250 and Counting

Tag: American Revolution

  • Keeping The British At Bay–October 19, 1775

    Cover art for October 198, 1775: "1775 Map of Charleston Owned by Henry Laurens - American"

    There were two events marked today. One of them involves the continuation of a ban on exports of weapons to America. This was something that had to be formally declared every few months.

    Meanwhile down in South Carolina, a brief fight between two ships in the Charleston Harbor got local leaders thinking about the best way to keep the harbor protected. Their solution: set it up that the only way you can get in or out of Charleston harbor is by ensuring that you remain within range of Fort Johnson’s guns.

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

  • Washington Gets Some Relief–October 18, 1775

    Cover art for October 18, 1775: the Battle at Lexington, Amos Doolittle (engraver) and Ralph Earl (artist). via the New York Public Library and the Library of Congress.

    George Washington was a pretty smart guy. He knew exactly what his army needed, in all aspects. He had a handle on discipline, on supplies, on tactics and any number of other things. Washington surrounded himself with people who were smart, too. This went a long way toward ensuring his success.

    So when his army started to fall apart because some basic needs weren’t getting met, Washington took action. He knew that sending another letter to Congress wasn’t going to help. So instead he met with them directly. And like a dog savaging a toy, Washington grabbed Congress in his (not wooden!) teeth and shook them in a figure-eight.

    Metaphorically, of course. And while he didn’t get everything he sought, he managed to get the important stuff done and the rest of it…well. The rest of it, at least he knew he’d been heard. And he’d live to fight another day.

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

  • Manley About The House–October 17, 1775

    Cover art for October 17, 1775: a wood block portrait of John Manley, ca 1782. Artist unknown. From the Peabody Essex Museum via Wikimedia Commons.

    Okay, first off, it’s only appropriate that I apologize for the stupid title. I really shouldn’t write when I’m low on sleep.

    Manley’s beginnings were murky (e.g. his year of birth is approximate) but he was a quick study and it’s no wonder that George Washington selected him as one of his first captains in the Revolutionary War. Just a few months later he was promoted to Commodore.

    Manley spent a couple of years harassing and capturing British ships, until he himself was captured. After nearly a year of imprisonment he was released. It was at that time that he became a privateer. A few years after that he re-joined the navy and remained there until his death in 1793.

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

  • The Burning of Falmouth–October 16, 1775

    Cover art for October 16, 1775: detail of a 1782 engraving depicting the burning of Falmouth. From the Library of Congress Photographs and Prints Collection via Wikimedia.

    To be clear, the actual burning of Falmouth took place on October 18, but the events that led directly to it happened on this day.

    Captain Henry Mowat had been captured by patriots in Falmouth some time earlier. When he returned, he brought five gunships with him. When he demanded that the locals swear allegiance to King George III, he gave the command that laid waste to the town.

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

  • Reinforcements Arrive in Quebec–October 15, 1775

    Cover art for October 15, 1775: Fort St. Jean (near the right edge) around the time of the siege. Watercolor, pen and ink by James Peachey.

    Fort St. Jean was a relatively soft target compared to Boston. Plus, it wasn’t as well fortified because the British weren’t holed up there. Sooner or later something would come along to break up the stalemate.

    On this day, a couple of somethings arrived, from Fort Ticonderoga and Crown Point. The big guns that Montgomery had hoped for finally arrived. And not long behind that, Montgomery was able to take Fort Chambly, which wouldn’t have been a huge deal had its commander not forgotten an important detail while he was high-tailing it out of there.

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

  • Happy Birthday to the US Navy!–October 13, 1775

    Cover art for October 13, 1775: The Continental ship ALFRED, oil, by W. Nowland Van Powell. Meant to commemorate the official commissioning of the ship on December 3, 1775.

    It’s Cake and Candles for the US Navy, born this day in 1775.

    The Continental Congress initially authorized the purchase and retrofitting of two ships. But before long they saw the wisdom of having a navy, and soon many more ships were purchased, and commissioned into service.

    The Continental Navy, to be honest, didn’t have a huge impact on the war. Many ships were lost to British attacks, weather, or accidents. What it did have a big impact on, however, was the War of 1812. The seamen who fought in the Revolution were well-seasoned officers by the time that war came along.

    It’s also worth noting that the Continental Navy was disbanded after the Revolution, but a few years later the US Navy was officially established. However, given the continuity of tradition and the fact that today was the day that Congress authorized the purchase of the vessels, the Navy decided in 1971 that October 13, 1775 was the date of its official establishment.

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

  • The Great Carrying Place–October 11, 1775

    Cover art for October 11, 1775: "Carrying the bateaux at Skowhegan Falls", drawn by Sydney Adamson; halftone plate engraved by CW Chadwick, 1903.

    Benedict Arnold and Company are still on the move toward Quebec. Over a three-week period they’ve moved fewer than 90 miles, with only…300 to go. Today they’ve reached The Great Carrying Place, a 13-mile walk alternating between woods and knee-deep mud, all while carrying everything they’ll need to get to Canada.

    Back in the Colonies proper, General Gage is being replaced by General Howe. Gage was largely responsible for the Siege of Boston, especially since they weren’t able to break that siege. And then Bunker Hill came along. Sure, the British won but at great cost—a Pyrrhic victory. Once word got back to Britain about that, Lord Dartmouth appointed Howe within a couple of days. Of course, it took several weeks for the news to get back to America, and on September 26 he learned he was being replaced. By this days’ end, Gage was on his way back to Britain.

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

  • The British Have War Plans (October 9, 1775)

    Cover art for October 9, 1775: portrait of George Germain by George Romney, 1766.

    By now the British appear to accepted the fact that the war was going to go on for much longer than they thought. They thought that fighting the colonies would be a cake walk.

    They discovered that it was quickly becoming a quagmire.

    Fortunately they recognized it and began to make plans. Lord Dartmouth and General Howe started drawing something up that involved isolating Washington’s army from the rest of the Colonies, but George Germain, who was about to replace Lord Dartmouth, thought more aggressively. He didn’t want to defeat the Colonies; he wanted to punish them, besides.

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

  • October 8, 1775: The War Gets Whiter

    Cover art for October 8, 1775: Portrait of James Fayette in 1784 by John Blennerhasset Martin. Fayette joined the Continental forces as a spy under Lafayette.

    When the war first started, the Continental Army took on all comers, largely because they didn’t have a lot of choice. Frankly, they needed whatever bodies they could get.

    But it was around this time in 1775 that George Washington and his advisers decided that they could afford to get choosier about their recruits, So they decided not to take on any more Black soldiers. What’s more, soldiers who were already there would not be permitted to re-enlist.

    Eventually—in a couple of years—they’d reverse their stance, for the same reason they took on the Black soldiers in the first place. They were getting low on manpower,

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

  • October 7, 1775: The Bombardment of Bristol

    Cover art for October 7, 1775: A commemorative plaque in Bristol, RI, marking several events in the War for Independence, including the Bristol Bombing. via Wikimedia Commons.

    While Boston was under siege, the British were having a hard time getting food and other supplies. But they still controlled the water, so British naval vessels went in search.

    Captain James Wallace was especially good at procuring supplies, largely because he harassed people until they gave in, or he would threaten to shoot up the place.

    This second tactic was the one he chose for Bristol, Rhode Island, and it’s unclear how much actual damage he did to the town (reports vary wildly). But what is known is that he came in search of 200 sheep and 30 cattle, and came away with 40 sheep after he cut a deal with the town.

    We’re calling this one a draw.

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed