250 and Counting

Category: US History

  • When The North Went South–December 4, 1775

    Cover art for December 4, 1775: a 1776 map of Pennsylvania and surrounding colonies.

    While the premise of today’s episode seems a little far-fetched, if you look closely at the map in today’s cover art, you’ll see it makes a lot of sense. In the mid-1700s, neither Pennsylvania nor Virginia had well-defined western borders. In fact, Virginia was occasionally thought to continue northward all the way to Lake Erie. Some maps even have a Pennsylvania boundary somewhere east of Pittsburgh.

    The point is, there have been times when the borders have been blurry, and others where they’ve overlapped, and still others (before West Virginia was a thing) when the two colonies had well-defined borders AND were neighbors. And now we’ve brought the South into the realm of mutual commitment.

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

  • The First American Flag Is Raised–December 3, 1775

    Cover art for December 3, 1775: Oil painting by W. Nowland Van Powell, depicting Lt. John Paul Jones raising the "Grand Union Flag" on December 3, 1775. via the US Navy Art Collection.

    John Paul Jones was born in Scotland as John Paul and began his maritime career at 13 when he was hired as an apprentice.

    In 1770 he was involved in an incident wherein a crew member was flogged after a failed mutiny. The crew member later died, and it was clear that his reputation had taken a big hit. So John Paul left Scotland and took command of a British vessel. Again, however, he put down a mutinous sailor, this time killing him with a sword in Tobago. Before he could be tried, however, he fled the area and essentially disappeared for 18 months.

    In the meantime his brother, who lived in the Fredericksburg, Virginia, area, died. John Paul went to America to settle his brother’s affairs. It was at this time that he appended the last name “Jones” to his name. Shortly thereafter he joined the American Navy. During his time as an American naval officer, it doesn’t appear that he killed anyone, but in his later years, he sailed for the Russian Navy, where he was derailed by the accusation of rape of a ten-year-old Russian girl. It was only because of the murkiness of some of the details that gave the Empress Catherine some leeway to have him exiled rather than beheaded.

    But as an American sailor, he did shine. And he shone for the first time on this day in 1775.

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

  • Homesickness Sets In–December 2, 1775

    Cover art for December 2, 1775: Portrait of Joseph Hewes, 1775. Author unknown; now hanging at Guilford Courthouse National Military Park, Greensboro, NC

    All of the men who were part of the Second Continental Congress were serious men who had businesses of their own back at home. So spending so much time in Philadelphia had to have been taxing on them, especially since the days were so long. Of course many of them were going to be homesick. Read the letters between John and Abigail Adams as an excellent example.

    And remember: to go home to, say, Boston could take about a week in 1775. So they’d be away for two weeks at a minimum, and that’s entirely traveling time. Taking care of whatever they needed to only added to the absence.

    We do know that many of them did go home from time to time, but they were obliged to return and continue the business of running a country while simultaneously ducking interference from the British.

    Joseph Hewes’ letter to Samuel Johnston has a special poignancy about it.

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

  • Montgomery Arrives at Quebec–December 1, 1775

    Cover art for December 1, 1775: "Gen. Richard Montgomery." via the New York Public Library Digital Collections.

    The events at Lexington and Concord were only about a month in the rear-view mirror when it occurred to both the Americans and the British that the Canadian provinces were colonies, too, and that they might have some kind of interest in the activities going on further south.

    Quebec, being perhaps the largest city close to the border, was the natural target for everyone involved. So it was always in the back of minds in the Thirteen Colonies, and in England. And slowly, each side began to think about either converting Canada to the American side, or defending Canada from American invasion.

    And on this day in history, everyone moved a giant step closer to what eventually became the Battle of Quebec.

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

  • Dunmore Assembles Two Regiments–November 30, 1775

    Cover art for November 30, 1775: "A Light Infantry Man and Huzzar of the Queen's Rangers," ca. 1780. From John Graves Simcoe's Military Journal.

    Back on November 14 we told you about the Royal Ethiopian Regiment, which was assembled following Lord Dunmore’s Proclamation. The proclamation offered freedom to slaves belonging to Patriot owners who chose to fight on the British side in the Revolution.

    Dunmore was putting together another band of soldiers at the same time, called “The Queen’s Own Loyal Virginia Regiment,” which suggests that he knew something about George III that wasn’t common knowledge. (Heh, kidding.)

    They both fought in the Battle of Kemp’s Landing, which went very well for the British, but Dunmore took the win as a sign that the Patriots were weak, so he went in to the Battle of Great Bridge, as we’ll see in just a few days.

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

  • Thomas Jefferson Has Bad News–November 29, 1775

    Cover art for November 29, 1775: portrait of Thomas Jefferson by Mather Brown, 1786.

    Thomas Jefferson wasn’t as prolific with the letters as John Adams was with his own wife (over ten thousand letters between them during the course of the Revolution!), nor as much as George Washington, but he was still a deep thinker and he did write well and with purpose.

    In today’s example he has to convey some unfortunate news to a political rival; specifically that the rival’s brother had died unexpectedly. His letter to John Randolph about Peyton’s death was rather brief and matter-of-fact. He also wrote Randolph his analysis of the battle at Hampton and the overall effect he thought it was having on attitudes in general toward Loyalists and the British. Most of this he pins on King George III, whose behavior he felt was inappropriate and is only going to push the Colonies farther away from England.

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

  • The Capture of the Nancy–November 28, 1775

    Cover art for November 28, 1775: Wood blcck engraving of John Manley, 1782. Artist unknown. Via Peabody Essex Museum.

    The capture of the British brigantine Nancy wasn’t Captain John Manley’s first (it was perhaps his third), but it was probably one of his most significant, considering the cargo. It was also probably the first British ship of any real consequence to be captured by any American.

    Overall, Manley’s effectiveness as a Navy captain was rather variable. He was a big risk/big reward kind of sailor, and so when he was successful, he was very successful, and when he wasn’t, he wound up imprisoned. And frankly, there were a few times he wasn’t successful.

    But that doesn’t take away from his successes. Between 1775 and 1783 Manley was the sole ship captain for the capture of ten ships, and was an active participant in the capture of five others.

    The US Navy has named three ships after him, the most recent a Forrest Sherman-class destroyer which was decommissioned in 1983 after 26 years of service.

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

  • Prelude To Battle–November 27, 1775

    Cover art for November 27, 1775: Portrait of William Woodford in the late 1770s when he was a general. Artist does not appear to be known.

    Happy Thanksgiving!

    Many people celebrate the day by watching the parade, or some football, or some special episodes of television shows, or Thanksgiving-themed movies.

    Personally I like a combination: I’ll watch the parade, then play an episode or two of The West Wing (there are two Thanksgiving episodes), and then get in a little football. I live in Baltimore and the Ravens are playing tonight, so I’ll be parked in front of the TV for that.

    For the last few years I’ve hosted Thanksgiving, so all of this is going on while I’m cooking during the day, so this is the first time in a bit that I’ll actually be paying attention to what’s on the tube.

    Meanwhile, back in the Revolution, we have the events that precipitated what is probably one of the most overlooked battles of the Revolution, which is a shame because many future events hinged on this happening, and Colonel William Woodford (later a General) is also rather overlooked these days.

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

  • Escape To The War–November 26, 1775

    Cover art for November 26, 1775: colorized image of slaves being corralled by British soldiers (yeah, we cheated on this one.) via NYPL digital archives.

    As we’ve mentioned a couple of times before, Lord Dunmore’s Proclamation offering freedom to Patriot-owned slaves who fought for the British created a stir that was felt in all thirteen colonies.

    Huge numbers of people showed up, not just men, but women and children as well. And of course, because most of them had escaped to join the British forces, that meant that the slave-hunting business experienced a huge boom.

    And, of course, the company formed by these escapees only fought in one battle of any note; many of the soldiers died of illness, some were sent back to their plantations of origin. Very few of them remained free.

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

  • The Fate of War and Some Refugees–November 25, 1775

    Cover art for November 25, 1775: a manuscript map of Boston showing Point Shirley to the far right, away from the city. (It's under the "fu" in "refugees")

    It’s hard to emphasize just how remote Point Shirley is compared to the Boston. Let me try anyway. On most maps of Boston, Point Shirley isn’t even on the map. It’s so far to the east that it’s nearly in the ocean. I’m not sure it’s even possible to see Boston from Point Shirley.

    And given Point Shirley’s location at a place between the bay and the ocean, and the fact that it’s November, and you’ve got a cold, windy place where you’ve just dumped 300 sick, destitute people without provisions or a means of getting warm.

    Here’s a weird coincidence: if you look closely at this “manuscript” map from 1775, Point Shirley is at the center right. Need another hint? It’s just under the “fu” in the word “Refugees.” And if anyone got a big FU from the British, it was this group.

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed