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On this day 250 years ago in New York, 84 British transport vessels — 75 flatboats plus some galleys and bateaux — protected by cannon fire from five warships and artillery on Long Island, brought 13,000 British and Hessian troops ashore at Kip’s Bay on the east side of Manhattan. The untrained militia and new…
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On this day 250 years ago in New York, the Continental Army was beginning its evacuation of New York City. By dawn, the Marblehead Regiment commanded by Col. John Glover successfully completed another night time evacuation of American forces by boat, this time carrying about 500 sick and wounded Continentals across the Hudson to New…
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On this day 250 years ago in New York, the British sailed ships up the Hudson and East Rivers past the Continental Army’s defenses on Manhattan. The British warships HMS Phoenix and Roebuck, accompanied by the frigates Orpheus and Carysfort, sailed about three miles up the East River to the mouth of Bushwick Creek under heavy bombardment from the American batteries…
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On this day 250 years ago on Manhattan at the Black Horse Tavern owned by Mrs. Catharine Benson McGown, General Washington convened a Council of War to reconsider the earlier decision to defend New York City against the British. The generals present voted 10 to 3 to evacuate New York City (which then comprised just…
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On this day 250 years ago at the home of Christopher Billop on Staten Island, New York, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and Edward Rutledge representing the Continental Congress met with Admiral Lord Richard Howe in his capacity as the Peace Commissioner for the British crown. The Americans quickly learned that Lord Howe did not have…
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On this day 250 years ago at New Castle, Delaware a Constitution was agreed to and resolved upon by the Representatives in full Convention of the Delaware State, . . . the said Representatives being chosen by the Freemen of the said State for that express Purpose. Delaware’s first Constitution included these articles: ART. 26. No…
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On this day 250 years ago in Philadelphia, the Continental Congress Resolved, That in all continental commissions, and other instruments, where, heretofore, the words ‘United Colonies’ have been used, the stile be altered for the future to the “United States.” Our country has been the United States of America ever since. Sources: Journals of the…
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On this day 250 years ago in New York City, Maj. Gen. Nathanael Greene wrote to John Hancock, the President of the Continental Congress: This will be handed you by Captain Sion Martindale and Lieutenant Moses Turner, that were taken in the brig Washington, in Boston Bay, last Fall. They were sent home prisoners to England and ordered back to Halifax, where they were confined in…
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Early in the morning on this day 250 years ago on Bald Head Island at the mouth of the Cape Fear River in North Carolina, 150 men of the 4th North Carolina Regiment commanded by Col. Thomas Polk and Capts. Thomas Harris and Robert Smith battled Royal Navy sailors manning Fort George on the island…
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Late at night on this day 250 years ago in New York Harbor, Sgt. Ezra Lee of Connecticut piloted the submarine Turtle in an unsuccessful attempt to attach explosives to the HMS Eagle in the first instance of the use of a submarine in combat anywhere in the world. Inventors David Bushnell and Isaac Doolittle,…
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