On this day 250 years ago in New York Harbor, Capt. Silas Talbot from Providence, Rhode Island was severely burned in an unsuccessful attempt to use a fire ship to destroy the HMS Asia. Despite his wound Talbot would continue serving throughout the War, being wounded again at Fort Mifflin on the Delaware River, rising to the rank of lieutenant colonel in the Continental Army, switching to the Continental Navy as a Captain in the Navy, being captured by the British and imprisoned for over a year, and after the Revolution serving in the New York Assembly and United States Congress and finally returning to the Navy as the first captain of the USS Constitution.

Sources: https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-05-02-0362; https://www.battlefields.org/learn/biographies/silas-talbot

On this day 250 years ago in Philadelphia, the Continental Congress adopted a Model Treaty to be used for the negotiation of treaties for fair trading with other nations.

Sources: https://2001-2009.state.gov/r/pa/ho/time/ar/88106.htm; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Model_Treaty