-
On this day 250 years ago Thomas Jefferson arrived in Philadelphia to attend the Continental Congress. Jefferson was accompanied by his 14-year-old slave Robert Hemmings. Source: https://www.nps.gov/articles/independence-jeffersonphiladelphia.htm Also on that day in Philadelphia, the Continental Congress accepted the credentials of Stephen Hopkins and William Ellery as Delegates to the Congress. The credentials were issued by…
-
On this day 250 years ago on the Savannah River between Georgia and South Carolina the Royal Navy sloops HMS Raven and HMS Cherokee sent 3 boats up the Savannah River to capture an armed American schooner. Two other boats were assigned to guard Cockspur Island while they were conducting their attack. At the British sailors captured the schooner…
-
On this day 250 years ago in Georgia, Patriot militia crossed the Savannah River in small boats to raid a British outpost on Cockspur Island. The militia were discovered before they could surprise the post and defeated by crewmen from the British sloops HMS Raven and HMS Cherokee. One American was killed and three were captured in…
-
On this day 250 years ago in Philadelphia, the Continental Congress resolved That the 20th day of July be fixed on for holding a treaty, at Pittsburg, with the Indians, in the middle department; and that the standing committee be directed to inform the Agent, and desire him to notify the Indians, and invite them…
-
On this day 250 years ago in Augusta County, Virginia, the people of Augusta Country approved a Declaration drafted by Thomas Lewis on behalf of the Augusta County, Virginia Committee of Safety. No copy of this Declaration survives but the journal of the Fifth Virginia Convention includes this summary of the Declaration: A representation from the committee…
-
On this day 250 years ago in the Delaware River, the 13 row galleys of the Pennsylvania Navy each carrying a single cannon continued their engagement with the British warships HMS Roebuck with 48 guns and Liverpool with 28 guns, plus their tenders and prizes. Although the Patriots were significantly outgunned by the British ships,…
-
On this day 250 years ago in the Delaware River the British warships HMS Roebuck with 48 guns and Liverpool with 28 guns accompanied by tenders and captured prizes, were anchored off the mouth of Wilmington Creek (now called the Christina River), Delaware. The British ships had chased the Continental schooner Wasp and a brig…
-
On this day 250 years ago in Braintree, Massachusetts, Abigail Adams wrote to her husband John: I can not say that I think you very generous to the Ladies, for whilst you are proclaiming peace and good will to Men, Emancipating all Nations, you insist upon retaining an absolute power over Wives. But you must…
-
On this day 250 years ago in Williamsburg, the Fifth Virginia Convention began and the Virginia House of Burgesses ended. The final entry in the Journals of the House of Burgesses says “6th of May. 16 Geo. III. 1776 … FINIS.” Edmund Pendleton wrote in a letter to Richard Henry Lee the next day, “We met in an…
-
On this day 250 years ago outside Quebec, Major General John Thomas conducted a council of war to determine if the Continental Army should continue the Siege of Quebec or begin their retreat to Montreal and then New York. The Americans had received word that a British fleet was approaching with reinforcements to relieve Quebec,…