1775 – On This Day In The Revolution

On this day 250 years ago in the Revolution — December 14, 1775

December 14th, 2025

On this day 250 years ago in New York City, after a debate between its conservative members and more radical members, the New York Provincial Congress adopted the language proposed by radical leaders John Morin Scott and Alexander McDougall that resolved

That though this Colony in conjuncture with the other United Colonies has had recourse to the appointment of Congresses and committees for the more orderly and effectual redress of their numerous and heavy grievances, yet it is by no means the desire or design of its inhabitants to disuse, much less to oppose or obstruct the ordinary course of legislation, but that they highly esteem their right of being represented in General Assembly.

Therefore Resolved, nevertheless, That it is the opinion of this Congress, that nothing of a salutary nature can be expected from a separate declaration of the sense of this Colony on the resolution of the House of Commons of the 20th February last, and that as the motion whereon the same was grounded, was confessedly framed to disunite the Colonies, it would be highly dangerous to, and totally inconsistent with the glorious plan of American union, should this Colony express their separate sense on the above mentioned supposed conciliatory proposal on the part of Great Britain.

Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Congress that this Colony is fully and effectually represented in the Continental Congress for the purpose of expressing the sense of its inhabitants on any overtures for a reconciliation, and that the Continental Congress has fully and dispassionately expressed the sense of the inhabitants of this Colony on the above mentioned resolution of the 20th February last.

John Morin Scott would later become a brigadier general in the Continental Army. Colonel Alexander McDougall, who came to America as a penniless teenage immigrant from Scotland, was already an officer in the Continental Army and would go on to serve throughout the War rising to major general.

Source: Journals of the Provincial Congress, Provincial Convention, Committee of Safety and Council of Safety of the state of New-York at pp. 218-19 accessed at https://archive.org/details/journalsofprovin01newy/page/218/mode/2up

On this day 250 years ago in the Revolution — December 10, 1775

December 10th, 2025

On this day 250 years ago in Rhode Island, the Reverend Ezra Stiles recorded in his diary a raid by at least 200 (Stiles thought more) British Marines on Conanicut Island and the burning of the village of Jamestown:

This Morning we were awaked with the Conflagration of Jamestown on Conanicott. An awful Sight! The Bomb Brigg & several Tenders full of Marines went over last Night, & about o’clock or a little before day landed and set fire to the Houses. The men continued ravaging & firing till about Noon & returned.

The next day, Stiles wrote:

About 1 o’clock yesterday morning a Bomb Brig, 1 schooner & 2 or 3 armed sloops went to Conanicott & landed upwards of Two hundred Marines Sailors & Negroes at the East Ferry; and marched in 3 Divisions over to the West Ferry, & set the several houses on fire there, then retreated back setting fire to almost every house on each side of the road, & several Houses & Barns some distance on the North & South side of the Rode, driving out Women & Children &c.

A Company of Minute Men had left Conanicut the Afternoon before so that there were but 40 or 50 soldiers on the Island, of 22 were well equipped. At the Cross Rodes there was a Skirmish our people killed one Officer of Marines & wounded 7 or 8.

Not one Colonist was killed or hurt in the Skirmish. The Kings forces fired on Mr. John Martin, 80 standing unarmed at his Door & wounded him badly. Mr. Fowler had above 30 Head Cattle: these the Regulars carried off & perhaps a dozen Head more, about 30 Sheep & as many Turkeys, & some Hogs, Beds Furniture & other plunder. They returned on board at X & XI o’Clock & came to this Harbor about Noon.

The Alarm spread, & I am told there are this day Three hundred Men on Conanicutt, & Eight hundred upon this Island. The Town in great Consternation.

The elderly bystander John Martin would die of his wounds.

Sources: https://www.americanhistorycentral.com/entries/narragansett-bay-operations-1775/; http://smallstatebighistory.com/major-general-charles-lee-imposes-oaths-of-allegiance-on-newport-tories-in-1775/

On this day 250 years ago in Braintree, Massachusetts, Abigail Adams wrote a long letter to her husband John serving in the Continental Congress in Philadelphia in which she provided her assessment of the characters of officers in the Continental Army who she had recently met in Cambridge, a advice to pass along to Congress on trade with the West Indies and on curbing inflation, and a shopping list:

I am very loth to trouble you about articles of conveniancy for myself, especially as they are so much out of your way of Buisness. I will only mention two or three which if you can direct Bass to get for me will much oblige me one black Barcelona hankerchief, two or 3 yd. of black Caliminco for shooes and binding for the same he knows how much will be proper and 3 or 4 common manchester check hankerchiefs for the pocket. Not a hankerchief of any kind can be purchased here, but out of the Store for the Army, and they are allowd only to those who inlist.

Source: “Abigail Adams to John Adams, 10 December 1775,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Adams/04-01-02-0221. [Original source: The Adams Papers, Adams Family Correspondence, vol. 1, December 1761 – May 1776, ed. Lyman H. Butterfield. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1963, pp. 335–338.]

On this day 250 years ago in the Revolution — December 7, 1775

December 7th, 2025

On this day 250 years ago, “a Convention of Delegates, chosen by the several counties of the province of Maryland at the city of Annapolis” convened. Their first order of business was to elect Matthew Tilghman as the President of the Convention. Tilghman would serve as one of Maryland’s delegates to the Continental Congress and in the Maryland Convention and Maryland Legislature for the duration of the War. The Maryland Convention, also called the Annapolis Convention, was effectively the government of Maryland even though Royal Governor Eden remained in office.

Source: Proceedings of the Conventions of the province of Maryland, held at the city of Annapolis, in 1774, 1775, & 1776 , Baltimore: James Lewis & E.K. Deaver, 1836 at p.39, accessed at https://archive.org/details/proceedingsofcon00mary/page/38/mode/2up

That same day, 1100 Americans and a few hundred Canadians commanded by General Richard Montgomery and Colonel Benedict Arnold were besieging the City of Quebec from encampments to the west and north of the City’s walls. The 1800 British soldiers, sailors and untrained Canadians drafted into a militia defending Quebec outnumbered the besiegers.

Sources: https://www.americanheritage.com/siege-quebec-1775-1776; https://www.americanrevolution.org/arnolds-expedition-the-investment/

On that same day in Virginia 400 men commanded by Colonel William Woodford including 100 riflemen from Culpeper County, 200 militia from Fauquier and Orange Counties, local militia from Norfolk County and a company from North Carolina were encamped in the village of Great Bridge south of Norfolk (within the City of Chesapeake today). Woodford’s men were defending a barricade they had erected across the south side of the Great Bridge over the Elizabeth River and outposts along the south side of the river. A small detachment of 27 British Regulars with two four-pounder cannon and several small swivel guns occupied a hastily constructed fort guarding the north end of the Great Bridge. The British regulars were supported by a company of former slaves who had enlisted in Dunmore’s “Ethiopian Regiment” in return for his promise of freedom and who were guarding the north bank of the river. The British side numbered about 100 in total. The Great Bridge provided the only road access to the City of Norfolk. The British and Americans had been sniping and raiding each other across the Elizabeth River in a stalemate that had lasted for more than a week but on this day Woodford received reinforcements bringing his total force to 900. The stalemate was about to be broken.

Today, December 7, 2025, the City of Chesapeake is hosting a 250th Anniversary of the Battle of Great Bridge Reenactment, and there are several other related events on December 9.

Sources: https://va250.org/event-detail/?id=2305; https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/other/great-bridge-battlefield-commemorates-250th-anniversary-of-patriot-victory/ar-AA1RpyYQ;; https://www.cityofchesapeake.net/810/Battle-of-Great-Bridge; https://www.jyfmuseums.org/learn/research-and-collections/essays/what-was-the-battle-of-great-bridge; Selby at 70-72

On this day 250 years ago in the Revolution — November 5, 1775

November 5th, 2025

On this day 250 years ago at his headquarters in Cambridge, Massachusetts, General George Washington issued this order:

As the Commander in Chief has been apprized of a design form’d for the observance of that ridiculous and childish custom of burning the Effigy of the pope He cannot help expressing his surprise that there should be Officers and Soldiers in this army so void of common sense, as not to see the impropriety of such a step at this Juncture; at a Time when we are solliciting, and have really obtain’d, the friendship and alliance of the people of Canada, whom we ought to consider as Brethren embarked in the same Cause. The defence of the general Liberty of America: At such a juncture, and in such Circumstances, to be insulting their Religion, is so monstrous, as not to be suffered or excused; indeed instead of offering the most remote insult, it is our duty to address public thanks to these our Brethren, as to them we are so much indebted for every late happy Success over the common Enemy in Canada.

Sources: https://www.theatlantic.com/daily-dish/archive/2007/11/george-washington-and-guy-fawkes-day/223915/; https://founders.archives.gov/?q=%225%20November%201775%22%20&s=1111311111&sa=&r=6&sr=

And on this day 250 years ago in Braintree, Massachusetts, Abigail Adams wrote to Mercy Otis Warren that

Is it possible that he whom no moral obligations bind, can have any real Good Will towards Man, can he be a patriot who by an openly vicious conduct is undermineing the very bonds of Society, corrupting the Morals of Youth, and by his bad example injuring that very Country he professess to patrionize more than he can possibly compensate by his intrepidity.

Source: “Abigail Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 5 November 1775,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Adams/04-01-02-0213. [Original source: The Adams Papers, Adams Family Correspondence, vol. 1, December 1761 – May 1776, ed. Lyman H. Butterfield. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1963, pp. 322–324.]

On this day 250 years ago in the Revolution — October 31, 1775

October 31st, 2025

On this day 250 years ago in Philadelphia, Congressman Samuel Adams wrote to Elbridge Gerry:

It is always dangerous to the Liberties of the People to have an Army kept up among them over which they have no Control. . . . History affords us abundant Evidence of established Armies making themselves the Masters of those Countries which they were designed to protect

Source: https://americanfounding.org/entries/second-continental-congress-october-31-1775/

On this day 250 years at Mine Creek on the Charles Town Road in the Congarees (today’s Old Charleston Road in Saluda County), South Carolina, a wagon carrying 1,000 pounds of gunpowder was intercepted and seized by a force of 60 Loyalists under the command of Patrick Cunningham. In accordance with earlier treaties with the Cherokees, the South Carolina Council of Safety had hired Moses Cotter to deliver to the Cherokee town of Keowee and ordered an escort of Lt. Thomas Charlton, Cadet Uriah Goodwin, two sergeants, and 18 privates to accompany the wagon. The Loyalists released Cotter but Cotter later testified that they

tied Lt. Charlton, Mr. Goodwin, and William Witherspoon, a private, by their arms.

Lt. Charlton seemed very much displeased at their behavior, and said “he would rather have been shot, than used in such a manner, had he expected it; that he did not value his own life; thought he had acted prudently by not ordering his men to fire on them, as it would be throwing away their lives, without answering any good purpose; especially as their party were so numerous, that he was sorry to see them behave in such a base manner, and that he would very willingly turn out his pary against twice the number of theirs, and give them battle.”

Lt. Charlton, Cadet Goodwin and the other prisoners were later released by the Loyalists. Goodwin would end up serving throughout the Revolution and give his life for American liberty with the rank of captain at the Battle of Eutaw Springs in 1781.

Sources: https://revolutionarywar.us/year-1775/; Parker, Jr., John C., Parker’s Guide to the Revolutionary War in South Carolina, West Conshohocken, PA: Infinity Publishing, 2013 at p. 385; https://www.carolana.com/SC/Revolution/revolution_mine_creek.html; https://www.jstor.org/stable/27574984?seq=14; https://allthingsliberty.com/2013/06/chaos-in-the-backcountry-the-battle-of-ninety-six/

1775 Arms & Gunpowder Raids

On this day 250 years ago in the Revolution — October 29, 1775

October 29th, 2025

On this day 250 years ago off Canso, Nova Scotia, Captains Nicholson Broughton and John Selman commanding the USS Hancock and Franklin respectively captured the schooners Prince William and Mary although both schooners would be subsequently released by General Washington as noncombatant ships that were not involved in supplying Boston.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicholson_Broughton

On this day 250 years ago in Philadelphia, Dr. Benjamin Rush, member of Congress and future signer of the Declaration of Independence, wrote to Thomas Rushton:

General Washington has astonished his most intimate friends with a display of the most wonderful talents for the government of an army. His zeal, his disinterestedness, his activity, his politeness, and his manly behavior to General Gage in their late correspondence have captivated the hearts of the public and his friends. He seems to be one of those illustrious heroes whom Providence raises up once in three or four hundred years to save a nation from ruin. If you do not know this person, perhaps you will be pleased to hear he has so much martial dignity in his deportment that you would distinguish him to be a general and a soldier from among ten thousand people. There is not a king in Europe that would not look like a valet de chambre by his side.

Tonight, October 29, 2025, at George Washington’s Mount Vernon, my wife and I watched an excerpt of Ken Burns’ coming film The American Revolution that quotes the final sentence of this excerpt from Benjamin Rush’s letter.

Sources: https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/abs/political-writings-of-george-washington/benjamin-rush-to-thomas-ruston-october-29-1775-excerpt/6D75D9856FE45BCC40736D9C3BAAA382

On this day 250 years ago in the Revolution — October 25, 1775

October 26th, 2025

This evening 250 years ago, four British tenders from the HMS Otter raided homes on Mill Creek at the mouth of the Hampton River in Virginia. This was the beginning of the first combat of the Revolution in Virginia and would continue for the the next two days.

This weekend, October 25-26, 2025, there is a reenactment and commemoration of the Battle of Hampton on its 250th anniversary at different locations in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia.

Sources: https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/the-battle-of-hampton-october-26-27-1775/; https://www.visitchesapeake.com/event/250th-anniversary-of-the-battle-of-hampton-reenactment/13766/; https://www.visitchesapeake.com/event/250th-anniversary-of-the-battle-of-hampton-reenactment/13766/; https://www.hampton.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=5798

On this date 250 years ago, Col.Benedict Arnold and his advance divisions under Captain Daniel Morgan and Major Return Jonathan Meigs were struggling through snow and ice to drag their battered bateaux up the flooded Dead River in Maine to reach the height of land that separated Maine from Canada and the head waters of Chaudiere River that flowed into Canada. All the men of Arnold’s force were soaked and cold, many were sick and much of their supplies had been lost or destroyed when the bateaux capsized or leaked in the flood. The day before Arnold had dispatched orders to the rear divisions commanded by Lt. Cols. Christopher Greene and Roger Enos to send the sick soldiers with three days provisions back downstream to Fort Western but to send forward all able men with 15 days of provisions.

On that same day Lt. Col. Greene and Lt. Col. Enos and their officers met at the Ledge Falls on the Dead River in Maine, to discuss whether to proceed with the march to Quebec. In contravention of Arnold’s orders, Lt. Col. Enos and his officers decided to turn back with the bulk of the expedition’s remaining supplies and only left two and half barrels of flour for Arnold’s men. However, Lt. Col. Greene, Major Timothy Bigelow, and Captains John Topham, Simon Thayer, Samuel Ward and Henry Dearborn made “a determined resolution to go through or die” with the expedition as Dr. Isaac Senter, one of their number, recorded in his journal. The 300 men in the companies commanded by Enos, plus 150 sick soldiers, would begin their descent back down the Kennebec River the next day. The loss of these men, and perhaps more importantly, their supplies, would end up spelling doom for Arnold’s expedition. But for reasons hard to understand now, Lt. Col. Enos would be acquitted at his court martial when he returned to the Army’s headquarters in Cambridge.

Sources: https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/arnolds-march-quebec; https://ia801306.us.archive.org/2/items/journalisaacsenter00sentrich/journalisaacsenter00sentrich.pdf; https://wheninyourstate.com/maine/in-1775-a-fort-in-maine-held-the-key-to-quebec-benedict-arnold-fumbled-it-in-just-six-days/; https://www.americanrevolution.org/arnolds-expedition-flood-famine-desertion/

Note: I try to post this blog each day. Although it appears this post is a day late, I am in California now so it is still October 25 here.

On this day 250 years ago in the Revolution — October 13, 1775

October 13th, 2025

On this day 250 years ago in Philadelphia, the Continental Congress received a report from Gen. George Washington that a British fleet, including six ships-of-the-line, was transporting five regiments of Royal Marines to America, and that four heavily armed ships and two transports with 600 men, two mortars, four howitzers, and several other artillery pieces, were preparing to sail from Boston. In addition, the Congress received another report from General Washington that he had authorize three schooners to cruise off Massachusetts in order to intercept and capture British supply ships. In response to these reports from General Washington the Congress

Resolved, That a swift sailing vessel, to carry ten carriage guns, and a proportionable number of swivels, with eighty men, be fitted, with all possible dispatch, for a cruise of three months, and that the commander be instructed to cruise eastward, for intercepting such transports as may be laden with warlike stores and other supplies for our enemies, and for such other purposes as the Congress shall direct.

That a Committee of three be appointed to superintend the fitting the said vessel to prepare an estimate of the expense, and lay the same before the Congress, and to contract with proper persons to fit out the vessel. That another vessel be fitted out for the same purposes, and that the said committee report their opinion of a proper vessel, and also an estimate of the expense.

The Congress further resolved that a committee “bring in regulations for” the navy and named Silas Deane, John Langdon, and Christopher Gadsden as the initial members of the Navy Committee, although the Committee would soon add more members including John Adams. Because of these actions that day, October 13, 1775 is generally considered the birthdate of the United States Navy, although the case can be made that the Navy was born in the previous month when General Washington commissioned the Hannah to go to sea.

Sources: https://americanfounding.org/entries/second-continental-congress-october-13-1775/; https://www.usni.org/magazines/naval-history/2025/october/birth-navy

On this day 250 years ago at the Great Carrying Place in Maine, Col. Benedict Arnold wrote to General Washington reporting that his entire command, which had been reduced to 950 men from the 1100 who started out, had left the Kennebec River and were engaged in hauling their bateaux on trails and over three ponds to the Dead River. Arnold predicted that in eight or ten days the men and their provisions would be on the Chaudiere River in Canada. Although Arnold acknowledged that “you would have taken the Men for amphibious Animals, as they were great Part of the Time under Water, add to this the great Fatigue in Portage,” he also claimed that “the Officers, Volunteers and privates in general have acted with the greatest Spirit & Industry.” Arnold’s report to Washington was entirely too optimistic, and the expedition would soon face calamity as they learned the distance to the Chaudiere River was much further than they had anticipated, torrential downpours would soak the men, provisions would run out and wash away in the flood, men would fall ill and be sent back to Fort Western to recuperate, and an entire division of the force would turn back against orders.

Source: “Colonel Benedict Arnold to George Washington, 13 October 1775,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-02-02-0145. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 2, 16 September 1775 – 31 December 1775, ed. Philander D. Chase. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1987, pp. 155–156.]; https://www.americanrevolution.org/arnolds-expedition-march-into-the-wilderness/

This past weekend in October 2025, the Arnold Expedition Historical Society conducted a reenactment of the march of Arnold’s force on the Great Carrying Place Trail that follows the historical route of the trails and ponds for the portage between the Kennebec River and the Dead River in Maine. You can hike the route today to commemorate the brave men (and a few women) of Arnold’s Expedition. https://www.facebook.com/groups/475361355497753/; https://arnoldsmarch.org/; https://www.mainetrailfinder.com/trails/trail/great-carrying-place-trail

On this day 250 years ago in the Revolution — July 19, 1775

July 19th, 2025

On this day 250 years ago in Boston, one month after he had been arrestted by British soldiers, Peter Edes recorded in his diary that

Escorted from goal again, with the additional company of 3 Sailors, thieves and house-breakers, surrounded by Soldiers. The 3 Sailors examin’d, Mr. Hunt, Starr, and myself were ask’d who prosecuted us, etc. and one Capt. Symmes of the regulars was Summoned by Major Moncreif, as an evidence against Master Lovell and Leach. Till this time we did not know our crimes, or on what account we were committed; but now we found that Master Lovell was charg’d with being “a Spy and giving intelligence to the rebels.” Master Leach for being “a Spy, and Suspected of taking plans.” Mr. Hunt for “Speaking treason.” Mr. Starr and mine for concealing fire-arms. When Capt. Symmes appeard, he was So ignorant ofMaster Lovell and Leach, that he took one for the other; that instead of being a just evidence, he appear’d ashamed and confounded, and went off. At 2 o’clock we were Sent back to our Stone edifice under a Strong guard.

Source: https://www.masshist.org/database/viewer.php?item_id=1978&mode=transcript&img_step=6#page6

https://books.google.com/books?id=lvU-AAAAYAAJ&pg=PA85&source=gbs_toc_r&cad=2#v=onepage&q&f=false

And on this day 250 years ago in Cambridge, Massachusetts, William Tudor wrote to John Adams attending the Continental Congress that

The Day after the Arrival of the Adjutant General I had a Letter from him acquainting me with his having Directions from the Commander in Chief to offer me the Place of Judge Advocate to the Army. I immediately accepted the Post, and have every Day since been busy at Courts Martial. And [the legal writings of] Lords Coke, Holt and Hale are made to give Way to your congressional military Code.

Source: “To John Adams from William Tudor, 19 July 1775,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Adams/06-03-02-0048. [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. 79–82.]

We should remember that Americans created a new nation because British officers were allowed to arrest people without charges, and from the very beginning our new Nation’s army was required to follow the laws issued by Congress.

On this day 250 years ago in the Revolution — July 3, 1775

July 3rd, 2025

On this day 250 years ago, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, General George Washington took command of the New England Army of Observation which then became the Continental Army. General Washington and General Charles Lee reviewed a parade of their new troops that included “one & twenty Drummers & as many feffors a Beting and Playing Round the Prayde,” according to a letter written by Lt. Joseph Hodgkins to his wife Sarah in Ipswich, Massachusetts.

Sources: https://daybydayamerica.com/day-by-day/year-1775/july-3-1775/; https://boston1775.blogspot.com/2010/07/what-did-washington-do-on-3-july-1775.html

On Saturday, July 5, 2025, the National Park Service and Historic Cambridge will commemorate the 250th anniversary of the beginning of Washington’s command at the Longfellow’s House — Washington’s Headquarters National Historic Site in Cambridge, Massachusetts. https://boston1775.blogspot.com/2025/06/headquarters-of-revolution-in-cambridge.html

Also on this day 250 years ago in Cambridge, the Massachusetts Committee of Safety authorized the distribution of small arms to militia companies encamped around Boston and also recorded that

Henries Vomhavi, an Indian, having represented to this committee, that he had taken two horses at Noddle’s island, one a little horse, which he is desirous of retaining as some recompense for his fatigue and risk in that action, in which, it is said he behaved with great bravery ; it is the opinion of this committee, that said Indian should be gratified in his request, which will be an encouragement to others in the service, provided, the honorable Congress should approve thereof.

Source: https://archive.org/details/journalsofeachprma00mass/page/586/mode/2up

On the morning of this day 250 years ago in Bedford, New Hampshire, farmer/fisherman/jack-of-all-trades Matthew Patten, a 56-year old immigrant from Northern Island and member of the Bedford Committee of Safety, made a pail to use for fishing. In the afternoon, Patten “met John Bell at Adam Dickeys And took his Wifes Deposition aud james Mathies aud his son Roberts of some discourse Mr Houston had to them Relating the cruel acts of Parliament.” As one of his duties as a member of the Committee of Safety, Patten was investigating Rev. John Houston as a suspected Tory.

Source: Diary of Matthew Patten at https://archive.org/details/diaryofmatthewpa00patt/page/344/mode/2up [originally posted yesterday but I reread the diary and saw I had the wrong date]

Tag: 1775