deplore our offences against him; and to supplicate his interposition for averting the threatened danger, and prospering our strenuous efforts in the cause of freedom, virtue, and posterity.

The Congress, therefore, considering the warlike preparations of the British Ministry to subvert our invaluable rights and privileges, and to reduce us by fire and sword, . . . that it may please the Lord of Hosts, the God of Armies, to animate our officers and soldiers with invincible fortitude, to guard and protect them in the day of battle, and to crown the continental arms, by sea and land, with victory and success. Earnestly beseeching him to bless our civil rulers, and the representatives of the people, in their several assemblies and conventions; to preserve and strengthen their union, to inspire them with an ardent, disinterested love of their country; to give wisdom and stability to their counsels; and direct them to the most efficacious measures for establishing the rights of America on the most honorable and permanent basis–That he would be graciously pleased to bless all his people in these colonies with health and plenty, and grant that a spirit of incorruptible patriotism, and of pure undefiled religion, may universally prevail; and this continent be speedily restored to the blessings of peace and liberty, and enabled to transmit them inviolate to the latest posterity.

Sources: Journals of the Continental Congress at 208-09 accessed at https://archive.org/details/us_congress_continental/lljc004/page/208/mode/2up; https://americanfounding.org/entries/second-continental-congress-march-16-1776/

On this day 250 years ago in Baltimore a group of Patriots reported to the Maryland Council of Safety in Annapolis that

Our fort at Whetstone is ready to mount 8 guns and we shall use every exertion to expedite it.

You have probably never heard of the fortifications at Whetstone Point in Baltimore as there was no combat at that location in the Revolution. But you are most likely familiar with the expanded fort there that would later become famous in American history — Fort McHenry.

Source: https://npshistory.com/handbooks/historical/5/hh5a.htm