On This Day In The Revolution

On this day 250 years ago, 300 militiamen from Essex County, New Jersey under the command of Capt. John Blanchard raided Staten Island, New York to stop raids by British ships. Source: https://www.westjerseyhistory.org/books/battlesmunn/partfive.shtml; In the early hours of this day 250 years ago, according to one source, British General Donald MacDonald led the 1600 men…

On this day 250 years ago in Cambridge, Massachusetts General Washington issued the following Order: The Congress have been pleased to appoint Joseph Fry Esqr. a Brigadier General in the Continental Army; he is to be obeyed as such and his Excellency the General orders that he shall take the command of the vacant Brigade…

On this day 250 years ago at his headquarters in Cambridge, Massachusetts, General Washington held a Council of War with the generals under his command to determine whether the Continental Army should launch an assault to take Boston. The Council of War: Resolved that an Assault on the Town of Boston in the present circumstances…

On this day 250 years ago in Philadelphia, the Continental Congress resolved That a committee of three . . . (two of whom to be members of Congress) be appointed to proceed to Canada there to pursue such instructions as shall be given them by Congress. The members chosen, Dr. Benjamin Franklin, Mr. S Chase,…

On this day 250 years ago in Philadelphia, the third publication of Thomas Paine’s Common Sense was released with a new appendix. The words of the appendix include the most-remembered lines of Common Sense: We ought to reflect, that there are three different ways by which an independancy may hereafter be effected; and that one of those three, will,…

Early in the morning on this day 250 years ago on Dorchester Neck (then adjacent to Boston and now in South Boston), a contingent of about 500 men of the British Army conducted a raid across the frozen bay to try and capture the 60 men of the Continental Army stationed on the Neck. The…

On this day 250 years ago in Hartford, the Connecticut Committee of the Pay Table ordered Pantry Jones and Joseph Pratt to be paid 2 pounds, 5 shillings “for two horses Waggon to Transport the Cognowago Indians from Hartford to Providence”.  The Kahnawake Indians were probably led by Akiatonharónkwen or Louis Cook, a Kahnawake chief…

On this day 250 years ago in Savannah, Georgia, Royal Governor Sir James Wright fled the Executive Mansion to the safety of the HMS Scarborough anchored at the mouth of the Savannah River. The Georgia Provincial Congress would record in its Journal: Governor Wright observed his parole of honor for a time, but after nearly…