On this day 250 years, Captain Daniel Morgan’s company of Virginia riflemen arrived in Cambridge, Massachusetts and reported to General Washington at the completion of their famous “Beeline March” from Winchester, Virginia. Morgan’s company of 96 riflemen had marched over 484 miles in 21 days, an amazing pace of 23 miles per day. Morgan’s riflemen in their hunting shirts in lieu of normal uniforms and sharpshooting skills greatly impressed the people of Massachusetts and their fellow soldiers in the Continental Army. But they also greatly distressed General Washington with their riotous behavior and repeated demonstration of their shooting skills wasting gunpowder while Washington was focused on every means possible to obtain more powder.
Category: Uncategorized
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On this day 250 years ago, the sloop of war HMS Falcon sailed into Squam Harbor at the mouth of the Annisquam River in Massachusetts and dispatched a barge with about fifty Royal Navy sailors and marines ashore to capture a flock of sheep. Major Peter Coffin of West Gloucester gathered about half a dozen armed neighbors to repel the raiders. They concealed themselves behind sand mounds and kept up such a brisk fire that the raiders thought they faced a large detachment of militiamen. The British immediately gave up foraging and returned to the Falcon without any sheep to feed the hungry British soldiers beseiged in Boston.
Sources: https://historicipswich.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/battle-of-gloucester.pdf;
And on this day 250 years ago, the Spanish ship San Carlos commanded by Juan Manuel de Ayala, sailed into San Francisco Bay, California to claim the Bay for Spain. This was part of the American Revolution because the Royal Navy under the famous Captain James Cook was also exploring the California coast to stake claims to the territory for Britain. Although the Royal Navy was the largest and most powerful fleet in history at that time, this event illustrates that the British could not deploy all of their formidable naval resources to the campaign to defeat the 13 Colonies, and that the Spanish would later enter the War against Great Britains, in part to defend their claimed American territories against the encroachment of the British.
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On this day 250 years ago in Cambridge, Massachusetts, General Washington wrote letters to the heads of government in New Hampshire (the New Hampshire Committee of Safety), Connecticut (Governor Jonathan Trumbull) and Rhode Island (Deputy Governor Nicholas Cooke) to inform them
that our Necessaties in the Articles of Powder, Lead & Flints are so great as to require an immediate Supply—I must earnestly intreat you will fall upon some Measures to forward to us every Ounce in the Province that can possibly be spared . . . No Quantity however small is beneath Notice & should any arrive I beg it may be forwarded to us as fast as possible.
Washington’s letter to Deputy Governor Nicholas Cooke of Rhode Island added a daring proposal for a raid to seize gunpowder on Bermuda:
One Harris is lately come from Bermuda, where there is a very considerable Magazine of Powder in a remote Part of the Island, & the Inhabitants well disposed not only to our Cause in General, but to assist in this Enterprize in particular: We understand there are two armed Vessels in your Province commanded by Men of known Activity & Spirit: One of which it is proposed to dispatch on this Errand with such other Assistance as may be requisite: Harris is to go along as the Conductor of the Enterprize & to avail ourselves of his Knowledge of the Island but without any Command: I am very sensible that at first View this Project may appear hazardous, & its Success must depend upon the Concurrence of many Circumstances but we are in a Situation which requires us to run all Risques—No Danger is to be considered when put in Competition with the Magnitude of the Cause & the absolute Necessity we are under of increasing our Stock
Sources: “George Washington to Jonathan Trumbull, Sr., 4 August 1775,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-01-02-0155. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 1, 16 June 1775 – 15 September 1775, ed. Philander D. Chase. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1985, pp. 244–245.]; “George Washington to the New Hampshire Committee of Safety, 4 August 1775,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-01-02-0153. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 1, 16 June 1775 – 15 September 1775, ed. Philander D. Chase. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1985, p. 242.]; “George Washington to Nicholas Cooke, 4 August 1775,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-01-02-0149. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 1, 16 June 1775 – 15 September 1775, ed. Philander D. Chase. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1985, pp. 221–223.]; https://www.americanhistorycentral.com/entries/narragansett-bay-operations-1775/
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On this day 250 years ago in Cambridge, Massachusetts, General Washington conducted a Council of War with Major Generals Charles Lee, Artemas Ward and Israel Putnam, Brigadier Generals John Thomas, John Sullivan, Joseph Spencer, Nathaniel Greene, Horatio Gates and William Heath, Washington’s aide Lt. Col. Joseph Reed and presumably his aide Major Thomas Mifflin and other aides. Washington shared reports on
the State of the Ammunition which appears to be far short of the Return made some Time ago, & having explained in what Manner the Mistake had happened desires the Opinion & Advice of the Generals present on this Subject. Upon the Returns now made—the whole Stock of the Army at Roxbury & Cambridge & the adjacent Posts consists of 90 Bbbls or thereabouts.
It was proposed to make an Attempt on the Magazine at Halifax [Nova Scotia] where there is Reason to suppose there is a great Quantity of Powder—And upon the Question being severally put it was agreed to by a great Majority. & that the Detachment for this Enterprize consist of 300 Men. Also to endeavour to collect a Supply from the neighbouring Provinces of New Hampshire, Rhode Island & Connecticut.
Source: “Council of War, 3 August 1775,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-01-02-0143. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 1, 16 June 1775 – 15 September 1775, ed. Philander D. Chase. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1985, pp. 215–216.]
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On this day 250 years ago in Philadelphia, the members of the Continental Congress began returning to their home states after the Congress adjourned the previous day to resume in September.
Source: https://250andcounting.com/
On that day in Cambridge, Massachusetts, after learning the alarming news that the Continental Army was about to run out of gunpowder and flints, General Washington obtained detailed reports on the exact quantity of gunpowder and ammunition available for his troops. Brigadier General John Sullivan reported from his encampment at Winter Hill that he had
Examined into the State of The Ammunition in my Department & find Remaining in the Magazine of the Powder Supplied from New Hampshire 19 Barrels of 100 wt Each, Scarcely any Balls & no flints Except what the Soldiers are possessd of: They are in General well Provided with amunition for one Ingagement we have 50 Rounds of Cartridges to Each Cannon
The Massachusetts Committee of Supplies reported from Watertown
that abt 80,000 Flints & eight Tons of Lead are expected here Saturday next; It arrived at Hartford Sunday & Monday last.
Colo. Campbell the Deputy Quarter Master informed Colo. porter at New york that fifteen hogsheads of powder had arrived there & that he should give your Excellency immediate Notice thereof.
I apprehend We can have half a Ton Lead cast into Ball a Day, being provided with Moulds sized from 16 to 32 Balls to the pound—perhaps twice that Quantity on Emergency.
Colo. Burbeck recd 16 half barells powder this Morning
Sources: “Brigadier General John Sullivan to George Washington, 2 August 1775,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-01-02-0141. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 1, 16 June 1775 – 15 September 1775, ed. Philander D. Chase. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1985, p. 214.]; “Massachusetts Committee of Supplies to George Washington, 2 August 1775,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-01-02-0140. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 1, 16 June 1775 – 15 September 1775, ed. Philander D. Chase. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1985, pp. 213–214.]
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On this day 250 years ago near Seneca town in South Carolina, a detachment of the 3rd South Carolina Rangers was attacked by a party of Cherokee Indians and driven from their camp.
Source: https://www.myrevolutionarywar.com/battles/1775-skirmish/
On that same day in North Carolina, the Rowan County Regiment was formed.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rowan_County_Regiment
On this day 250 years ago in the siege lines around Boston, Abraham Naunauphtaunk and William Notonksion, Sr., both of the Stockbridge Indians, were mortally wounded, and would become the first Native American Patriots to die in the Revolutionary War.
Source: https://www.bidwellhousemuseum.org/blog/2022/06/28/bidwell-lore-captain-william-goodrich-part-iv/
And on this day 250 years ago in Watertown, Massachusetts, Elbridge Gerry wrote George Washington on behalf of the Massachusetts Committee of Supplies to report that although Washington believed that Massachusetts had over 300 barrels of gunpowder, in fact
here remains but 36 barells in Store of the Quantity collected from the Towns in this Colony & recd from the others this side Maryland.
there are also about two Tons of Lead & not any Flints in Store, of which We think it necessary to give immediate Information.
Sources: “Massachusetts Committee of Supplies to George Washington, 1 August 1775,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-01-02-0136. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 1, 16 June 1775 – 15 September 1775, ed. Philander D. Chase. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1985, pp. 211–212.]; https://250andcounting.com/2025/08/01/august-1-1775-the-ammunition-crisis/
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On this day 250 years ago the Continental Army fought four separate battles around Boston. Brigadier General William Heath recounted all four actions in his memoirs, presumably from his notes and records on that day:
A little before one o’clock, a.m., a British floating-battery came up the river within 300 yards of Sewall’s Point [in Brookline] and fired a number of shot at the American works, on both sides of the [Charles] river. At the same time the British, on Boston Neck, sallied towards Roxbury; drove in the American centinels, set fire to the George tavern, and returned to their works. The same morning, Major [Benjamin] Tupper, with 300 Americans, went to Light-House Island, attacked a British guard of 33 marines, killed a subaltern officer and several soldiers, took 23 prisoners, several refugees, and burnt all the buildings on the island, with the loss of one American soldier. There was a firing, during the day, from the British at Charlestown, at intervals. Two Americans were killed; an officer, and several British soldiers, were supposed to have been killed. The Americans took several muskets.
The most significant engagement that day was Major Tupper’s raid on Great Brewster Island, otherwise then known as Light-House Island. Other reports indicate the Americans captured 35 prisoners on Great Brewster Island (23 British soldiers, 11 workers repairing the lighthouse and one Tory assisting the British), killed the Lieutenant in command of the British detachment and at least 9 other British soldiers, mortally wounded a prominent Tory, and killed or wounded another 20 British sailors and sank a British boat attempting to cut off the American whaleboats ferrying Major Tupper’s men off the island. The battle was a great success for the Continental Army, but two Americans were killed and one was wounded in the engagement. Major Tupper and Major John Crane (commanding the Massachusetts artillery that protected Tupper’s men as they rowed back to the mainland) were honored for their actions and would go on to honorable service for the remainder of the War. However, I could find no record of the names of the two American soldiers who gave their lives for American liberty on Great Brewster Island but we should honor their sacrifices too.
Sources: https://www.americanhistorycentral.com/entries/lexington-and-concord-brookline-militia/; “William Tudor to John Adams, 31 July 1775,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Adams/06-03-02-0062. [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. 107–108.]; https://www.americanhistorycentral.com/entries/great-brewster-island-raids-1775/
On this day 250 years ago in Philadelphia, the Continental Congress adopted a response to Lord North’s proposal for reconciliation that had been drafted by Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and Richard Henry Lee. The response declared that
We are of opinion the proposition is altogether unsatisfactory, because it imports only a suspension of the mode, not a renunciation of the pretended right to tax us: because, too, it does not propose to repeal the several Acts of Parliament passed for the purposes of restraining the trade, and altering the form of government of one of our colonies: extending the boundaries and changing the government of Quebec; enlarging the jurisdiction of the courts of Admiralty and vice-Admiralty; taking from us the rights of trial by a jury of the vicinage, in cases affecting both life and property; transporting us into other countries to be tried for criminal offences; exempting, by mock-trial, the murderers of colonists from punishment; and quartering soldiers on us in times of profound peace. Nor do they renounce the power of suspending our own legislatures, and of legislating for us themselves in all cases whatsoever
Source: https://americanfounding.org/entries/second-continental-congress-july-31-1775/
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In the early morning hours of this day 250 years ago on Charlestown Neck outside Boston, about 80 Continental Army rifleman attacked British sentries barricading the neck to prevent the Continental Army from reoccupying the Charlestown Peninsula. Both the British and the Americans added troops to the skirmish and the British bombarded the Continental lines, but at the end of fighting the Americans had retaken possession of the Charlestown Neck, and had killed several British soldiers and captured two, with the loss of only one Continental soldier killed.
Sources: https://250andcounting.com/2025/07/30/july-30-1775-a-battle-at-charlestown-neck/; https://founders.archives.gov/?q=%2230%20July%201775%22&s=1111311111&sa=&r=6&sr= at n.3
Also on this day 250 years ago at his headquarters in Cambridge, Massachusetts, General Washington explained that
issst would not be consistent with my duty to detach any Part of the Army now here on any Particular Provincial Service. It has been debated in Congress and Settled that the Militia or other Internal Strength of each Province is to be applied for Defence against those Small and Particular Depredations which were to be expected, & to which they were Supposed to be competent. This will appear the more Proper, when it is considerd that every Town & indeed every Part of our Sea Coast which is exposed to these Depredations would have an equal Claim upon this Army: It is the Misfortune of our Situation which exposes us to these Ravages, against which in my Judgment no such Temporary Relief would possibly secure us—The great Advantage the Enemy has of transporting Troops by being Masters of the Sea will enable them to harrass us by Diversions of this kind; & Should we be tempted to pursue them upon every Alarm, The Army must either be so weaken’d as to Expose it to Destruction or a great Part of the Coast be Still left unprotected: Nor indeed does it appear to me that such a Pursuit would be attended with the least Effect: The first Notice of Such an Incursion would be it’s actual Exicutio⟨n⟩ & long before any Troops could reach the Scene of Action—the Enemy would have an Oppy to accomplish their Purpose & retire—It would give me great Pleasure to have it in my Power to extend Protection & Safety to every Individual, but the Wisdom of the General Court will anticipate me in the Necessity of Conducting our Operations on a General and impartial Scale, so as to exclude any first Cause of Complaint & Jealousy.
Washington would follow this strategy for the remainder of the War, and as a result, the defense of America from British ships raiding the coast, Native American raiding parties on the Frontier, and Loyalist uprisings in the interior of the 13 soon-to-be States, fell to the Militia of each State rather than the Continental Army. Most of the engagements in the Revolution were fought by the Militia and not Continental soldiers.
Source: “George Washington to James Warren, 30 July 1775,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-01-02-0123. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 1, 16 June 1775 – 15 September 1775, ed. Philander D. Chase. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1985, pp. 195–197.]
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On this day 250 years ago in Philadelphia, the Continental Congress established the Chaplain Corps. The Congress authorized payments for one ordained chaplain, with the rank captain, for each regiment.
Sources: https://www.army.mil/article/268697/army_chaplain_corps_celebrates_248th_anniversary; https://armyhistory.org/u-s-army-chaplain-corps/; Journals of the Continental Congress at 220, accessed at https://archive.org/details/us_congress_continental/lljc002/page/219/mode/2up
Also on that day the Continental Congress
Resolved, That Michael Hillegas, and George Clymer, Esqrs. be, and they are hereby appointed, joint treasurers of the United Colonies . . .
That the provincial Assemblies or conventions do each chuse a treasurer for their respective colonies, and take sufficient security for the faithful performance of the trust.
That each colony provide ways and means to sink its proportion of the bills ordered to be emitted by this Congress, in such manner as may be most effectual and best adapted to the condition, circumstances, and usual mode of levying taxes in such colony.
This resolution established a mechanism for funding the government of the United States that would prove entirely unworkable over the course of the American Revolution.
Source: Journals of the Continental Congress at 221, accessed at https://archive.org/details/us_congress_continental/lljc002/page/221/mode/2up
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On this day 250 years ago in New Jersey, the freeholders of Somerset County formed Committees of Inspection for each township within the county and for the county itself. Another county in America established its own government independent of British rule.
On this day 250 years ago in Philadelphia, the Pennsylvania Committee of Safety issued a formal request to “the Committees of the City and Liberties of Philadelphia, and of the several counties in this province” to identify “the officers of the Military Association, in order that commissions may be made out for them.” Unlike the other colonies, Pennsylvania did not have a provincial Militia. Instead of taking over existing Militia units as in the other colonies, the Patriots of Pennsylvania instead formed armed units of volunteer “Associators” in Philadelphia and several counties. Acting at the direction of the Continental Congress, with this request the Pennsylvania Committee of Safety essentially incorporated the Associator units as militia force available for call up to support the Continental Army when needed.
One of the Associator officers who would receive a commission as a Colonel was George Taylor of the Northampton County Associators. Taylor was an immigrant from Ireland who came to America as an indentured servant in an ironworks, but he became the manager of the ironworks, and a member of the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly. Taylor would go on to be elected to the Continental Congress where in 1776 he signed the Declaration of Independence. In addition to his service in Congress and in the Pennsylvania Supreme Executive Council, Taylor contributed to the American cause by supplying cannon balls and shot for the Continental Army but his health began fading in 1777 and he passed away in early 1781 with the War still ongoing.
Sources: “Advertisement by the Pennsylvania Committee of Safety, 28 July 1775,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Franklin/01-22-02-0075. [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. 135–136.]; https://www.revolutionary-war.net/george-taylor/
Also on that day in Philadelphia, the Continental Congress adopted a message to the people of Ireland that included the litany of British oppression of the American people:
Taxes, for the first time since we landed on the American shores, were, without our consent, imposed upon us; an unconstitutional edict to compel us to furnish necessaries for a standing army, that we wished to see disbanded, was issued; and the legislature of New York suspended for refusing to comply with it. Our antient and inestimable right of trial by jury was, in many instances, abolished; and the common law of the land made to give place to Admiralty jurisdictions. Judges were rendered, by the tenure of their commissions, entirely dependent on the will of a Minister. New crimes were arbitrarily created: and new courts, unknown to the constitution, instituted. Wicked and insidious Governors have been set over us; and dutiful petitions, for the removal of even the notoriously infamous Governor Hutchinson, were branded with the opprobrious appellation of scandalous and defamatory. Hardy attempts have been made, under colour of parliamentary authority, to seize Americans, and carry them to Great Britain to be tried for of fences committed in the Colonies. Ancient charters have no longer remained sacred; that of the Massachusetts Bay was violated; and their form of government essentially mutilated and transformed. On pretence of punishing a violation of some private property, committed by a few disguised individuals, the populous and flourishing town of Boston was surrounded by fleets and armies; its trade destroyed; its port blocked up; and thirty thousand citizens subjected to all the miseries attending so sudden a convulsion in their commercial metropolis; and, to remove every obstacle to the rigorous execution of this system of oppression, an act of parliament was passed evidently calculated to indemnify those, who might, in the prosecution of it, even embrue their hands in the blood of the inhabitants.
. . .
Our trade with foreign states was prohibited; and an act of Parliament passed to prevent our even fishing on our own coasts. Our peaceable Assemblies, for the purpose of consulting the common safety, were declared seditious; and our asserting the very rights which placed the Crown of Great Britain on the heads of the three successive Princes of the House of Hanover, stiled rebellion. Orders were given to reinforce the troops in America.
But the Continental Congress also included an apology to the people of Ireland for its decision to suspend trade with Ireland in addition to trade with Great Britain that ended with a remarkably prescient prediction of Irish immigration to America:
permit us to assure you, that it was with the utmost reluctance we could prevail upon ourselves, to cease our commercial connexion with your island. Your parliament had done us no wrong. You had ever been friendly to the rights of mankind; and we acknowledge, with pleasure and gratitude, that your nation has produced patriots, who have nobly distinguished themselves in the cause of humanity and America. On the other hand, we were not ignorant that the labor and manufactures of Ireland, like those of the silk-worm, were of little moment to herself; but served only to give luxury to those who neither toil nor spin. We perceived that if we continued our commerce with you, our agreement not to import from Britain would be fruitless, and were, therefore, compelled to adopt a measure, to which nothing but absolute necessity would have reconciled us. It gave us, however, some consolation to reflect, that should it occasion much distress, the fertile regions of America would afford you a safe assylum from poverty, and, in time, from oppression also; an assylum, in which many thousands of your countrymen have found hospitality, peace, and affluence, and become united to us by all the ties of consanguinity, mutual interest, and affection.
Source: https://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/contcong_07-28-75.asp
On This Day In The Revolution 