Greetings, during this tumultuous week Continental Congressman John Dickinson submitted the first draft of the United State’s first form of government, the Articles of Confederation.

Before starting, I want to announce that my book The American Revolution - 1776 is now available in softbound, ebook and audio book formats on Amazon and many other online book sellers. Listeners will find a link to the book in the description of this podcast.

Sitting as a committee of the whole Congress considered the printed draft of John Dickinson’s “Articles of Confederation,” which he had submitted on July 12, 1776.John Dickinson (November 8, 1732– February 14, 1808)The son of Samuel and Mary Cadwalader Dickinson, John was native to Trappe, Maryland. Mary was Samuel’s second wife. His first, Judith Troth, had passed away in 1729 after bearing nine children. He would marry Mary Cadwalader in 1731, with whom he would have three sons, of which John was the eldest. Primarily educated at home by his parents and tutors, John read law under John Moland in Philadelphia, beginning in 1750. He would travel to London, England in 1753 to study law at The Honorable Society of the Middle Temple. The Middle Temple is one of the four Inns of Court to which all English barristers must belong to one. He returned to Pennsylvania and gained admittance to the colony’s bar in 1757. He would marry Mary (Polly) Norris, in 1770. The couple would have five children, only two of whom would survive until adulthood.

Dickinson held land in Delaware, and his wife had extensive holdings in Pennsylvania. Dickinson lived in Polly’s home on Philadelphia. His law practice thrived and he became a respected lawyer. He gained election to the Delaware assembly in 1760. Because he was also a resident of Philadelphia, he gained election to the Pennsylvania assembly in 1763. Because of a political feud with Benjamin Franklin, he would lose this seat in 1764. His reputation intact, the Pennsylvania assembly chose him as a delegate to the Stamp Act Congress in 1765.The Pennsylvania Assembly chose John Dickinson to represent them in the Stamp Act Congress despite his losing his seat in the assembly because of a political spat with Benjamin Franklin. Dickinson had become one of the leaders in the fight against the Stamp Act and had written a pamphlet called The Late Regulations Respecting the British Colonies . . . Considered, earlier in the year. The pamphlet urged the colonists to use economic pressure against Britain to make them repeal the Act. The booklet was widely read, leading the Assembly to appoint Dickinson to attend the Stamp Act Congress in New York, beginning on October 07, 1765. He became the de facto leader of the assembly and largely drafted the Declaration of Rights and Grievances.Letters from a Farmer in PennsylvaniaWhen the British Parliament approved the Townsend Acts, beginning in 1767, Dickinson wrote a series of letters he called the Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania. In these letters Dickinson warned the colonists that if they allowed Parliament to enforce these acts, more taxation by that body would follow. The “Letters,” were published initially by the Pennsylvania Chronicle and later by other colonial newspapers. Letters became one of the leading pre-revolutionary works. In the letters he conceded that Parliament had the right to regulate colonial commerce, however they did not have the right to tax them.Continental CongressHe gained election from Pennsylvania in 1774 to the First Continental Congress and then again to the Second Continental Congress in 1775 - 1776. His rewriting of the “Olive Branch Petition,” and then his draft of the Articles of Confederation in 1776 gained him the sobriquet “Penman of the Revolution.” He also drafted numerous other documents during this turbulent time.Months of ConsiderationThe Congress studied the draft for many months, with many debates concerning the powers of the states and the powers of the Confederation. It would be mid-November before they completed draft was submitted to the states for ratification.

Admiral Richard Howe had departed Halifax on June 23 for what should have been a six-day voyage to New York. Adverse weather conditions had delayed his arrival until July 12. During the three weeks on board ship Howe wrote a declaration to the colonies that stated that he and his brother William were empowered to offer amnesty to any that would pledge an allegiance to the king. He next drafted a circular letter that he would dispatch, with the petition, to the Royal governors. In the letter he instructed them to publicize the declaration. On July 12 he arrived at Staten Island with 82 ships and thousands of additional troops. Observes in New York reported that the masts of this massive fleet in the harbor resembled a “forest of pine trees,” spread across the water.

July 12, 1776 - British Foray Up the North RiverGeneral Washington dispatched a letter to the Continental Congress informing him that two British ships had sailed through the gauntlet of American cannon and ascended the North River. One of the ships had 40 guns, the other 20. Washington’s fear was that the British were either attempting to capture the river crossings which the rebels depended upon for communications or to bestow arms on Loyalist forces in the area.

On July 13, 1776, Admiral Richard Howe dispatched a letter to General George Washington in which he offered to meet him on a frigate in New York harbor to discuss terms in which peach might be restored. He addressed the letter to George Washington, Esquire. Washington refused to accept the letter, replying that there was no one here of that name and any letter addressed to a general should not be addressed in such a fashion.

As the King had given the brothers authority to grant pardons to any such person that would sign an oath of allegiance to the Crown, they issued a proclamation on July 14, 1776, offering pardons to any such people that fulfilled the requirements.

July 15, 1776 - Attack at Fort LindlayLindlay’s fort was near the current town of Laurens, South Carolina, in Laurens County. James Lindley had constructed the fort in the latter phases of the French and Indian War. The fort had been refurbished and was defended by a force of about 150 militia led by Major Jonathan Downs. On July 15 a force of about 190 Cherokee and British Loyalists attacked the fort.

Two men riding horses brought the Declaration printed by John Dunlop on July 5 and sent out by John Hancock on July 6 arrived at Exeter, New Hampshire on July 16. The state treasurer’s son, 22-year-old John Taylor Gilman, received the honor of reading it from the steps of the town hall.

Washington received a second letter from General Howe on July 16, 1776, addressed to George Washington Esquire, etc., etc., etc. Washington rejected this letter for the same reason as the first. He did agree to see one of Howe’s subordinate officers.

A privateer captain named John Fisk reported taking a British prize vessel named the Dispatch on July 17, 1776. Fisk’s crew took the schooner after a battle that lasted one and one half hours, after which the crew struck her colors and surrendered.

On July 18, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was read publicly for the first time on the balcony of the Town Hall on King Street. An armed regiment fired celebratory volleys, accompanied by the firing of several batteries of artillery. A jubilant crowd tore down the King’s arms, broke it up and carried it off.

Congress received a copy of the Howe Proclamation on July 18, 1776.

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The book 1776 includes much more detail about the events given here. You can find the book on my website, www.mossyfeetbooks.com. You will find links to Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other online book retailers where it is available in soft bound, ebook and audiobook formats.

I would encourage you to visit and subscribe to the Mossy Feet Books You Tube channel for more great content. If you like my videos, please hit the “Like,” button. The more likes I get the more You Tube will show it to other people, allowing me to grow the channel. I also invite you to visit my website, www.mossyfeetbooks.com. There you will find sample chapters, podcasts, a slew of content and links to where you can buy my books. While visiting the web site you can subscribe to it and receive email notifications of when I publish a new book or other content, like this video and podcast. If you like what I am doing, please purchase a book, as it helps fund my work.I hope you enjoyed this podcast and thank you for listening

Before starting, I want to announce that my book The American Revolution - 1776 is now available in softbound, ebook and audio book formats on Amazon and many other online book sellers. Listeners will find a link to the book in the description of this podcast.

On July 7, 1776, five generals met at Crown Point to hold a council of war. The danger to the fledgling rebel cause was serious. General Guy Carleton’s forces, arrayed in Canada, threatened to sweep south and join the British force led by General Howe now threatening to invade New York. If successful, the action would slice the New England colonies away from those to the south. The American generals at Crown Point desperately needed to slow the British advance. The four generals were:Commanding Northern Department - Major General Philip Schuyler,Commander of the Canadian army - General Horatio GatesMajor General John SullivanGeneral Benedict ArnoldGeneral Frederick William, Baron de Woedtke

The fort at Crown Point was in a sorry condition. General Gates wrote Washington, stating that, “the ramparts are tumbled down, the casemates are fallen, the barracks burnt, and the whole so perfect a ruin that it would take five times the number of our army, for several summers, to put it in defensible repair.”The assembled generals drafted these four resolutions:

Resolved, That under our present Circumstances, the Post of Crown Point is not Tenable, & that with our present Force, or one Greatly Superior to what we may reasonably expect, It is not Capable of being made so, this Summer. ーResolved therefore, That It is prudent to retire Immediately to the Strong Ground, on the East Side of the Lake opposite to Ticonderoga, with all the healthy & uninfested Troops, & that the Sick & Infected with the small Pox be removed to Fort George, It appearing Clearly to the Council, that the Post opposite to Ticonderoga, will the most Effectually secure the Country & removing the infected With the small Pox, obviate Every Objection that May at present retard the Militia, (Ordered by Congress) from Joining the Army. ーResolved, That the most Effectual Measures be taken to secure our Superiority on Lake Champlain, by a Naval Armament of Gundolas, Row Gallies, Armed Batteaus.Resolved, That one or more Surveyors be immediately Employed, to trace out a Road, between the High Ground opposite to Ticonderoga, & the Road leading from Skenesborough to the Northern Settlements. ーPh: SchuylerB. ArnoldHoratio GatesB. D. WoedtkeJno Sullivan

Other events of the week include the following summaries.

The Convention of Maryland declared formal independence from Great Britain on July 6, 1776. The delegates began preparation for the election of a Constitutional Convention to draw up a Declaration of Rights and a plan for the government.

The Pennsylvania Evening Post, published by Benjamin Towne, became the first newspaper to print the news that the Continental Congress had declared independence from Great Britain in its July 6 edition.

In a letter dated July 7, 1776, Washington reported that he had learned from four prisoners that General Howe had about 10,000 British soldiers on Staten Island and was awaiting the arrival of Admiral Howe.

At the council of war held at Crown Point the American army was in a tenuous situation. Smallpox had infested the soldiers, leaving many unable to fight. The fortifications as Crown Point were in disrepair and was almost undefendable. Major General Phillip Schuler decided to abandon the fort at Crown Point and concentrate their forces at Fort Ticonderoga. He then decided to augment the four American vessels at the lake by building nine more on July 7.

On July 8 Colonel John Nixon stepped to a platform outside Independence Hall in Philadelphia to read the Declaration of Independence officially for the first time before a crowd that had assembled.

General George Washington received a copy of the Declaration of Independence and had it read in front of the troops on July 9, 1776. After the reading, troops and citizens alike went to Bowling Green Park in Manhattan where they pulled down a stature of King George III that had been erected in 1770. They used the lead statue to pour 42,088 musket balls for use during the war.

July 09, 1776 - General Howe Reads Declaration of Independence to his Troops

July 09, 1776 - American Force Fire Upon British Ships Near Gwynn’s Island

Patriot forces attacked the British in Virginia during the July 9, 1776 - Battle of Gwynn’s Island. A patriot victory drove the last remaining British forces from the colony.

July 11, 1776 - Continental Congress Directs General Schuyler to Construct Forts on Lake ErieThe Continental Congress directed General Phillip Schuyler to secure the northern frontier by constructing forts at Oswego, Presque Isle, Le Beuf, and Kittanning.

The book 1776 includes much more detail about the events given here.

I would encourage you to visit and subscribe to the Mossy Feet Books You Tube channel for more great content. If you like my videos, please hit the “Like,” button. The more likes I get the more You Tube will show it to other people, allowing me to grow the channel. I also invite you to visit my website, www.mossyfeetbooks.com. There you will find sample chapters, podcasts, a slew of content and links to where you can buy my books. While visiting the web site you can subscribe to it and receive email notifications of when I publish a new book or other content, like this video and podcast. If you like what I am doing, please purchase a book, as it helps fund my work.I hope you enjoyed this podcast and thank you for listening

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The American Revolution - 1776

The colonies suffered emotional ebbs and flows as the fateful year of 1776 unfolded. In the north the British army drove the American invasion force slowly back south. Henry Knox struggled over icy rivers and frozen terrain as he hauled his “Noble Train of Artillery,” south to aid Washington’s siege of Boston. When he arrived, Washington used Knox’s hard-fought cannon to force General Howe to abandon Boston. Elation swept the new nation as July 4 brought in the long-anticipated Declaration of Independence. Elation turned to despair as the British invaded New York and slowly drove Washington’s inexperienced army to the brink of disaster, starting with the Battle of Long Island.

From the Book

The American Revolution - 1776

Today the author talks about the evolution of the Declaration of Independence in honor of the nation’s 250th birthday.

The American Revolution - 1776

Independence Day

On June 7, 1776, Richard Henry Lee Introduced Resolution for Declaration of Independence that helped lead to the Declaration of Independence almost a month later.Richard Henry Lee (January 20, 1732 – June 19, 1794)The son of Colonel Thomas and Hannah Harrison Ludwell Lee, Richard was native to Westmoreland County, Virginia. The Lee family had served as military officers and diplomats, which provided the growing boy with a template for his later political life. During his early years he received his education from a tutor at the family home in Stratford, Virginia in Stratford Hall. Lee voyaged to England in 1748 to attend the Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, in Yorkshire, England. After finishing school, he toured Europe and then returned to Virginia in 1753 to help his brothers settle his parents’, who had died in 1750, estate.

Political CareerHe received appointment as a justice of the peace in 1757 and gained election to the Virginia House of Burgesses the next year. At his legislature he met Patrick Henry. During the turbulent years after the Stamp Act in 1765, he became an early supporter of independence for the colonies. He was one of the originators of the Committees of Correspondence in Virginia and receives credit for writing the Westmorland Resolution in 1766. He attended the First Continental Congress and later the Second Continental Congress. On June 7, 1776, he introduced the Resolution that helped lead to the Declaration of Independence less than a month later.Text of the Resolution:“That these United Colonies are, and of right out to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved; that measures should be immediately taken for procuring the assistance of foreign powers, and a Confederation be formed to bind the colonies more closely together.”

On June 11, 1776, the delegates of the Second Constitutional Congress appointed a committee of five to draft a Declaration of Independence. The committee Included:Thomas JeffersonJohn AdamsBenjamin FranklinRoger ShermanRobert R. Livingston

June 28, 1776 - Committee Submits Declaration of Independence DraftAs the Battle of Sullivan’s Island raged, another important development took place in Philadelphia. Thomas Jefferson had finished the initial drafts of a document that would become the most important document in the history of the emerging United States and presented it to the committee in charge of drafting it. The “Gang of Five” committee finished their first draft of the Declaration by June 28 and submitted it to the full Congress on the same day. They titled the document “A Declaration by the Representatives in General Congress Assembled.” Thomas Jefferson read the document before Congress and submitted it to the delegates for debate and revisions. John Dunlap of Philadelphia made printed copies of the Declaration.

Richard Henry Lee introduced his resolution declaring independence from Britain in June 1776, however at that time most delegates either did not favor it or were unsure of the desires of their state legislatures. The consensus among the delegates was that the vote should be unanimous. They had delayed the debate until July 1. Debate on the resolution began on July 1, as planned.

The Congress held the vote to adopt the independence resolution on July 2, 1776. Twelve states voted in favor of Independence. Only New York, whose state legislature had not informed the delegates of their stance, abstained from voting. John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail, predicting that July 2 would become a great holiday. However, that prediction proved wrong.

Richard Henry Lee, a delegate to the Continental Congress from Virginia, had introduced a resolution on June 7, 1776, that urged the Congress to declare Independence from Great Britain. Weeks of debate followed. Congress appointed a committee composed of Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert R. Livingston to write the Declaration. More debate followed and finally, on July 2, 1776, the Continental Congress adopted the resolution, thus declaring the United States free and independent of Great Britain. Twelve of the thirteen colonies voted in favor of independence, with the New York delegation abstaining from the vote. New York’s delegates claimed that the New York Provincial Congress had not authorized them to vote. This authorization came about a week later. The Congress then worked on the wording and draft of the final Declaration of Independence. Congress approved the final draft for the Declaration on July 4, 1776, and sent the document to the printers for publication. Thus, July 4 is regarded as the nation’s birthday.

After the delegates signed the approved Declaration of Independence, the Congress sent the document John Dunlap’s print shop on the corner of Second and Market Streets. Dunlap spent all night setting the print and running off copies. He printed approximately 200 copies. On the morning of the 5th, he delivered them to John Hancock, President of the Congress. Hancock, in turn, sent them out to the various state governors, assemblies, Committees of Safety and newspapers.John Dunlap (1747 – November 27, 1812)The son of James and Agnes Service Dunlap, John was native to Strabane, County Tyrone, Ireland. At age ten Dunlap migrated to Philadelphia and took a printing apprenticeship with his uncle William Dunlap. William’s wife was Debra Read’s niece. Debra Read was the wife of Benjamin Franklin. In 1766 William left the shop to pursue a life in the ministry, leaving John to take over the shop. In 1771 he began printing a weekly newspaper, The Pennsylvania Packet or The General Advertiser. John and Elizabeth Hayes Ellison married in 1773. The couple would have seven children. He enlisted as an officer in the 1st Troop of Philadelphia City Cavalry when it was organized in 1774 as an officer. In 1776 he signed contracts with the Philadelphia assembly and the Continental Congress, making him the official printer of both bodies.

August 2, 1776 The Congress engrossed the Declaration of IndependenceEngrossing is the act of preparing a document for signing. The engrosser did this by copying the text of the document in large, clear handwriting on new paper. The document that was passed by Congress on July 4, 1776, was not the same physical document that delegates began signing on August 2, 1776. On July 19, 1776, the Congress had decreed that the document be engrossed with the title, “the unanimous declaration of the thirteen united states of America.” The Congress also directed that, “be signed by every member of Congress.” Historical lore assigns an assistant to the Secretary of Congress Charles Thomson, Timothy Matlock, to this task. He copied the Declaration onto a sheet of parchment that was 24¼ by 29¾ inches in size. He would have used a quill pen and probably an ink made from iron-gall mix blended with charcoal. John Hancock, President of the Congress, was the first to sign the document. He signed with a large signature. Others followed. Not everyone signed the document that day. Others followed in the days following, however not everyone signed. The delegates signed, grouped by state, from north to south. New Jersey was first and Georgia last.

It would take until August 10 before the people of Georgia became the last state to receive the news.

Georgia President and Commander in Chief Archibald Bulloch received the manuscript of the Declaration of Independence on August 8, 1776. Bulloch presented the document, and accompanying letter from John Hancock to the board. The men agreed that a public reading would take place on Saturday, August 10. The men met again on the 10th, after which they read it publicly four times at four locations. In an era where only about half of the population was literate, public readings were an important way to impart news to the public.

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Battle of Sullivan’s IslandGreetings, today I will talk about one of the most important battles that took place during the early years of the American Revolution, the Battle of Sullivan’s Island near Charleston, South Carolina. South Carolina at the time was the riches of the 13 colonies and supplied most of rice and indigo for the colonies.From the BookThe American Revolution - 1776

Battle of Sullivan’s Island

Greetings, today I will talk about one of the most important battles that took place during the early years of the American Revolution, the Battle of Sullivan’s Island near Charleston, South Carolina. South Carolina at the time was the riches of the 13 colonies and supplied most of rice and indigo for the colonies.Before starting, I want to announce that my book The American Revolution - 1776 is now available in softbound, ebook and audio book formats on Amazon and many other online book sellers. Listeners will find a link to the book in the description of this podcast.From the BookThe American Revolution - 1776

After several aborted attempts due to unfavorable winds and tides, British Admiral Parker managed to maneuver his fleet into position to attack Fort Sullivan, in Charleston Harbor on June 28, 1776. Commodore Parker had to have the cannons removed from the two largest warships to allow them to pass over the shoals that led to the harbor.British FleetThe British had two 50-gun warships leading the fleet, Parkers flagship, the HMS Bristol and the HMS Experiment. The flotilla also had six frigates that had between 20 and 28 guns each. There were three smaller ships that carried between six and eight guns each. The flotilla had 30 transports to ferry invasion troops ashore. The combined firepower of this fleet was well over 250 guns.

British troop strength at the time of the battle consisted of the 15th, 28th, 33rd, 37th, 54th, and 57th regiments and a part of the 46th regiment. British troop strength totaled approximately 2500 troops. The British fleet had been short on supplies, however, and the crews of the ships had subsisted on 2/3 rations for the four weeks they had been deployed. They had had no meat during that time, thus many of them were weakened and too sick unfit to man their stations. With some difficulty, Parker found 50 sailors fit enough to man the troop transports that would carry the British troops ashore.

The Americans had removed all navigational aids like buoys that indicated water depth, etc. The British, hindered by inadequate charts of the complicated coastline, had to waste valuable time sounding the bay and placing buoys. The South Carolinians had recruited six regiments of militia as well as three companies of artillery, which totaled about 2000 men. Continental troops at the battle site included two regiments of North Carolina and one Virginia regiment, which totaled another 2000 men. The Charleston militia included about 700 men. Thus, the Americans had about 6500 soldiers to counter the British threat.

Admiral Parker did not anticipate any problems capturing Fort Sullivan. He expected that once his naval guns had taken out the fort’s cannons, he could land seamen and marines to take the fort and hold it until General Clinton’s troops could take possession. He planned to move three of his frigates into positions to control key roads around the fort and prevent patriot forces from deploying fire ships to disrupt his fleet. The frigate’s position would also allow him to use the ship’s guns to keep the defenders from abandoning the fort after the British began firing.

On the morning of the attack, the Colonel Moultrie had about 435 men inside the fort to defend it from the British attack. The Americans had also deployed another 780 soldiers to defend the northern end of Sullivan’s island against Clinton’s expected attempt to land troops on the island. Moultrie had dug a morass in the center of the fort to absorb British cannon fire. Only the south and north walls were completely done. The fort had 31 cannons, but only enough gunpowder for about 35 rounds for each cannon. The cannon ranged from French 28 pounders to many smaller ones. Admiral Parker finished the final positioning of his troops by 9:00 AM. When the last ship moved into position, the gunner fired a signal shot, indicating that all was ready. Sometime around 10:30 AM Parker ordered the cannonade to begin, with the British bomb ketch Thunder opening fire first. Immediately after the Thunder opened fire, three other ships, the 50-gun Bristol, 50-gun Experiment, the 28 gun Active and the 28-gun Solebay added to the crescendo. The cannonade had little effect, as the cannonballs bounced off the spongy palmetto wood. The morass in the center of the fort swallowed up most of the cannonballs that entered the fort, preventing the explosions from causing much damage. With limited gunpowder available, Moultrie ordered his gunners to fire only after careful aiming. Thus, Moultrie’s cannon returned fire in a slow, deliberate manner. They used chain shot, which consists of two cannonball halves held together with a short length of chain, to fire into the rigging of the British ships. When Parker tried to land two boatloads of seaman to attack the island, the defenders used cannon loaded with grape shot to repel the attack. The frigates Parker had deployed to harass the defenders and prevent them from retreating from the fort ran aground. The British managed to free two of the ships but had to burn the third. Several thousand cannon shots hit the fort; however, the palmetto logs did not splinter. The 16-foot sand barrier between the two log walls also played an important role in absorbing the fury of the attack. Parker’s fleet did not fare nearly as well. American cannon fire cut the anchor chains of two of the ships, allowing them to drift lengthwise to the defender’s fire. The Americans fired two rounds that hit the stern of the ships. The cannonballs careened down the entire length of the ships, causing much damage and killing or maiming many sailors. The chain shot continued cutting away the ship’s rigging. General Lee visited the fort in the afternoon, noted that the defenders were doing well and sent another 700 pounds of gunpowder to the fort. It appears that the fort was well supplied with cannonballs. The slow, deliberate fire of Moultrie’s guns had a devastating effect on the British ships. Apparently, Parker had not anticipated the precise cannon fire of the American gunners, nor did he expect the fort to survive his bombardment. He had anchored his ships too close, with the effect that the American guns inflicted heavy damage and caused much loss of life. He continued the battle until 11:00 PM. at that point, he broke off the engagement and had his ships sail out of the range of American guns.The AftermathBritish casualties included 40 dead and 71 wounded. American casualties were 17 dead and 20 wounded. The British fleet limped off and remained for several weeks, repairing their ships while Parker and Clinton decided upon a course of action. At length, the fleet departed, heading to New York where they would take part in the attack on that city. Word of the first major victory of the fledgling War of Independence filtered back to Philadelphia. An exuberant Congress thanked Fort Moultrie’s defenders and named the fort after its commander, Colonel William Moultrie. The British would not return to attack Charleston again until 1780.

Other events of the week included:

On June 28, 1776 the Maryland Provincial Congress held an emergency meeting during which they rescinded their order to their delegates to the Continental Congress to oppose independence. The Provincial Congress voted to support independence, becoming the 12th state to support independence.

The Fifth Virginia Convention convened on May 6, 1776, and continued in session through July 5, 1776. On June 12 the Convention adopted the Declaration of Rights, which defined individual rights in the colony. The document passed on June 29 established a framework of government for the new state that replaced their subservience to England. By adopting this new constitution, Virginia essentially became an independent state.

June 29, 1776 - British Fleet Arrives Near Staten IslandThe long-anticipated arrival of the British fleet in New York Harbor occurred when British General Richard Howe arrived in Lower New York Bay. Sentinels keeping watch on the east side of Staten Island notified General George Washington by signaling the arrival of the fleet. By day’s end over 45 British ships had arrived to drop anchor just off Staten Island. Washington reported the occurrence in a letter to John Hancock, the President of Congress, the same day.

June 30, 1776 - New York Provincial Congress Abandons New YorkWith the approach of the British fleet, the New York Provincial Congress abandoned New York. It would next meet on July 9, 1776, in White Plains, New York.July 01, 1776 - American Forces Arrive Crown Point and Fort TiconderogaBy late June and early July, the retreating American army had reached Crown Point and Fort Ticonderoga, which is about 100 miles south of Montreal on Lake Champlain. Meanwhile, the British, commanded by General Guy Carleton, had taken up positions further up the Richelieu River on the northern part of Lake Champlain. Both the American forces and the British forces knew that Lake Champlain was an important strategic point. Whoever controlled the Lake controlled eastern New York and western New Hampshire.

July 1, 1779 - Cherokee War Parties Begin Raiding South Carolina FrontierSettlers pushing into Kentucky and the frontier areas of South Carolina had encroached on Cherokee land. The Cherokee Chief Dragging Canoe urged his tribe to drive the settlers out. The British Governor of Detroit had encouraged an entourage of Shawnee, Lenape, Iroquois, Ottawa and other tribes to travel to South Carolina to join the Cherokee in a war against the settlers.

Upon the arrival of the British fleet, General Washington had requested Congress to send more reinforcements. General Nathaniel Heard arrived on July 2, 1776, with his brigade, the first large force to arrive from the colonies to the south.

As you can see, I have omitted the most important event of the week. I will publish a special edition on Saturday, July 4 that chronicles the Continental Congress’ treasonous act, issuing the Declaration of Independence.

I would encourage you to visit and subscribe to the Mossy Feet Books You Tube channel for more great content. If you like my videos, please hit the “Like,” button. The more likes I get the more You Tube will show it to other people, allowing me to grow the channel. I also invite you to visit my website, www.mossyfeetbooks.com. There you will find sample chapters, podcasts, a slew of content and links to where you can buy my books. While visiting the web site you can subscribe to it and receive email notifications of when I publish a new book or other content, like this video and podcast. If you like what I am doing, please purchase a book, as it helps fund my work.

I hope you enjoyed this podcast and thank you for listening

Today the author talks about how General Benjamin Lincoln cleared the last British ships from Boston Harbor and other important events of the week of June 14 - 20.From the BookThe American Revolution - 1776

It is part of theUnited State History Series

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Before starting, I want to announce that my book The American Revolution - 1776 is now available in softbound, ebook and audio book formats on Amazon and many other online book sellers. Listeners will find a link to the book in the description of this podcast.

The British had evacuated Boston in mid-March; however, the remnants of the fleet still lingered in Boston Harbor, keeping ships from leaving or entering the harbor. The British fleet in the harbor consisted of 8 ships, 2 brigs, one schooner and 2 of a type of three-masted ship called a snow.General Benjamin Lincoln, who had been appointed to the Committee of Safety of Boston and part of the executive committee earlier in the year, resolved to drive the British from the harbor.Benjamin Lincoln (January 24, 1733 - May 9, 1810)The son of Benjamin Lincoln and his second wife Elizabeth Thaxter Lincoln, Benjamin was native to Hingham, Massachusetts. Lincoln worked on his father’s farm and attended the local schools as a child. He entered politics in 1754 with his election to be the town constable.French and Indian WarAfter the onset of the French and Indian War he enlisted in the 3rd Regiment of the Suffolk County militia, which his father commanded. He and Mary Cushing married in 1756. The couple would have eleven children. During this time, he gained election to the town clerk position of Hingham and in the militia. His regiment saw no action during the war; however, he received promotion to major during the war.Interim YearsLincoln held several local political posts during the ensuing years and gained election to the Massachusetts General Court in 1772. Two years later British General Thomas Gage dissolved the provincial assembly, however the assembly reformed as the Massachusetts Provincial Congress. Lincoln, a supporter of the Patriot cause, received election to the Congress after it was reformed. In the early months of the conflict, he was appointed to the committee of safety for the Congress and helped oversee the movement of gunpowder and other supplies to the Continental troops besieging Boston.Revolutionary WarLincoln received appointment to major general in January 1776.Placing CannonLincoln made use of some of the cannon brought down to Boston as part of Colonel Henry Knox’s “noble train of artillery,” in January. He had cannon placed at strategic points in the harbor, beginning on June 11, 1776. By June 13, Lincoln was ready. He ordered his drummers to beat a notification to the citizens that some military action was about to take place. Next, he had several hundred Continental troops and militia occupy strategic places on islands in the harbor and at other important sites. By June 14, Lincoln was ready.Driving the British from Boston HarborThe rebel cannonade began at Long Island, which the captain of one ship answered. However, Colonial cannon fire began inflicting damage on his ship, so he ordered the fleet to take to sea. The colonials captured some of the ships along with several hundred British troops. The blockade of Boston began on June 14, 1774. It ended with Lincoln’s cannonade on June 14, 1776.

Other events of the week included:The Pennsylvania Assembly convened one last time on June 14 and entered into the legislative record a new set of instructions for the colony’s delegates to the Continental Congress the body had approved on June 8.

The Connecticut Assembly authorized its delegates in the Continental Congress to support independence the same day.

General Benedict Arnold began the American retreat from Canada on June 15 when he abandoned Montreal.

The Delaware assembly authorized its delegates to the Continental Congress to support independence from Great Britain on June 15, 1776, the seventh colony to support the movement.

The New Jersey Provincial Congress declares Benjamin Franklin’s Son, William “an enemy to the liberties of this country…” and had him arrested on June 18.

After the Battle of Three Rivers the American army was in full retreat up the Richelieu River on June 18. The generals exhausted every effort to remove critical supplies the army would need and destroy what they could not take.

Led by John Jay, at the request of General George Washington, the Committee to Detect Conspiracies began hearings to uncover the British plot to recruit soldiers in New York and assassinate General Washington on June 19.

I would encourage you to visit and subscribe to the Mossy Feet Books You Tube channel for more great content. If you like my videos, please hit the “Like,” button. The more likes I get the more You Tube will show it to other people, allowing me to grow the channel. I also invite you to visit my website, www.mossyfeetbooks.com. There you will find sample chapters, podcasts, a slew of content and links to where you can buy my books. While visiting the web site you can subscribe to it and receive email notifications of when I publish a new book or other content, like this video and podcast. If you like what I am doing, please purchase a book, as it helps fund my work.I hope you enjoyed this podcast and thank you for listening

June 7, 1776 - Richard Henry Lee Introduced Resolution for Declaration of IndependenceThis week the author discusses the events of the week of June 7 - 13. This was the week that Richard Henry Lee introduced the Resolution of Declaration of Independence to Congress.From the BookThe American Revolution - 1776

Greetings, today I will talk about Richard Henry Lee introducing the resolution for the Declaration of Independence and other events of the week of June 7 - 13.Before starting, I want to announce that my book The American Revolution - 1776 is now available in softbound, ebook and audio book formats on Amazon and many other online book sellers. Listeners will find a link to the book in the description of this podcast.

Richard Henry Lee introduced the resolution on June 7, 1776, that helped lead to the Declaration of Independence almost a month later.

Richard Henry Lee (January 20, 1732 – June 19, 1794)The son of Colonel Thomas and Hannah Harrison Ludwell Lee, Richard was native to Westmoreland County, Virginia. The Lee family had served as military officers and diplomats, which provided the growing boy with a template for his later political life. During his early years he received his education from a tutor at the family home in Stratford, Virginia in Stratford Hall. Lee voyaged to England in 1748 to attend the Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, in Yorkshire, England. After finishing school, he toured Europe and then returned to Virginia in 1753 to help his brothers settle his parents’, who had died in 1750, estate.Political CareerHe received appointment as a justice of the peace in 1757 and gained election to the Virginia House of Burgesses the next year. At his legislature he met Patrick Henry. During the turbulent years after the Stamp Act in 1765, he became an early supporter of independence for the colonies. He was one of the originators of the Committees of Correspondence in Virginia and receives credit for writing the Westmorland Resolution in 1766. He attended the First Continental Congress and later the Second Continental Congress. On June 7, 1776, he introduced the Resolution that helped lead to the Declaration of Independence less than a month later.Text of the Resolution:“That these United Colonies are, and of right out to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved; that measures should be immediately taken for procuring the assistance of foreign powers, and a Confederation be formed to bind the colonies more closely together.”

On June 11, 1776, the delegates of the Second Constitutional Congress appointed a committee of five to draft a Declaration of Independence. The committee Included:Thomas JeffersonJohn AdamsBenjamin FranklinRoger ShermanRobert R. Livingston

Summaries of other events of the week follow. Read the book for a complete account of these events.

In Canada the Americans prepared to do battle at Three Rivers as Brigadier General William Thompson devised a battle plan on June 7. The battle took place the next day with disastrous results for the Americans.

British General Henry Clinton prepared to attack Fort Sullivan near Charleston in South Carolina. Prior to attacking, he attempted to parley with the fort’s defenders, however a soldier mistakenly fired on the boat as it approached while flying a white flag on June 7. The next day he issued a proclamation imploring the Americans to lay down their arms before he invaded. The defenders of the fort ignored the proclamation.

General Charles Lee arrived at Charleston on June 8, 1776, and assumed command of the South Carolina troops.

British General Henry Clinton landed 500 troops on June 9. The few Americans on the island offered no resistance. Clinton would eventually land 2200 troops on the island and establish his headquarters there.

On June 11 Local patriots in New York, hearing of the Tory plots against their fledgling rebellion, took to roaming the streets, searching for people they suspected of cooperating with the British governor Tryon.

The Virginia Assembly ratified the Declaration of Rights on June 12, 1776.

The Congress had been appointing temporary committees to deal with the continuing operations of the Continental Army. The system, or lack of one, had presented numerous problems. In hopes of dealing with the problem the Congress created a permanent Board of War on June 12, 1776.

On June 13 The officers of the Canada expedition held a council of War at General Sullivan’s headquarters near Sorel. The army in Canada was in pitiful straits at this point. Morale was low, smallpox had decimated the troops, and they were short on supplies.

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It is part of the United State History Series

Transcript:

Thomas Hickey Joins Conspiracy to Kill WashingtonEarly June 1776 - Thomas Hickey Joins Conspiracy to Kill WashingtonGeneral Washington had arrived at New York on April 13, 1776, to take charge of the defenses of New York against the expected British invasion of the city. Washington occupied a mansion called Richmond Hill, in Manhattan, to use as his headquarters. The approximately 150-man Commander-in-Chief’s Guard made camp on the 26-acre estate. Three taverns in the vicinity served as gathering places for these soldiers, Lowrie’s Tavern, The Highlander, and Corbie’s Tavern.

Wider PlotWashington had learned earlier of a plot hatched by British Royal Governor William Tryon, holed up in the HMS Halifax in New York Harbor, and New York Mayor David Matthews to recruit regiments to resist rebel forces in the New York area. The plot went much deeper than that, though details are sketchy. Apparently, the larger plot involved recruiting members of the Commander-in-Chief’s Guard to kidnap, or kill, General George Washington, Israel Putnam and other senior members of Washington’s staff on the eve of the British invasion. They were also to spike cannon and blow up ammunition supplies. The plot included the activation of the Loyalist forces and blowing up bridges and other strategic structures. Tryon had also employed an engraver to print counterfeit bank notes to aid in disrupting the rebel effort. Matthews had recruited a local gunsmith, Gilbert Forbes, to supply guns to Tryon’s efforts and supply intelligence on rebel troop movements. If successful, the plot would probably have dealt a fatal blow to the Patriot cause.Members of the Commander-in-Chief’s GuardSeveral members of the Commander-in-Chief’s Guard met sometime in early June at Corbie’s Tavern. It was here that a key part of Governor Tryon’s plot began to take shape. Five members of the guard, William Green, Thomas Hickey, James Johnson, Matthew Lynch and John Barnes gathered to share a drink or two. Gilbert Forbes also attended the meeting at the tavern. Details are murky; however, it is apparent that Forbes recruited the members of Washington’s Guard to either kill or kidnap Washington, paying them 10 shillings apiece for their efforts. He also recruited them to pass some of the counterfeit money.Thomas Hickey (? - June 28, 1776)Historians know little about Thomas Hickey other than that he was an Irishman that had come to the colonies as part of the force attached to Major General William Johnson’s command during the French and Indian War. Hickey deserted from the British Army. When hostilities erupted between Britain and the colonies, Hickey joined the Patriot cause. He resided in Wethersfield, Connecticut and had enlisted in Knowlton’s Rangers. The commander of that unit had selected Hickey to serve on the Commander-in-Chief’s Guard. Washington had met, and liked, Hickey and considered him one of his favorites. At some point he became disillusioned with the Patriot cause and began exploring ways in which he might undermine it.

Other Events from the week

General John Sullivan arrived at the American positions along the St. Lawrence and Richelieu Rivers on June 1. He had about 6000 men, bringing the total in the American force up to about 6,082 soldiers.

The same day, British General John Burgoyne lands at Quebec with 1000 soldiers, supplies and an ample supply of monies to conduct the campaign to drive the Americans out of Canada.

Like many of the men under his command, American Major General John Thomas died of smallpox near Sorel in Quebec, Canada on June 6.

Fearing impending British invasion, the Continental Congress voted to raise an additional 13,000 troops to defend the city on June 3.

On June 3, 1775, Continental Congress resolved to establish a “Flying Camp,” battalion. This battalion was to consist of 10,000 men drawn from Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware.

Commodore Parker’s naval squadron arrived off the Charleston, South Carolina coast and began preparing to invade on June 4.

John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Edward Rutledge, James Wilson, and Robert Livingston received appointment on the Committee on Spies from Congress to study methods of dealing with people charged with supplying intelligence or supplies to the British on June 5.

On June 4, 1774, the President of the Continental Congress wrote a letter to the Annapolis Convention, which would convene again on June 21. In the main body of the letter, Hancock expresses his fear of the British enslaving the colonists. He goes on to report that the British have lined the colonists coast with warships, hoping to starve them into submission and preparing to send in an army of foreigners to subdue them.

After his return to Virginia, Clark spent some time reflecting upon the plight of the settlers in Kentucky. Conversation with various Virginians about the colony and Henderson’s plants gradually shaped his opinion. He had concluded that Kentucky would be better off as part of Virginia, so he returned to Harrodstown and called the settlers together to hold a meeting to decide what to do on June 6.

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Transcript:

Greetings, today I will relate a series of events in May 1776.No big events occurred during the week of May 24 - 31, however a potpourri of smaller, consequential events took place that would have important results later on.This an excerpt from my book, 1776.The book is now finished and is available on Amazon in softbound, ebook and audio book formats.It is part of theTime Line of United States History SeriesYou can enjoy the preceding book 1775, which is available on the website, www.mossyfeetbooks.com. Just click the “Timeline of United States History” on the lower left hand side of the home page.A box set that includes all six volumes of the series is available at that link at an economical price.

The struggle between the Pennsylvania Assembly and the radicals that wanted independence intensified when the Pennsylvania Committee of Inspection and Observation passed a resolution calling for the convening of a congress to draft a constitution for the colony of Pennsylvania on May 24, 1776.The Committee presented this resolution to the Continental Congress the next day.

The success of the German sharpshooters and the recommendation from General George Washington to raise a company of German troops led Congress to act. On May 25, 1776, the Congress adopted a measure that authorized the raising of a battalion of German troops that would consist of 8 companies. 4 of the companies would originate from Pennsylvania and 4 from Maryland.

The members of the Council of Indian Affairs wished to discourage the tribes of the Iroquois League from allying with Britain during their war of independence from Britain. They extended an invitation to the League to meet with them in Philadelphia. A delegation of chiefs traveled to New York, arriving there by May 16. They continued to Philadelphia, arriving there on May 25, 1776, and requested to meet with the Congress. The Congress voted to meet with them on May 27 at 11:00 AM.

Parker’s scouting expeditions had revealed a potential weakness in Continental defenses. He discovered that a key outpost in Charleston’s harbor, Fort Sullivan on Sullivan’s Island, was unfinished and undermanned. Clinton had been planning to occupy several positions in the Chesapeake Bay. The positions he had in mind were easily defended and could serve as bases from which to launch attacks into the interior. General Sir William Howe was planning an offensive against New York. Clinton had planned to launch his offensive against the southern colonies and then join with General Howe on his offensive in New York. The delay in British ships had made this plan impossible. He felt he could accomplish establishing beach heads from which to operate on the Chesapeake, then join Howe on the New York operation. After Parker’s assessment of Fort Sullivan, he convinced Clinton that it would be best to capture Fort Sullivan, in South Carolina, finish the fort and use it to launch future operations against Charleston and the south. Parker managed to convince Clinton to attack Fort Sullivan on May 26, 1776.

Indian deputies of the Six Nations hold an audience with Congress on May 27, 1776. The delegates stage a military parade with 2000 Continental troops from the local Association. George Washington, Generals Gates and Miflin, as well as many other officers attended the conference. 21 of the Iroquois attendees staged a war dance for the delegates.

In Canada British Captain George Forster had moved his troops to a position closer to Montreal and left the prisoners he had taken at the Cedars in a stockade there. He learned that General Benedict Arnold was gathering forces at Lachine, which is near Montreal, to rescue the captives. Forster’s force had dwindled in size, so he negotiated a trade of American with British prisoners with Arnold, to take place at Quinze-Chênes, which is also near Montreal. The two forces agreed to exchange prisoners at the village. The exchange parties met, exchanged a brief volley of cannon fire, then exchanged the prisoners on May 27, 1776.After deleting all insulting references to the King of England, the London Post began publishing portions of Thomas Paine’s inflammatory pamphlet, Common Sense on May 28, 1776.

The leaders of the American force in Canada met at Fort Chambly on May 30, 1776.General Benedict Arnold wanted to lead an attack on the British forces across the Ottawa River, however Moses Hazen noted that the American force would not surprise the Indian force allied with the British and would kill the American prisoners held there. After deciding not to attack, the officers decided to keep the main body of American forces at Fort Chambly and to reinforce the troops at St. Anne.

By May 30, Commodore Parker had convinced General Henry Clinton to implement his plan of capturing Fort Sullivan. The British fleet slipped out of Chesapeake Bay and sailed south for Charleston.

I would encourage you to visit and subscribe to the Mossy Feet Books You Tube channel for more great content. If you like my videos, please hit the “Like,” button. The more likes I get the more You Tube will show it to other people, allowing me to grow the channel. I also invite you to visit my website, www.mossyfeetbooks.com. There you will find sample chapters, podcasts, a slew of content and links to where you can buy my books. While visiting the web site you can subscribe to it and receive email notifications of when I publish a new book or other content, like this video and podcast. If you like what I am doing, please purchase a book, as it helps fund my work.

Greetings, today I will talk about the steps Congress and Virginia took to replace the governance provided by the Royal Governors, who had either deserted the colony they governed or had become largely impotent.This an excerpt from his book, 1776.The book is in the final edit phase, and publishing will begin on May 11It will be part of theTimeline of United States History SeriesMeanwhile, you can enjoy the book 1775, which is available on the website, www.mossyfeetbooks.com. Just click the “Timeline of United States History” on the lower left-hand side of the home page.A box set that includes all six volumes of the series is available at that link at an economical price.https://mossyfeetbooks.com/2021/11/02/2658/By mid-May 1776 the Continental Congress and the colony of Virginia took several important steps towards the independence of the 13 colonies.

By mid-May 1776 the movement for independence from Great Britain had coalesced across the colonies. Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense,” which had been published in January and advocated independence sold thousands of copies. Colonial assemblies in eight of the colonies had passed resolutions advocating independence. The discovery that Britain had contracted to use German mercenaries to fight against them, a practice generally employed against foreign enemies, had encouraged the movement. On May 11, 1776, the Continental Congress adopted the “Resolution for the Formation of Local Governments.” The resolution stated, “Congress recommends to the colonial assemblies and conventions, where no government sufficient to the exigencies of their affairs have been hitherto established, to adopt such government as shall . . . best conduce to the happiness and safety of their constituents in particular, and America in general.”Many members of Congress hoped that the resolution would help persuade those supporters of independence in Pennsylvania to gain the upper hand. Many considered Pennsylvania, New York and Virginia key to independence.The process of becoming a nation independent of Britain had passed another step.

The Fifth Virginia Convention passed a resolution on May 12, 1776, that stated, “a Committee be appointed to prepare a Declaration of Rights, and such a plan of Government as will be most likely to maintain peace and order in this Colony, and secure substantial and equal liberty to the people.”The committee appointed 4 men to draft this declaration, George Mason, John Blair, Edmund Randolph and James Madison.December 11, 1725 - George Mason BornGeorge Mason (December 11, 1725 – October 7, 1792)The son of George and Ann Thomson Mason, George was native to Fairfax County, Virginia. His father drowned in a boating accident in 1735, leaving Ann to raise George and his siblings alone, in addition to running the plantation. He received his education from tutors and later attended a private academy. At twenty-one years of age, he took over management of the 20,000-acre estates left by his father. He married Ann Eilbeck in 1750. The couple would have nine children that survived until adulthood. He built Gunston Hall, where the newly married couple took up residence. Mason served intermittently in various public offices. In 1750 he became an investor in the Ohio Company in 1749 and later served as its treasurer. Ann died in 1773. Mason would not remarry until 1780. During the French and Indian War, Mason served as a colonel in the Virginia Militia. His duty as a supply agent for George Washington’s troops did not involve any field duty. When the tensions between the British and Colonies began to increase after the war, Mason sided with the Patriots. In 1774, he would collaborate with George Washington and Patrick Henry to write the Fairfax Resolves.Edmund Randolph (August 10, 1753 – September 12, 1813)The son of John and Ariana Jennings Randolph, Edmund was native to Tazewell Hall, Williamsburg, Virginia. After attending the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Randolph studied law with his father and uncle Peyton. At the outbreak of the American Revolution, his father remained loyal to Britain and migrated to Britain. Edmund joined the Continental Army and served as aide-de-camp to General George Washington. His uncle passed away in October 1775, so Randolph returned to Williamsburg to attend his affairs. While there, he gained election to the Fourth Virginia Convention, which began in December 1775. Several other political positions followed, including mayor of Williamsburg and Virginia’s Attorney General of the new government. He and Elizabeth Nicholas married on August 29, 1776. The couple would have six children. He gained election to the 17 Continental Congress, serving until 1782. In 1786 he became governor of Virginia. As governor he led a delegation of representatives to the Annapolis Convention in September 1786. The Convention’s purpose was to attempt a fix on some of the numerous defects in the Articles of Confederation. Election to the Constitutional Convention followed, where he introduced his Virginia Plan for government to the Constitutional Convention on May 29, 1787.James Madison (March 16, 1751 – June 28, 1836)Known as the “Father of the Constitution,” Madison played an influential role in the formation of the early government of the United States. He, in concert with Alexander Hamilton and John Jay, authored the Federalist Papers, a series of essays that explained the function behind the new Constitution before the states ratified it.James Madison (March 16, 1751 – June 28, 1836)The oldest of twelve children born to James Madison, Sr. and Frances Taylor, James was a native of Orange County, Virginia. A small child with delicate health, his father eschewed sending him to public schools. Instead, he sent him to private tutoring with Donald Robertson, an instructor at the Innes Plantation in the Virginia Tidewater area. His education included mathematics, geography, modern and ancient languages. From Robertson, Madison gained a lifelong love of learning.Higher EducationAt sixteen, James returned to his father’s plantation, Montpelier, to further his studies under Reverend Thomas Martin. He studied with Martin for two years and then enrolled in the College of New Jersey. After completing studies in Latin, Greek, science, geography, mathematics, rhetoric, and philosophy he did not end his studies. Madison graduated in 1771. He stayed in New Jersey for a time, furthering his studies under the tutelage of school’s president, Reverend John Witherspoon. From Witherspoon he learned Hebrew, law and political philosophy. Many historians attribute the ill health that plagued him the rest of his to the long hours he spent studying.Return to MontpelierIn 1773, Madison had completed his studies and returned home to Montpelier. At five feet, four inches tall, Madison was diminutive in stature. When he returned the rigors that would constitute the American Revolution were beginning. Madison’s would use his intellect to form the nation that would come out of that Revolution. He was ready to begin the political career that would begin with his appointment to the Orange County Committee of Safety in December 1774.Political CareerMadison gained election to the Fifth Virginia Convention in 1776, where he played a role in the drafting of the first Virginia Constitution. After this document took effect, he was elected to the new Virginia House of Delegates, where he met Thomas Jefferson.John Blair (April 17, 1732 – August 31, 1800)The son of John Sr. and Mary Munro Blair, John was native to Williamsburg, Colony of Virginia. Blair attended the College of William and Mary, graduating with a BA in 1754. Blair traveled to England in 1755 to attend Middle Temple, where he attained a law degree. After his return he opened a law practice in Williamsburg. He gained election to the Virginia House of Burgesses in 1766, where he would serve until 1770. During the first struggles against Britain, Blair was moderate. When the Royal Governor suspended the House of Burgesses, he quickly joined the patriot cause. Blair was elected as part of the Fifth Virginia Convention in 1776.

I would encourage you to visit and subscribe to the Mossy Feet Books You Tube channel for more great content. If you like my videos, please hit the “Like,” button. The more likes I get the more You Tube will show it to other people, allowing me to grow the channel. I also invite you to visit my website, www.mossyfeetbooks.com. There you will find sample chapters, podcasts, a slew of content and links to where you can buy my books. While visiting the web site you can subscribe to it and receive email notifications of when I publish a new book or other content, like this video and podcast. If you like what I am doing, please purchase a book, as it helps fund my work.

Transcript:

Greetings, today I will talk about General Cornwallis’ arrival in America and some of the other events of May 2 through May 9.

May 01, 1776 - Cornwallis Arrives AmericaGeneral Charles Cornwallis, along with squadron of about ten warships accompanied by a fleet of thirty transports, arrived off the coast of Cape Fear on May 3, 1776.Fleet DisbursedThe fleet had departed Cork, Ireland on February 12, but had run into storms five days after departure. The storms scattered the fleet, which included Ethan Allen, held prisoner below deck of HMS Soledad. The Fleet, commanded by Commodore Peter Parker, was still incomplete, as many ships were still at sea.Charles Cornwallis - (December 31, 1738 – October 5, 1805)The son of Charles Cornwallis, 5th Baron Cornwallis and Elizabeth Townsend, Charles was native to Governor Square in London, England. Cornwallis received his secondary education at Eton College and Clare College, Cambridge.

Military Career BeginsHe enlisted in the army in 1757, receiving his first commission as an ensign. He gained permission to obtain further military education on the Continent. He studied at the Military Academy of Modena at Turin, Italy. During the Seven Years War he participated in the Battle of Minden in Germany, after which he purchased a commission in the English military, becoming a captain. He would receive a promotion to Lieutenant-Colonel. The regiment he commanded participated in several battles, mostly in Germany, during this conflict.Politics and MarriageIn 1760 Cornwallis gained election to the House of Commons. A year later he succeeded to his father’s title of the 2nd Earl Cornwallis. Subsequently, he became a Member of Parliament’s House of Lords. He and Jemina Tullikens Jones married in 1768. The couple would have two children. During the early years of the rising tensions with the North American colonies, Cornwallis was a supporter of the colonial cause. He was one of only five peers in the House of Lords to vote against the Stamp Act in 1765. During these years, Cornwallis remained out of active military service but continued to support it as a Member of Parliament. Out the outbreak of war between the colonies and Britain, he sought, and received, active status. He gained promotion to major general on September 29, 1775. The following year Cornwallis received orders to deploy to the war in America.

The day before Alexander Hamilton, who commanded an artillery company, sent a letter to Congress.Alexander Hamilton’s artillery company was understaffed and underpaid. On May 2, Hamilton tried to rectify both situations by writing the New York Provincial Congress a letter in which he compared the pay rates of other artillery companies with his own. The letter stated:“You will discover a considerable difference. My own pay will remain the same as it is now, but I make this application on behalf of the company, as I am fully convinced such a disadvantageous distinction will have a very pernicious effect on the minds and behavior of the men. They do the same duty with the other companies and think themselves entitled to the same pay.”The Congress complied with his request. The number of enlisted men rose to 69 which was twice as many as he needed.

Captain John Butler, a Canadian British Loyalist, held a conference with several hundred Iroquois tribesmen on May 1, 1776. Using liquor and stories of the glory of combat, he attempted to convince them to break the neutrality vows they had taken in the conflict between the colonies and Britain the previous year. Butler, who led some of the forces in play at the Battle of the Cedars, managed to convince some 50 warriors to join him; however, historians are unsure if any of these men participated in the battle.

Charles Gravier, comte de Vergennes had presented his plan to fund the American Continental Congress in mid-April to King Louis XVI. Vergennes would set up a front company, the Roderigue Hortalez et Compagnie. The Royal Treasury would loan one million livres to this company. The Royal Treasurer would make the check out to Vergennes’ fifteen-year-old son, who would endorse it and give it to the front company. This would conceal the French government’s role in the affair. He would use half of the money to purchase outdated arms the French had and convert the remainder to Portuguese currency to loan the Continental Congress to purchase the arms. the arms would first be shipped to the French West Indies. From there, The Americans were responsible for providing the ships to transport the arms to America.King Louis XVI studied the plan for about two weeks, giving his final approval to the plan on May 2.

General Henry Clinton’s fleet with 2800 British soldiers lay offshore of North Carolina ready to begin an invasion. On May 5, he issued a proclamation that condemned the rebellion as wicked and counter to the British Constitution. He offered a full pardon to all that laid down their arms, for their own and their posterities happiness, excepting General Robert Howe and president of the North Carolina Provincial Council, Cornelius Harnett.

May 06, 1776 - Howe Brothers Given Authority to Pardon RebelsKing George issued letters to Admiral Richard Howe and General William Howe that authorized them to pardon all the Americans in rebellion and then to negotiate peace. The Howe brothers had both opposed the king’s policies as well as the war against the colonies. Both had displayed favorable intentions towards them. Admiral Howe was especially keen on reconciliation with the colonials; however, this desire would not interfere with his duty to obey the wishes of the king.

Richard Henderson arrived in Boonesborough on April 20, 1775, and began laying plans for his fourteenth colony, Transylvania. By May 8, he had gathered men from the surrounding settlements to form a government.

I would encourage you to visit and subscribe to the Mossy Feet Books You Tube channel for more great content. If you like my videos, please hit the “Like,” button. The more likes I get the more You Tube will show it to other people, allowing me to grow the channel. I also invite you to visit my website, www.mossyfeetbooks.com. There you will find sample chapters, podcasts, a slew of content and links to where you can buy my books. While visiting the web site you can subscribe to it and receive email notifications of when I publish a new book or other content, like this video and podcast. If you like what I am doing, please purchase a book, as it helps fund my work.

This is an excerpt from my book, 1776.I have finished the book and am in the editing phase. I hope to release it in Mid May.Timeline of United States History SeriesMeanwhile, you can enjoy the book 1775, which is available on the website, www.mossyfeetbooks.com. Just click the “Timeline of United States History” on the lower left-hand side of the home page.A box set that includes all six volumes of the series is available at that link at an economical price.

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Transcript:

Greetings, today I will talk about the Germans agreeing to send mercenary troops to the colonies to fight the American rebels.

To help buttress their Army the British imported large numbers of German mercenary troops to fight. Prince William of Hesse-Hanau had agreed to send troops to America in early February. On April 20, 1776, Prince Frederick Karl August, prince of the German principality of Waldeck, agreed to send 670 infantrymen to America.

At the beginning of hostilities, the British Army consisted of 48,647 soldiers composed of 39,294 infantry, 6,869 cavalry and 2,484 artillery soldiers. These soldiers were well trained, with many veterans that had fought against the French and Spanish armies and had defeated both. Some historians estimate that Britain used up to 50,000 soldiers in the fight against their rebellious colonies during the entire war. During the war a regiment consisted of 600 soldiers organized into companies of 60. The British commonly kept their army small during peacetime, but had these troops well trained, armed and of high quality. They had their army deployed over their vast empire and at the beginning of the Revolution it was stretched pretty thin. Thus, they needed the German mercenaries to fight the rebels. The British arsenal consisted of the following weapons:Pattern 1776 Infantry RiflesFerguson RiflesBritish Short Land Service Muskets (aka Brown Bess musket)Flintlock musketsBayonetsHalberds (a long handled ax topped by a long needle like spike)Spontoons (similar to a pike, the spontoon was a pole type of weapon, about six feet long with a spear type tip and two smaller blades alongside. More symbol than weapon during the Revolutionary War, British officers carried them as an indicator of their rank. They used them primarily to signal troops in battle and like a mace during close combat.)The British used up to 30,000 German mercenaries during the conflict. Many of these German soldiers deserted and remained in America. Others received permission from the government to remain in the country after the war ended.

After hostilities began, the Continental Army grew quickly from zero to 37,363 soldiers. The bulk of these, 16,449, were from Massachusetts. A daily ration for each soldier consisted of one pound of beef/fish or three-quarters of a pound of pork, a pound of bread, three pints of dried vegetables, a pint of milk and a quart of spruce beer of cider or a gill of whiskey. A gill was about five ounces. About 230,000 soldiers served during the course of the war, of which only about 48,000 were in the field at any given time. A Continental regiment consisted of regiments of 728 soldiers organized into companies of 90 soldiers. A captain commanded each company, with lieutenants, ensigns and cornets also belonging to the command structure. A colonel commanded the regiment, assisted by lieutenant colonels and majors. The Continentals were not as well trained as their British counterparts; however, many had fought in the French and Indian War which ended about thirteen years earlier. Many also had experiences fighting Indians. At the beginning of the war the colonies did not have their own standing army. The men that had gathered at Boston consisted of militia troops that mainly came from Massachusetts but also traveled in from other colonies. After the Continental Congress formed the Continental Army, local militia troops still supported the Army during the various campaigns. Generally, younger men enlisted in the Continental Army and older men with family and farms to tend served in the local militia.The British had trained their troops to fight against organized European armies. They were not prepared to fight the Continentals, which employed guerilla tactics learned by fighting the native tribes. They also had to transport their troops over an ocean, which was slow and expensive. The Continentals knew the terrain better than the British.

Other happenings during this week include:

Rufus Putnam arrived in New York to take over the construction of the defensive works in and around the city on April 20, 1776 .

April 22, 1776 - John Adams “Thoughts on Government” Advertised for SaleAdams’ pamphlet, Thoughts on Government, Applicable to the Present State of the American Colonies,” evolved in Adams’ mind in the early months of 1776. He penned a series of letters early in the year in response to delegates William Hooper and John Penn; of the North Carolina Provincial Congress request his ideas on the formation of a government. Adams developed his ideas on the design of a government over the next several weeks. The pamphlet was first advertised for sale on April 22, 1776 in the Pennsylvania Packet.

British sailors stationed on ships outside New York harbor frequently came ashore at Sandy Hook to replenish their water supply. On April 23 and 24 American soldiers captured British watering parties that had come ashore.

General Washington had suggested that Congress approve an expedition against Detroit and on April 23, Congress approved the operation.

The Continental Congress had chosen Daniel Morgan to act as an agent to the Indian tribes in the Ohio River Valley. Morgan traveled to Pittsburg, arriving in early May. Once there, he sent various messengers into the Indian country inviting various chiefs to travel to Pittsburg for a council. Several of the Shawnee chiefs arrived in Pittsburg in April and met with Morgan.

In a letter from General Washington to John Hancock, Washington indicated that a report issued to him from General Gates reported a total of 10,192 soldiers of the Continental Army had gathered in defense of New York.

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Greetings, in this episode I discuss a dispute over land erupted between the Yankees and Pennamites in 1775.The Wyoming Valley in the Appalachian area of northeastern Pennsylvania became the focus of warring factions from Connecticut and Pennsylvanians after the French and Indian War ended in 1763. The colonists had driven the Delaware tribe out of the coveted valley after the death of Teedyuscung, King of the Delaware in 1763. Problems among the white colonists arose because of a mistake made one hundred years earlier by King Charles II.

Conflicting Grants and InterestsKing Charles II had granted the region to settlers in the region that became the colony of Connecticut in 1662. The King mistakenly granted the same region to William Penn in 1681. Neither colony felt pressure to settle the area immediately. To compound matters, the area had been the cause of conflict between the Iroquois League, Delaware and other tribes that lived in the area. The Iroquois had sold the region to parties in both Pennsylvania and Connecticut, an arrangement that led to more conflict. By 1753 Connecticut farmers had exhausted their soil and the population of the colony had tripled. Thus, that year they formed the Susquehanna Company to settle the Wyoming Valley area.Susquehanna CompanyIt was formed in 1754 to purchase the Valley and settle it. The Company acquired the land from the Iroquois in 1754. When the French and Indian War broke out the same year, the settlement effort into the area paused. The war ended in 1763, and the company began resettlement efforts. Settlers from Pennsylvania, called Pennamites, had also begun settlement. On December 28, 1768 the Susquehanna Company met in Harford, Connecticut. During the meeting they divided the land into five townships of five square miles. This was room for forty settlers in each township. Thus, when settlers began moving into the Valley, they found that several Pennamites families had already located there. A conflict, known as the Yankee/Pennamite Wars, soon broke out and would continue intermittedly through the Revolutionary Wars and after.

After the Yankee/Pennamite War had simmered for several years. The Yankees of Connecticut had taken Fort Durkee, near present Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, in 1769. The Pennamites constructed their own fort, Fort Wyoming, nearby and within eyesight. On December 25, 1775 a Pennamite force attack a Pennamite army of about 600 men. The Yankees defeated the Pennamites in the Battle of Rampart Rocks near West Nanticoke, Pennsylvania.

The Continental Congress appealed to both parties to cease their hostilities and join the fight against the British. The Yankees did cease fighting and formed a militia, which then joined the Connecticut Line. The Pennamites, however, were divided in their loyalties. Some chose the Loyalist route, others the rebel route. The Iroquois still wanted their lands in the region back and allied themselves with the British in the hopes of regaining it.

Other events during this week included the Fourth North Carolina Provincial took the first official step towards independence on April 12, 1776, when they adopted the Halifax Resolves.

General Washington arrived in New York on April 13 with his 20,000-man army to defend the city against attack.

The Georgia Provincial Congress passed document called the Rules and Regulations on April 15, 1776, which many consider Georgia’s first constitution.

Colonel Henry Knox had received orders on March 31, 1776, to begin moving the artillery to Norwich, Connecticut in anticipation of the expected British invasion of New York. He began moving the artillery on April 16, 1776.

Martha Washington had stayed with George during the winter of 1775 at Cambridge, Massachusetts. When the Continental Army moved to defend to New York, Martha followed George to that city a few days later, arriving on April 17, 1776.

Captain Tobias Furneaux, commanding the HMS Syren was the first British ship to arrive off the coast of Cape Fear with the HMS Mercury and two tenders on April 17, 1776.

I would encourage you to visit and subscribe to the Mossy Feet Books You Tube channel for more great content. If you like my videos, please hit the “Like,” button. The more likes I get the more You Tube will show it to other people, allowing me to grow the channel. I also invite you to visit my website, www.mossyfeetbooks.com. There you will find sample chapters, podcasts, a slew of content and links to where you can buy my books. While visiting the web site you can subscribe to it and receive email notifications of when I publish a new book or other content, like this video and podcast. If you like what I am doing, please purchase a book, as it helps fund my work.

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Greetings, today I will talk about the events of April 5 -11, which included the Battle of Block Island.This an excerpt from my book, 1776.I am still writing this book, which I hope to release in April or May of this year. It will be part of theTimeline of United States History SeriesMeanwhile, you can enjoy the book 1775, which is available on the website, www.mossyfeetbooks.com. Just click the “Timeline of United States History” on the lower left-hand side of the home page.A box set that includes all six volumes of the series is available at that link at an economical price.

Commodore Essex Hopkins, on his mission to the British fort on Nassau, had captured the HMS Bolton and Hawke on April 5, 1776.After capturing the HMS Hawke and Bolton, the ships of the Continental Navy were overloaded with spoils from Nassau. Since they had captured two British ships, Admiral Hopkins had taken crew members from the American ships and used them to man the captured ships. Thus, the Continental Navy’s ships were undermanned.

Hopkins had decided to search for more easy prizes as he headed back to Rhode Island, thus he divided his fleet into two columns, one headed by his flagship, the twenty gun USS Alfred and the other by the fourteen-gun USS Cabot. The two columns of ships sailed in a southerly direction. As they neared Block Island, just off the coast of Rhode Island, the USS Andrea Doria spotted the HMS Glasgow as it was on its way south to take part in the invasion of Charleston. The Glasgow approached within hailing distance, at which time the commander of the British ship and the USS John Cabot exchanged hails. As they did, a member of the Cabot’s crew tossed a hand grenade onto the British ship. The explosion of the grenade spurred the Battle of Block Island.

The Cabot fired one broadside at the British ship, which had little effect. The Glasgow returned fire with two consecutive broadsides, killing the ships master and wounding Admiral Hopkins’s son, who was on the ship. It also damaged the ships rudder, destroying its ability to steer. The Alfred and the Andrew Doria joined the battle, however a broadside from the Glasgow disabled the Alfred’s lines leading to the tiller, rendering it powerless to steer. Their position made them vulnerable to the marines on the British ships as they raked the deck with fire. The two drifting ships made it difficult for the Andréa Doria to engage, as it had to maneuver in close quarters with the two damaged ships and avoid the fire of the Glasgow. The cannonade from the battle was intense, with people on shore able to hear it and see the cannon flashes. At this point, the commander of the Glasgow decided to break off the battle, as fire from three of the American ships endangered it. The battle counts as an American loss, as some of the fleet pursued the Glasgow for a short distance, however soon broke off. The Americans lost ten men dead in the battle with fourteen wounded. The British had one dead and three wounded.

Other events of the week include:April 05, 1776 - General Charles Lee arrives in Williamsburg

The Continental Congress passed a resolution that opened Colonial ports to all nations except Great Britain on April 6.

The USS Lexington captures the HMS Edward.

Admiral Hopkins fleet returned to New London, Connecticut on April 8, 1776.

On April 11, 1776 the South Carolina Assembly passed a bill that established a Court of Admiralty to “have jurisdiction of all cases of the capture of ships and other vessels of the inhabitants of Great Britain, Ireland, British West Indies, Nova Scotia, East and West Florida; to establish trial by jury, in the Court of Admiralty, in cases of capture; and for the other purposes therein mentioned.”

In a letter to John Hancock on April 10, 1776, at Philadelphia, General Wooster reported that the troops taking part in the invasion of Canada were in poor condition. He noted that he had between two and three thousand troops to feed and that only about half were fit to fight.

The Lenape Chief White Eyes, or Koquethagechton, addressed the Continental Congress on April 11, 1776.

I would encourage you to visit and subscribe to the Mossy Feet Books You Tube channel for more great content. If you like my videos, please hit the “Like,” button. The more likes I get the more You Tube will show it to other people, allowing me to grow the channel. I also invite you to visit my website, www.mossyfeetbooks.com. There you will find sample chapters, podcasts, a slew of content and links to where you can buy my books. While visiting the web site you can subscribe to it and receive email notifications of when I publish a new book or other content, like this video and podcast. If you like what I am doing, please purchase a book, as it helps fund my work.

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Greetings, today we learn that the Congress authorized legalized piracy during the early days of 1776.This an excerpt from my book, 1776.I am still writing this book, which I hope to release in April or May of this year. It will be part of theTime Line of United States History SeriesMeanwhile, you can enjoy the book 1775, which is available on the website, www.mossyfeetbooks.com. Just click the “Timeline of United States History” on the lower left hand side of the home page.A box set that includes all six volumes of the series is available at that link at an economical price.

Congress Authorized Legalized PiracyOn April 3, 1776 Congress passed legislation authorizing the commissioning of privateers, which were essentially legalized pirates.The Act Title was:”COMMANDERS of Private Ships or Vessels of War, which shall have Commissions or Letters of Marque and Reprisal, authorising them to make Captures of British Vessels and Cargoes.The law went on to state:I. YOU may, by Force of Arms, attack, subdue, and take all Ships and other Vessels belonging to the Inhabitants of Great Britain, on the High Seas, or between high-water and low-water Marks, except Ships and Vessels bringing Persons who intend to settle and reside in the United Colonies, or bringing Arms, Ammunition or Warlike Stores to the said Colonies, for the Use of such Inhabitants thereof as are Friends to the American Cause, which you shall suffer to pass unmolested, the Commanders thereof permitting a peaceable Search, and giving satisfactory Information of the Contents of the Ladings, and aforesaid, to be examined upon Oath, and make Answer to the Interrogatories which may be propounded touching the Interest or Property of the Ship or Vessel and her Lading; and at the same Time you shall deliver or cause to be delivered to the Judge or Judges, all Passes, Sea Briefs, Charter Parties, Bills of Lading, Cockets Letters, and other Documents and Writings found on Board, proving the said Papers by the Affidavit of yourself, or of some other Person present at the Capture, to be produced as they were received, withoutFraud, Addition, Subduction, or Embezzlement.II. You may, by Force of Arms, attack, subdue, and take all Ships and other Vessels whatsoever carrying Soldiers Arms, Gun powder, Ammunition, Provisions, or any other contraband Goods, to any of the British Armies or Ships of War employed against these Colonies.III. You shall bring such Ships and Vessels as you shall take, with their Guns, Rigging, Tackle, Apparel, Furniture and Ladings, to some convenient Port or Ports of the United Colonies, that Proceedings may thereupon be had in due Form before the Courts which are or shall be there appointed to hear and determine Causes civil and maritime.

IV. You or one of your Chief Officers shall bring or send the Master and Pilot and one or more principal Person or Persons of the Company of every Ship or Vessel by you taken, as soon after the Capture as may be, to the Judge or Judges of such Court asIn Congress, Wednesday, April 3, 1776 aforesaid, to be examined upon Oath, and make Answer to the Interrogatories which may be propounded touching the Interest or Property of the Ship or Vessel and her Lading; and at the same Time you shall deliver or cause to be delivered to the Judge or Judges, allPasses, Sea Briefs, Charter Parties, Bills of Lading, Cockets Letters, and other Documents and Writings found on Board, proving the said Papers by the Affidavit of yourself, or of some other Person present at the Capture, to be produced as they were received, without Fraud, Addition, Subduction, or Embezzlement.V. You shall keep and preserve every Ship or Vessel and Cargo by you taken, until they shall by Sentence of a Court properly authorised be adjudged lawful Prize, not selling, spoiling, wasting, or diminishing the same or breaking the Bulk thereof, nor suffering any such Thing to be done.VI. If you, or any of your Officers or Crew shall, in cold Blood, kill or maim, or by Torture or otherwise, cruelly, inhumanly, and contrary to common Usage and the Practice of civilized Nations in War, treat any Person or Persons surprized in the Ship or Vessel you shall take, the Offender shall be severely punished.VII. You shall, by all convenient Opportunities, send to Congress written Accounts of the Captures you shall make, with the Number and Names of the Captives, Copies ofyour Journal from Time to Time, and Intelligence of what may occur or be discovered concerning the Designs of the Enemy, and the Destinations, Motions, and Operations of their Fleets and Armies.VIII. One Third, at the least, of your whole Company shall be Land Men.IX. You shall not ransome any Prisoners or Captives, but shall dispose of them in such Manner as the Congress, or if that be not fitting in the Colony whither they shall be brought, as the General Assembly, Convention, or Council or Committee of Safety of such Colony shall direct.X. You shall observe all such further Instructions as Congress shall hereafter give in the Premises, when you shall have Notice thereof.XI. If you shall do any Thing contrary to these Instructions, or to others hereafter to be given, or willingly suffer such Thing to be done, you shall not only forfeit your Commission, and be liable to an Action for Breach of the Condition of your Bond, but be responsible to the Party grieved for Damages sustained by such Mal-versation.By Order ofCONGRESS.JOHN HANCOCK, President”

The law established privateers, who would play a major part in the American effort against the British. Privateers would eventually number about 2,000 in number. They captured or destroyed about 600 British ships, bringing invaluable supplies to the Americans and causing major economic damage to the British.

Other events of the week included:Washington Appoints Major General Putnam Commander of New York Troops on March 30

On the 31 Colonel Rufus Putnam Receives Orders to go to New York

Abigail Adams wrote her husband John on March 31, imploring him to “Remember the Ladies,” when they were passing laws for the new nation. The couple would exchange over 2,000 letters over the course of the war.

The Congress created a permanent Treasury Office of Accounts on February 17, 1776.

Americans Begin Shelling Quebec on April 02, 1776.

The Continental Congress established the Eastern Department of the Continental Army using troops from Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Rhode Island On April 4th.

General Washington’s Army Begins March to New York on April 04, 1776

Captain John Whipple of the Continental Navy captures the HMS Hawke on April 04, 1776.

By April 4, 1776 General William Howe had arrived at Halifax, Nova Scotia after his retreat from Boston.

I would encourage you to visit and subscribe to the Mossy Feet Books You Tube channel for more great content. If you like my videos, please hit the “Like,” button. The more likes I get the more You Tube will show it to other people, allowing me to grow the channel. I also invite you to visit my website, www.mossyfeetbooks.com. There you will find sample chapters, podcasts, a slew of content and links to where you can buy my books. While visiting the web site you can subscribe to it and receive email notifications of when I publish a new book or other content, like this video and podcast. If you like what I am doing, please purchase a book, as it helps fund my work.

I hope you enjoyed this podcast and thank you for listening.

From the BookEast Central Indiana Day Trips

Transcript:

Greetings, today we will visit the Soldiers and Sailors Monument in Downtown Indianapolis.Soldiers & Sailors Monument/Monument CircleInside the Memorial visitors will find the Colonel Eli Lilly Civil War Museum

The Soldiers and Sailors Monument is the centerpiece of Monument in downtown Indianapolis and dedicated on May 15, 1902. Retail stores, office buildings, radio station and televisions studios surround the Monument. The monument was built using a design commissioned to Bruno Schmidz of Berlin, Prussia. The monument stands 284 feet, six inches tall and is made of Oolitic limestone from Owen County in southern Indiana.

Numerous sculptures surround the monument. German designer Bruno Schmitz designed the monument, expanding on a design commenced by Alexander Ralston’s 1821 plan. Governor Oliver Morton proposed the idea for the Monument. The Indiana General Assembly created a commission to build it in 1888. The Commission staged an international competition to pick artists to construct the monument. Renowned artists and architects Bruno Schmitz, George Brewster, Nicholas Geiger and Rudolf Schwarz designed various aspects of the cascading fountains, sculptures of sailors and soldiers, and other features of the magnificent monument. The memorial became a symbol of not only Indianapolis, but the State of Indiana as well.

The monument houses the Eli Lily Civil War Museum in the lower level. The museum features numerous exhibits relating Indiana’s role in the Civil War and the stories of some of these soldiers. Opening in 1999 the museum derives its name from Eli Lily, one of Indianapolis’ leading businessmen.Eli Lily (July 8, 1838 – June 6, 1898)The son of Gustavus and Esther Lilly, Eli was native to Baltimore, Maryland. \Their abolitionist viewpoint at odds with the slave state, Maryland, the family migrated to Greencastle, Indiana. After the move, Eli enrolled in Asbury University, now Depauw. During his time in the University, Lily also worked as an apprentice at a printer’s shop, serving as a printer’s devil. After his graduation, he traveled to Lafayette to visit an uncle.Apprentice as a DruggistWhile there, he visited the Good Samaritan Drugstore, where the rows of bottles and fragrant herbs fascinated him. He decided to stay in Lafayette and get a job in the store. He worked there for four years, gaining his certificate of proficiency, Lily moved on to work for Perkins and Coons in Indianapolis, then returned to Greencastle to open his own drugstore in 1861.Marriage and WarAfter beginning his store, he and Emily Lemon married. The couple would have one son. Soon after he opened his store, the Civil War broke out. Eli, a fervent abolitionist, enlisted in the 21st Regiment of the Indiana Volunteer Militia. After mustering, the army sent the unit to garrison a harbor port in Baltimore. Bored with this duty, Lily resigned his commission and returned to Indiana. During his six-month absence, his wife Emily had given birth to their son. He studied artillery, then petitioned Governor Oliver P. Morton for permission to form an artillery unit. Morton granted him permission, so Lily formed the Eighteenth Indiana Battery of Light Artillery. This unit became known as the Lilly Battery and served as a part of the “Lightning Brigade,” the 17th Indiana Volunteer Infantry, commanded by fellow Hoosier Colonel John T. Wilder. His unit saw extensive service during the war. A confederate force captured him in 1864. He remained a prisoner until January 1865, when the Confederates paroled him. He returned to service, serving garrison duty near Vicksburg. During this time the army promoted him to Colonel. At the end of the war, he mustered out.

He and a business partner leased a 1400-acre cotton plantation near Port Gibson, Mississippi. Lily moved his family there. The plantation suffered setbacks, his family all caught malaria, which Emile died of. Heartbroken, Lily returned to Greencastle with his son.

He sought employment in Indianapolis and found it at the Harrison Daily and Company, where he worked until 1867. That year he formed a partnership with an army friend. The men opened a drug store in Crawfordsville. While at Crawfordsville, Eli met, and married Maria Cynthia Sloan. The couple would have one daughter. Restless, Eli dissolved the partnership in 1876 and moved back to Indianapolis. His application for work at drug manufacturer Augustus Kiefer was refused. Kiefer instead encouraged him to open his own business. Lily took the advice, opening his new business on May 10, 1876. His business would grow into a world leading drug store with thousands of employees.After his death he was interred at Crown Hill CemeteryIndianapolis, Marion County, Indiana, Section 13, Lot 19.

Visiting the MonumentAfter visiting the museum, you will find excellent views of downtown Indianapolis from observation decks just above street level. From here you can see the impressive tall buildings surrounding the circle and obtain great scenes down north and south Meridian Street, East Market Street towards City Market and West Market as it looks directly at the Indiana State Capitol Building. You may then either climb the 330 stairs; or take the elevator for a stunning vista of the city from the top of the monument.The Soldiers and Sailors Monument is located at the intersection of Meridian and Market Streets in downtown Indianapolis.To find more information about the monument and current operation hours, visit:Soldiers and Sailors Monumenthttps://www.in.gov/iwm/soldiers-and-sailors-monument/The episode is based upon my book, East Central Indiana Day Trips, available on the web site, www.mossyfeetbooks.com. The book is the fifth book in the 9 volume Road Trip Indiana Series. The books include all the historical markers, as of 2022, in Indiana with the text and back story. The books also include a nearly complete listing of virtually every tourism destination in the state. The destinations include parks, museums, drive in theaters, bowling alleys, wineries and much, much more. I encourage you to visit the web site and subscribe to it. If you like what I am doing, please purchase a book, as it helps fund my work.You can find my books locally at the at the Romweber Marketplace in downtown Batesville, Indiana.I hope you enjoyed this podcast and thank you for listening.

This an excerpt from my book, 1776.I am still writing this book, which I hope to release in April or May of this year. It will be part of theTimeline of United States History SeriesMeanwhile, you can enjoy the book 1775, which is available on the website, www.mossyfeetbooks.com. Just click the “Timeline of United States History” on the lower left-hand side of the home page.A box set that includes all six volumes of the series is available at that link at an economical price.

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Transcript:

Greetings, today I will talk about the events of March 8 - 14Adam Smith completed seventeen years of note taking and ten years of writing by publishing The Wealth of Nations on March 9, 1776. Regarded as the leading book on economics even today, The Wealth of Nations helped establish the free enterprise system.This is an excerpt from my book, 1776.I am still writing this book, which I hope to release in April or May of this year. It will be part of theTimeline of United States History SeriesMeanwhile, you can enjoy the book 1775, which is available on the website, www.mossyfeetbooks.com. Just click the “Timeline of United States History” on the lower left-hand side of the home page.A box set that includes all six volumes of the series is available at that link at an economical price.

Adam Smith (June 16, 1723 – July 17, 1790)The son of Adam Smith and Margaret Douglas Smith was a native of Kirkcaldy, Scotland. Two months after his birth, his father died leaving the widow to raise her son alone. Historians know little about his early life, other than that he attended the Burgh School of Kirkcaldy and then, at fourteen, the University of Glasgow. In 1740 he attended Balliol College, Oxford. In 1748 he began delivering public lectures and in 1751 he earned a professorship at Glasgow University. He became a popular teacher and by 1763 Charles Townsend offered him a post to tutor his stepson Henry Scott, the young Duke of Buccleuch. He took the post and spent several years traveling with the boy around Europe. During these travels Smith met many of the leading European philosophers of his time. His acquaintances included Benjamin Franklin.Writing the Wealth of NationsFor his services the duke bequeathed Smith a lifetime pension. His financial security assured, Smith retired to his hometown, Kirkcaldy, to write, in 1766. His work of ten years culminated in the book Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations on March 9, 1776.The Wealth of NationsSmith achieved two things with his book. One was an examination of economic science. The other thing he accomplished was a policy guide for nations wishing to attain prosperity. He developed the theory that economic prosperity was achieved best under a system of free competition between people. His ideas included the topics of division of labor, productivity, and free markets. Most economists still consider it the classic book on economic theory.Many other important events occurred during the week of Mark 8 through the 14.Ordered by the New York Provincial Congress to render the Sandy Hook Lighthouse useless, Major William Malcolm attacked the lighthouse and dismantled it.General Washington attempted to place a battery of cannons on Nook’s Hill. British General Howe detected the operation and ordered his men to cannonade the colonials on March 9, preventing the colonials from installing the cannon.With Washington’s cannons poised on the hills above the city and the British troops occupying it, the leaders of the city feared that any ensuing battle would destroy it. They contacted British General Howe on March 8, who assured them he was going to abandon the city. The officials then contacted Washington and informed him that the British were leaving, sparing the city a devastating battle.Richard Henderson began laying the foundation of Kentucky when he began organizing the Transylvania Colony on the same day.On March 10 General Howe issued a proclamation that British soldiers in Boston confiscate anything that could be of use by the Colonials.

In a skirmish on March 11 a skirmish in Georgia on Hutchinson’s Island colonial troops attacked a company of British soldiers, who scattered. The Colonials captured two cannons.On March 12 the French King Louis XVI approved an alliance with the American colonies that would provide secret aid to the rebels.The same day General Henry Clinton arrived off Cape Fear, North Carolina with his flotilla in to mount an invasion of the colony.In other events on the 12th the Continental Congress authorized the formation of a Commander-in-Chief’s Guard. This 180-man guard was composed of men from each of the 13 colonies.On March 13 General Washington issued orders to prevent his soldiers from pillaging Boston after the took possession of the city.March 14, 1776 - Alexander Hamilton Appointed Captain of Provincial CompanyOn March 14 Mohawk Chief Joseph Brandt spoke before George Germaine, 1st Viscount Sackville with an appeal for the British government to give them compensation for lands taken from them by the American colonists prior to the conflict.On March 14 Anticipating that General Howe would sail for New York when he abandoned Boston, Congress resolved to send 8,000 soldiers to New York to defend the city against attack.

I would encourage you to visit and subscribe to the Mossy Feet Books You Tube channel for more great content. If you like my videos, please hit the “Like,” button. The more likes I get the more You Tube will show it to other people, allowing me to grow the channel. I also invite you to visit my website, www.mossyfeetbooks.com. There you will find sample chapters, podcasts, a slew of content and links to where you can buy my books. While visiting the web site you can subscribe to it and receive email notifications of when I publish a new book or other content, like this video and podcast. If you like what I am doing, please purchase a book, as it helps fund my work.You can find my books locally at the at the Romweber Marketplace in downtown Batesville, Indiana.I hope you enjoyed this podcast and thank you for listening.

Transcript:

Greetings, today I will talk about the tumultuous week of March 1 - 7. It was during this week in 1776 that the British occupation of Boston and the tension caused by the thousands of colonial rebels that surrounded the city, effectively bottling up General William Howe’s British troops came to a head.

This an excerpt from my book, 1776.I am still writing this book, which I hope to release in April or May of this year. It will be part of theTimeline of United States History SeriesMeanwhile, you can enjoy the book 1775, which is available on the website, www.mossyfeetbooks.com. Just click the “Timeline of United States History” on the lower left-hand side of the home page.A box set that includes all six volumes of the series is available at that link at an economical price.

March 2, 1776 - Americans Begin Shelling British Troops In BostonAt the beginning of 1776 the situation at Boston in the early stages of the American Revolution was an uneasy draw. British troops controlled the city and the harbor. American troops surrounded the city. The high hills of Dorchester Heights commanded the city, but neither side wanted to occupy them. The British commander, General William Howe, remembered the results of the earlier battle, the Battle of Bunker Hill. Though the British won that battle, the results were horrendous. British losses had been high as they suffered 226 killed, 828 wounded, these mostly officers. Howe decided another victory like that would ruin him.General George Washington wanted to take the hills, but his army was under equipped, having little artillery. About 2000 of his 9000-man army had no muskets. The Continental Army was not ready for such a maneuver.

American victories on Lake Champlain in New York changed the equation. With the fall of these two key British forts, the Americans captured a large quantity of cannon, shot and powder. Hearing of the victories Washington sent Colonel Henry Knox north to get the supplies. This the colonel accomplished. The feat is still considered one of the greatest logistical accomplishments of warfare. In three months, he moved 800 tons of cannons, cannon balls and other paraphernalia over mud roads, semi-frozen rivers and through forests and swamps to get them to Boston. This accomplished during the dead of winter using only wagons, sledges, boats and human muscle. He arrived in late January, giving Washington just the thing he needed to capture Boston from the British.

On March 2, 1776, Washington positioned some of the guns on the west side of Boston at Lechmere’s Point and Cobble Hill and began shelling the city. He continued the shelling on March 3. The British returned fire, however, neither side did much damage to the other. This action on Washington’s part served as a diversion of what he was really doing.

During the cannonade, which the British returned, he used the men that had no guns to begin construction of fortifications during the night of March 3 and 4. General Rufus Putnam had devised prefabricated fortifications that they could build out of sight of the British during the days before the occupation and haul into position quickly. That night Washington’s troops continued the cannonade while the other men labored at getting the cannon into position. The troops laid hay on the ground to muffle the sounds of their feet and wagon wheels. Towards morning on the 3rd, the Americans managed to conceal what they had accomplished and began after nightfall the night of the 4th. They hauled the cannon into place, built fortification and placed wooden stone filled barrels around the fortifications that they could roll down the hill to impede British troop movement up the hills. By around 4:00 AM on March 5 Washington had placed about 2000 troops, 59 cannons and an impressive system of fortifications on the heights. Anticipating that Howe might launch an attack on Dorchester Heights, Washington had also had the troops construct enough troop transports to carry 3,000 soldiers to launch an attack on Boston from his headquarters in Cambridge.

When General How awoke on the morning of March 5, he saw that Dorchester Heights bristled with Patriot guns and fortifications. After consulting with the British fleet commander, who told him that the guns threatened his fleet, Howe decided to take the Patriot positions and laid plans accordingly. He planned an assault with nearly 2400 men. Washington learned of these plans and increased the number of troops on the Heights to over 6000 troops. A fierce snowstorm began as Howe’s troops began the assault, ending Howe’s plans.

During the snowstorm, Howe held a council of war with his officers, who recommended that they evacuate the city. Howe began immediate plans to move his troops from the city.

There were other events of note during this week. These were

Six ships of the Continental Navy arrived at Great Abaco Island in the Bahamas on March 1, 1776.

American Commodore Esek Hopkins began a bombardment of Fort Nassau in the Bahamas on March 2.

On March 2, 1776, Colonel William Moultrie arrived at Sullivan with 400 soldiers and began construction of the fort that Moultrie would command.

The Continental Congress appointed Connecticut’s Silas Deane as envoy to France to negotiate a treaty of alliance on March 2.

On March 3, Hopkins’s forces marched on Fort Nassau. The governor of the fort, perceiving that he was outnumbered and outgunned, surrendered the fort without a fight.

March 02, 1776 - British Land on Hutchinson IslandA number of American boats loaded with rice had anchored just offshore from Hutchinson Island, South Carolina, which is a short distance north of Savannah in the Savannah River. At its widest point, Hutchinson Island is about a mile wide and about seven miles long. Late in the day on March 2 a British force landed on the island. The soldiers, under cover of darkness, made their way across the island and captured seven of the rice boats.

The Battle of the Rice Boats took place on March 3.The stealthy approach and capture of the seven rice boats anchored just off Hutchinson Island kept their possession by British troops a secret until mid-morning on March 3. When the commander of militia forces learned of their capture, he assembled a battery of three four-pound cannon on Yamacraw Bluff, which towered over the spot where the rice boats were anchored. The Battle of the Rice Boats ensued.

Fearing the British would invade New York, aided by the Sandy Hook Lighthouse, the New York Provincial Congress ordered Major William Malcom to attack the lighthouse and render it useless on March 6.

I would encourage you to visit and subscribe to the Mossy Feet Books You Tube channel for more great content. If you like my videos, please hit the “Like,” button. The more likes I get the more You Tube will show it to other people, allowing me to grow the channel. I also entreat you to visit my website, www.mossyfeetbooks.com. There you will find sample chapters, podcasts, a slew of content and links to where you can buy my books. While visiting the web site you can subscribe to it and receive email notifications of when I publish a new book or other content, like this video and podcast. If you like what I am doing, please purchase a book, as it helps fund my work.You can find my books locally at the at the Romweber Marketplace in downtown Batesville, Indiana.I hope you enjoyed this podcast and thank you for listening.

Timeline of United States History

Transcript:

Greetings, today I will talk about some of the events of the week of February 22 - 28 1776. This was a busy week in the early history of our nation. The largest event was the first thing I will talk about, the Battle of Moore’s Creek in North Carolina. This an excerpt from my book, 1776.I am still writing this book, which I hope to release in April or May of this year. It will be part of theTimeline of United States History SeriesMeanwhile, you can enjoy the book 1775, which is available on the website, www.mossyfeetbooks.com. Just click the “Timeline of United States History” on the lower left-hand side of the home page.A box set that includes all six volumes of the series is available at that link at an economical price.

During the early morning hours of February 27, 1776, Patriot forces serving under Colonel James Moore of the Continental Army and militia leaders Alexander Lillington and Richard Caswell clashed with Loyalist forces led by Brigadier General Donald MacDonald. The short battle occurred at Moore’s Creek Bridge near Currie, North Carolina. The Patriot forces defeated the Loyalist forces after a short battle, scattering them and ending any British threat to North Carolina until late in the war.Royal Forces in MotionThe Battles of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775 set off a series of recruitment efforts by both Loyalists and Patriots throughout the Colonies as both sides jockeyed for position. British Royal Governor Josiah Martin received word that a force of 2000 British Regulars led by General Henry Clinton would arrive in North Carolina in Mid February. He ordered Loyalist militia to muster and requested permission from the Crown to raise 1000 men. The Crown refused the request, but Martin continued his efforts. He worked Loyalist Scots which had served in the British Army during the French and Indian War and a group of people called the Regulators that were loyal to the Crown. Martin hoped to raise 6000 men from these two groups. The leaders of the Scots and Regulators met at Cross Creek on at Cross Creek on February 5. Disagreements about how to proceed arose immediately over when to move and how many men they expected to raise. The Scots wanted to wait until the arrival of British troops while the Regulators favored immediate action.The Regulators won the argument, thinking they could raise 5000 men. The Scots thought 500 to 600 was more realistic. They agreed to muster on February 15, 1776. There were approximately 3500 men when they mustered. Many of these men believed that British troops would meet them and when the British failed to materialize, many of these men deserted. On February 18 the force, led by Brigadier General Donald MacDonald, moved out with around 1500 men. More men deserted during the march, further reducing the small army.Patriots on the MoveThe Patriots had also been active. During the fall of 1775 the provincial congress raised the 1st North Carolina Regiment of the Continental Army. The congress appointed Colonel James Moore commander of this Regiment, which consisted of about 650 men. Richard Caswell had raised around 800 militia and moved to unite with Moore. Moore learned that Loyalist forces were heading for Corbett’s Ferry. Caswell also marched towards the Ferry, arriving there first. He blockaded the area.Upon arrival, MacDonald found his route blocked and prepared to do battle when a slave informed him that there was another crossing further upstream, at Moore’s Creek Bridge. MacDonald left a small force there to deceive the Patriots and marched towards the bridge.Caswell, realizing that the enemy had slipped away, marched his men quickly towards the bridge. They arrived there first and crossed, forming defensive positions on the west side of the bridge. Upon arriving, MacDonald sent an officer under flag of truce to parley with Caswell and to spy out his positions. Upon his return he reported that the Patriot positions were hard to defend and that their only line of retreat was across the bridge. As night fell, MacDonald decided to attack at first light, taking advantage of the Patriot forces inadequate defenses.Caswell realized that his force was poorly positioned and moved back across the bridge to the east side. During the night his men removed the bridges planking and greased the runners. They also dug semi-circular earthworks a short distance from the bridge. They had two cannon positioned to fire on any that might cross the bridge.

The Battle of Moore’s Creek BridgeThe next morning the Loyalists arrived, led by Colonel MacLeod and Captain John Campbell. After an exchange of gunfire, MacLeod and Campbell picked some men and crossed the bridge on horseback with some difficulty. They charged the Patriot position armed with only sabers. When the British had advanced to about thirty feet away the Patriots opened fire with muskets and cannons. MacLeod and Campbell fell dead and the remaining Scots retreated across the bridge. Loyalist forces had lost between thirty and fifty men, the Patriots one.When the Loyalist retreated, the Caswell’s men replaced the planking and chased them, capturing about 850 men. They also confiscated about 1500 muskets, 300 rifles and around 15,000 dollars in gold Spanish coins.AftermathThe results of the battle included the closure of North Carolina’s ports to the British and the squelching of Loyalist support for the British in North Carolina. The colony was not threatened again until late in the War when General Charles Cornwallis passed through the area on his way to Yorktown. Memory of the battle dampened his efforts at recruiting Loyalist militia in the area.The National Park Service maintains the site of the battle now.

Moores Creek National Battlefield40 Patriots Hall DriveCurrie, NC 28435Phone: 910-283-5591http://www.nps.gov/mocr/index.htm

In other happenings, on February 27, 1776 - Julien Achard de Bonvouloir’s Report Reaches France. Mr. Bonvouloir was the French Foreign Minister, appointed by French king Louis XVI. When the outbreak of hostilities between Britain and her colonists, the French king saw an opportunity to tweak Britain’s nose. He sent Bonvouloir to Philadelphia to meet with members of the Continental Congress. After he arrived he had met with Ben Franklin and 6 other delegates. He had written his report and dispatched it to France in late December. On February 27, 1776 the report, which was favorable to the Americans, reached France. You can read about visits of the French foreign minister and the delegates and many other events of 1775 in my book, 1775.

The Continental Congress created the Southern Department on February 27, 1776. The Southern Department would include operations against the British in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia.

February 29, 1776 - Pierre Caron Beaumarchais Drafts Letter to French KingFrench playwright and confidante of the King Pierre Caron Beaumarchais drafted a letter that led to French support for the American colonies.

The British House of Commons approved the treaty King George had negotiated with Hesse-Hanau to provide thousands of troops to support Britain’s efforts to suppress the rebellion in the American colonies on February 29, 1776.

Also on February 29 the British began naval actions against Savannah.

I would encourage you to visit and subscribe to the Mossy Feet Books You Tube channel for more great content. If you like my videos, please hit the “Like,” button. The more likes I get the more You Tube will show it to other people, allowing me to grow the channel. I also entreat you to visit my website, www.mossyfeetbooks.com. There you will find sample chapters, podcasts, a slew of content and links to where you can buy my books. While visiting the web site you can subscribe to it and receive email notifications of when I publish a new book or other content, like this video and podcast. If you like what I am doing, please purchase a book, as it helps fund my work.You can find my books locally at the at the Romweber Marketplace in downtown Batesville, Indiana.I hope you enjoyed this podcast and thank you for listening.

February 27, 1776 - Julien Achard de Bonvouloir’s Report Reaches FranceJulien Achard de Bonvouloir had met with Benjamin Franklin and other members of the Continental Congress three times in December 1775 to gauge the sentiment of American desire for support from France. He dispatched his favorable report to France on December 28, 1775. His report reached the desk of the French Foreign Minister, Charles Gravier, comte de Vergennes, on February 27, 1776.Charles Gravier, comte de Vergennes (December 29, 1719 – February 13, 1787)Charles Gravier de Vergennes and Anne Marie Françoise Chevignard de Charodon, Charles was native to Dijon, France. Born into a French aristocratic family, he received his education from the Jesuit priest in Dijon while living in the family’s townhouse there.LisbonIn 1729 he traveled with his uncle, Théodore Chevignard de Chavigny, to Lisbon Portugal as his assistant. The king had appointed Chavigny as ambassador to Portugal, with the express purpose of preventing Portugal from allying itself with Britain in the War of the Austrian Succession.BavariaChavigny was successful in this venture and next traveled to Bavaria to ensure that the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles VII, remained allied with France during this war. Again, he was successful, a feat for which both he and his young nephew gained favor in the French court. Chavigny lobbied the King to give Vergennes an independent appointment.Congress of HanoverThe King responded by appointing Vergennes as his representative at the Congress of Hanover where the successor to the Holy Roman Emperor was being chosen. Vergennes task was to prevent Britain from having its choice from appointment to this important post. Vergennes proved equal to this task and upon his successful completion of forcing the British to back down from their proposal, he gained appointment at ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, an important French ally.Ambassador to the OttomansDuring his tenure as ambassador to the Ottoman’s the Seven Years’ War (French and Indian in America) broke out between France and Britain. He dealt successfully with several crises dealing with Russia, Austria and Prussia. The 1763 Treaty of Paris ended the Seven Years War. The French lost significant territory in North America to the British under the terms of the treaty. The situation distressed Vergennes and left him itching for revenge against France’s traditional rival.DisgraceThe King recalled Vergennes in 1768, who returned to France in disgrace when he married Anne Duvivier, a widow, without the King’s consent.Foreign MinisterLouis XVI ascended to the throne in 1774. He appointed Vergennes as his Foreign Minister, a post he held during the entire period of the American War of Independence.Back to Table of Contents

February 27, 1776 - Continental Congress Creates the Southern Department of Continental ArmyThe Continental Congress created the Southern Department on February 27, 1776. The Southern Department would include operations against the British in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. This was the only department that would conduct year round operations against the British army, as the weather dictated that the other departments go into winter quarters.The Congress placed General Charles Lee in command of the department.Back to Table of Contents

February 29, 1776 - Pierre Caron Beaumarchais Drafts Letter to French KingFrench playwright and confidante of the King Pierre Caron Beaumarchais drafted a letter that led to French support for the American colonies.Pierre Caron Beaumarchais (January 24, 1732 – May 18, 1799)The son of André-Charles and Louise-Nicole Pichon Caron, Pierre was native to Paris, France. He attended two years of schooling as a child, after which he joined his father as an apprentice watchmaker in 1744. He learned his father’s trade, watch making, as well as learning how to play various musical instruments.InventorVexed by the inaccuracies of the pocket watches of that time, Pierre invented a new watch with a device he called an escapement in 1753. The escapement allowed the watch to be much more accurate. A rival watchmaker stole credit for the device; however Beaumarchais launched a successful legal battle against the man that brought the credit for the device back to its youthful inventor. The attention gained by his invention led to French King Louis XV to order a watch from him.MarriageHe married a widow, Madeleine-Catherine Aubertin, who had been a wife of an official who had served on the French court. After their marriage, he took on the name Beaumarchais, a name he derived from a property owned by his wife, “le Bois Marchais.” His wife only lived for about a year after their marriage.Music TeacherHis skill at playing musical instruments led to the King appointing him as the harp teacher responsible for teaching his four daughters to play the instrument.Royal TitlesIn 1759 French financier Joseph Paris Duverney befriended him after Beaumarchais used his position close the king to confer a favor on him. Duverney partnered with Beaumarchais on several business deals. The success in these ventures allowed Beaumarchais to purchase a title as Secretary-Councilor to the King in 1760.SpainJosé Clavijo y Fajardo had made promises to his sister, Lisette, which he had failed to honor. Thus, in 1764 Beaumarchais traveled to Spain to settle the affair and to conduct some business there. At first he tried to shame Clavijo into marrying his sister, however other nefarious conduct by the man came to light and Beaumarchais called off the wedding. Shortly afterward Clavijo disappeared from history. Beaumarchais business deals mostly came to naught, thus he returned to France in 1765.PlaywrightThe stay in Spain had inspired him to write plays. After composing Eugénie and Les Deux amis, he wrote the two plays that made him famous, the Le Barbier de Séville, Le Mariage de Figaro, and La Mère coupable. During this period he married Geneviève-Madeleine Wettebled Lévêque in 1768. She passed away in 1770.Spy for the French KingBeaumarchais traveled to London to deal with a personal situation for the King in 1774. During is stay in England the conflict between the American colonies and Britain broke out. Beaumarchais became a spy for the king, relaying information about the situation to the court. He developed support for the American colonial cause and, upon his return to France in 1776; he penned a letter which became one of the three documents that led to the French alliance with the United States. he penned a letter on February 29, 1776, which he sent to the French Foreign Minister, Charles Gravier, comte de Vergennes.Back to Table of Contents

February 29, 1776 - House of Commons Approves Treaty Providing German TroopsThe British House of Commons approved the treaty King George had negotiated with Hesse-Hanau to provide thousands of troops to support Britain’s efforts to suppress the rebellion in the American colonies.Back to Table of Contents

February 29, 1776 - British Begin Naval Action against SavannahBy late February 1776 British naval forces off the coast of Savannah had grown to nine ships. These included:HMS Scarborough - Complement of 145 men, 30 GunsHMS Hinchenbrook - 8 gunsHMS Cherokee - Complement 50 men, 15 gunsHMS St. JohnTransport Whitby - 16 gunsTransport East Florida Symmetry3 Loyalist SchoonersBritish Royal Governor of Georgia James Wright had taken refuge on the HMS Scarborough after his flight from imprisonment. Three of his children and several members of his staff had accompanied him on board the ship. On February 29 the British commander of the assembled ships ordered the small fleet into action. They began moving the fleet up the Savannah River with the intention of confiscating the ships loaded with rice docked at Hutchinson Island, which lay across the river from the city.

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Greetings, today I will talk about Congress’ attempts to bring Canada into the struggle.

One of Congress’ main goals of launching the Canada invasion in June 1775 was to bring the Canadians into their cause as the 14th colony. This effort had failed, but their efforts continued. On February 14 a messenger arrived from Canada, authorized by General Wooster, to carry a message to the members of Congress. The Committee of Correspondence conferred with the man on February 14 and relayed their report on the meeting.The man related that in the beginning of the conflict between the American colonies and the British the people of Canada generally sided with the Americans. The Clergy and the Nobles in Canada had worked in unison to try to change that sentiment by continually speaking against the American cause. Since most Canadians could not read, they depended upon those in charge to read newspapers and dispatches to them, which they continuously slanted in favor of the British. The clergy and British officials said that the Americans wanted to suppress their religion and enslave them. The continued onslaught of information from the nobles and clergy had put the general populace into a state of confusion, and they did not know who to believe. The messenger said that the letters the Congress had dispatched had had little influence, due to the influence of the British and the clergy. He entreated Congress to send a delegation to Canada to explain the situation to the populace and possibly swing the Canadians into the American cause.The man, who had left Quebec on January 20, also related that Quebec was still under siege and that the population was in a sorry state. There was little meat, flour or fuel for fire. They had plenty of corn, but no means to grind it so had to boil it to make it fit to eat. On his way to Philadelphia he had met several companies of men headed to Canada to reinforce the American troops besieging Quebec.After hearing the report, the Congress resolved to take the matter up the following day, and adjourned for the day.

The report of the messenger from Canada the previous day had enlightened the members of the Continental Congress about the state of affairs there. After discussing the man’s report, Congress appointed three men to a committee to travel to Canada to try to persuade the Canadians to join the rebellion. The members of the committee were Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Chase and Charles Carroll. Charles Carroll (September 19, 1737 – November 14, 1832)The son of Charles Carroll and Elizabeth Brooke, Charles was a native of Annapolis, Maryland. His parents were not married at the time of his birth due to legal issues over their respective estates. The couple would marry in 1757 when Charles was twenty. At age eleven his parents sent him to France for his education. He returned to Annapolis in 1755. Since the family was Catholic, Maryland laws prevented his entry into politics. He became a successful farmer, becoming one of the richest men in Maryland and the Colonies. An early supporter of American independence, he was active in pre-revolutionary activities. He gained election to the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. he arrived in Philadelphia after the vote on the Declaration of Independence, but he was in time to sign the first official document. He would become the last surviving signer of the Document after Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died the same day, July 4, 1826. Carroll remained a delegate at the Continental Congress until 1778. he would gain election to the Maryland State Senate in 1781. The Senators elected him as Maryland’s first Senator after the passage of the United States Constitution. Carroll retired from public life in 1801 and died in Baltimore on November 14, 1832.Samuel Chase (April 17, 1741 – June 19, 1811)The son of Reverend Thomas and Matilda Walker Chase, Samuel was native to Princess Anne, Maryland. Chase received his education from a private tutor at home, after which he migrated to Annapolis, Maryland to study law. He gained admittance to the Maryland bar in 1761. He opened a law practice in Annapolis. The next year he married Ann Baldwin, with whom he had seven children. Only four of these children lived to adulthood. Marylanders elected him to the General Assembly of Maryland in 1764, where he would serve until 1784. In 1774 the General Assembly elected him to attend the Continental Congress in 1774.Ben Franklin (January 17, 1706 - April 17, 1790)The son of soap and candle maker, Josiah Franklin and his second wife Abiah Folger, Benjamin entered life on Milk Street in Boston, Massachusetts. He was the tenth of seventeen children born to Josiah and one of ten borne by Abiah.Early EducationJosiah had wanted Benjamin to become a minister. He sent the boy to Boston Latin School, but Josiah’s limited funds for education ran out and he had to withdraw Benjamin after only one year. He could afford only one more year with a private teacher, but at age ten Benjamin’s formal schooling ended. The boy had a voracious appetite for books, so he continued his education by reading when not helping his father in his candle and soap making business. During these years, Benjamin began reading a weekly British periodical called The Spectator. He used the magazine as a means of improving his writing skills, something he greatly desired. He read and re-read each issue many times, even copying the articles to impress upon himself the writing skills the writers employed.Apprenticed as a PrinterBenjamin’s brother James began publishing a newspaper, the New-England Courant, in 1721. James apprenticed the fifteen-year-old Benjamin in the print shop, setting type. During the time he served as apprentice, Benjamin learned the printing trade. By combining his well toned writing skills and printing, Benjamin later forged the printing and publishing businesses that would enrich him and set the stage for his later achievements.Franklin - American SageFranklin went on to a career that included scientist, writer, printer and politician. In the process, he became an American legend and the most beloved of the founding fathers of the United States.

Another event of the week included the appointment of David Matthews as mayor of New York by exiled Royal Governor Thomas Tryon who had taken refuge on the on the HMS Halifax anchored in the harbor.

February 15, 1776 - David Matthews Appointed Mayor of New YorkExiled Royal Governor Thomas Tryon appointed David Matthews as mayor of New York, the last colonial mayor to serve as mayor of the city. The New York Provincial Assembly granted Matthews unrestricted access to Governor William Tryon, who was living in the HMS Dutchess of Gordon, anchored offshore in New York Harbor. Shortly after this Matthews and Tryon begin plotting to subvert Continental soldiers to convert to the British cause, recruit an army to help the coming invasion of New York and to kill or kidnap General George Washington and upper-level Continental Officers.David Matthews (c. 1739 – July 28, 1800)The son of Vincent and Catalina Abeel Mathews, David was native to New York. He attended the College of New Jersey, now Princeton University, graduating with a Master of Arts in 1754. he and Sarah Seymour married on November 6, 1758. He gained his law license in 1760 and received appointment from Governor Tryon in 1776.William Tryon (June 8, 1729 – January 27, 1788)The son of the son of Charles Tryon and Lady Mary Shirley, William was native to Norbury Park, Surrey, England. Tryon received a commission as a lieutenant of the First Regiment of Foot Guards in 1751 when he entered the army. The same year he gained promotion to captain and fathered a child with his mistress, Mary Stanton. He married Margaret Wake, in 1757, with whom he had one daughter. Tryon saw action during the Seven Years War (French and Indian) at the British Raid on Cherbourg. During the ensuing September 11, 1758 Battle of Battle of St Cast, Tryon received wounds to his thigh and head.North Carolina GovernorTryon had connections at court through both his wife and mother. These paid off when, in 1764, he received appointment as lieutenant governor of North Carolina. His role was to serve in that capacity until the current governor, Arthur Dobbs, could resign and return to England. Dobbs, his health poor, had requested replacement. Tryon sold his home in England, resigned his military commission and sailed for North Carolina with his wife and daughter. They arrived on October 10, 1764, however he would not assume office until March 28, 1765, when Dobbs died.Stamp ActAfter Parliament passed the Stamp Act in March 1766, Tryon opposed it because he believed it would drain the colony’s finances, however he tried to collect it. He did offer to pay the tax personally for some of the larger establishments. He had three ships confiscated in Cape Fear because they did not have papers that indicated they had paid the tax. An incensed mob of about 500-armed men surrounded his house and forced him to release the ships. Because of the dissent, he dispatched a message to London requesting more troops to force compliance, however the return message informed him that Parliament had repealed the tax.War of RegulatorsTryon wanted to move the colony’s capital from Wilmington, on the southeastern tip of North Carolina, to the more centralized town of New Bern. He proposed to build a grand home in the new town that would also serve as the colony’s capital. The exorbitant cost of the home, dubbed “Tryon Palace,” by outraged locals, caused Tryon to raise taxes on the populace. The tax resulted in the War of Regulators that lasted from 1768 through 1771. Tryon’s governorship of North Carolina ended on June 30, 1771.Governor of New YorkTryon had received appointment as governor of New York. He sailed from North Carolina to New York, arriving on July 8, 1771. The dissension that gripped New York over the passage of the Tea Act caused Tryon to depart for London for consultation with royal officials. He returned on June 25, 1775, to find the colony in full rebellion and the new commander of the Continental Army visiting the city on his way to take command of the Continental Army in Massachusetts.October 19, 1775 - Governor Tryon Takes Refuge on the HMS HalifaxIn the early days of October 1775 General Washington and General John Schuyler carried on a debate over whether Washington should order patriot officials to seize British Royal Governor William Tryon. Washington favored capturing him but was hesitant because Tryon was an official high in British administration and his seizure “quite a new Thing and of exceeding great Importance.” Washington consulted the Continental Congress over the matter. Tryon quite possibly heard of Washington’s quandary and, to escape capture, took refuge on a British sloop anchored in New York Harbor, the HMS Halifax. Tryon remained on the Halifax until he transferred his quarters to the HMS Duchess of Gordon. He remained on the Gordon until September 1776.

I would encourage you to visit and subscribe to the Mossy Feet Books You Tube channel for more great content. If you like my videos, please hit the “Like,” button. The more likes I get the more You Tube will show it to other people, allowing me to grow the channel. I also entreat you to visit my website, www.mossyfeetbooks.com. There you will find sample chapters, podcasts, a slew of content and links to where you can buy my books. While visiting the web site you can subscribe to it and receive email notifications of when I publish a new book or other content, like this video and podcast. If you like what I am doing, please purchase a book, as it helps fund my work.You can find my books locally at the at the Romweber Marketplace in downtown Batesville, Indiana.I hope you enjoyed this podcast and thank you for listening.

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Greetings, today I will talk about the day British General Charles Cornwallis departed Cork, Ireland to take his army to fight against the American colonists.

February 12, 1778 – General Cornwallis Departs Cork

Set to Invade South Carolina - General Cornwallis Departs Cork, Ireland

Greetings, today I will talk about the day British General Charles Cornwallis departed Cork, Ireland to take his army to fight against the American colonists.

General Cornwallis, in command of approximately 2500 troops, departed from Cork England bound for the South Carolina coast.British StrategyThe British high command had decided upon a plan to exert control over their rebellious colonies. The general two part plan was to assemble a fleet and invade Charleston, South Carolina, where they would unite with Loyalist forces that they believed were present in large numbers. From Charleston they could drive north. The other part of the plan involved inciting the Amerindian tribes west of the Blue Ridge Mountains to attack American settlements in Kentucky.

Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marques Cornwallis had retired to southern England to recruit troops to participate in this action. He gathered a force of about 2500 recruits and sailed for Cork to unite with Commodore Sir Peter Parker. With the fleet and the troops assembled, Parker and Cornwallis sailed from Cork on his way to South Carolina. Ethan Allen, whom the British had captured earlier, languished below decks as a prisoner.Ethan Allen Accompanies ForceAfter Parliament decided to send Ethan Allen and his men back to the colonies, they loaded them on a British warship, the HMS Solboy. The conditions of their captivity during their imprisonment at the castle had been somewhat better than on the ship, however they still suffered from extremely poor living conditions. They had slept on beds of straw and suffered a severe infestation of lice. The ship departed for Cork, Ireland where it docked for some weeks to provision. The Soledad was part of an 11 vessel fleet being assembled to take Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis to North Carolina to begin an invasion of that colony. In Ireland, the citizens heard of Allen’s imprisonment and some visited with him on board the ship. Some brought food, wine and clothing. The captain of the ship confiscated the food and wine, however allowed him to keep the clothing. On February 12 the ship began its long, cold journey to the colonies. Allen and his men were held below deck with little food or water. Allen became ill during the long, difficult voyage, but remained alive.The story of Ethan Allen and his capture is recounted in the book 1775, as well as earlier in this book, 1776.1775

Other events that took place during this week of February 8 - 14.

February 11, 1776 - Royal Georgia Governor Wright EscapesBritish Royal Governor James Wright escaped from the mansion and eluded his captors with the help of a Loyalist supporter.

February 13, 1776 - Patrick Henry Elected Colonel of First Virginia BattalionThe Continental Congress elected Patrick Henry as colonel of the First Virginia Battalion and placed in charge of the state’s gunpowder supply.

I hope to have this book published by June 2026. Meanwhile you can enjoy 1775, available at this link:you can get the book on my website. Just click the “Timeline of United States History” on the lower left-hand side of the home page.A box set that includes all six volumes of the series is available at that link at an economical price.

I would encourage you to visit and subscribe to the Mossy Feet Books You Tube channel for more great content. If you like my videos, please hit the “Like,” button. The more likes I get the more You Tube will show it to other people, allowing me to grow the channel. I also entreat you to visit my website, www.mossyfeetbooks.com. There you will find sample chapters, podcasts, a slew of content and links to where you can buy my books. While visiting the web site you can subscribe to it and receive email notifications of when I publish a new book or other content, like this video and podcast. If you like what I am doing, please purchase a book, as it helps fund my work.You can find my books locally at the at the Romweber Marketplace in downtown Batesville, Indiana.I hope you enjoyed this podcast and thank you for listening.

1776 - The Events of January 18 - 24Join us as we dive into the pivotal events of January 18-24, 1776, a crucial week in American history. From the arrest of Georgia’s Royal Governor James Wright to the capture of the HMS Blue Mountain Valley, and Colonel Henry Knox’s epic journey with the ‘Noble Train of Artillery,’ discover the stories that shaped the American Revolution. Get a sneak peek at the upcoming book ‘1776’ by Mossy Feet Books, part of the Timeline of United States History series, and explore the already released ‘1775’ on our website www.mossyfeetbooks.com!”

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1776 - The Events of January 18 - 24The book 1776, still in process, will be part of theTime Line of United States History SeriesColonial American History Stories - 1215 - 1664Colonial American History Stories - 1215 - 1664Colonial American History Stories - 1753 - 1763Colonial American History Stories - 1763 - 1769Colonial American History Stories - 1770 - 1774An American Revolution Time Line - 1775

Transcript:

GreetingsI am going to shift gears somewhat in view of our nation’s 250th birthday on July 4, 2026. From now until the end of the year I will be featuring the events that took place each week during 1776. I am still in the process of writing this book, which I will title 1776, and hope to have it published by June of this year.Meanwhile, you can enjoy the book 1775, available now on my website at this link:you can get the book on my website, www.mossyfeetbooks.com. Just click the “Timeline of United States History” on the lower left-hand side of the home page.A box set that includes all six volumes of the series is available at that link at an economical price.

This book is part of my series, Timeline of United States History.

The book, along with sample chapters of each book, are found at this link:

A box set that includes all six volumes of the series is available at that link.The Events of January 25 - 31, 1776Upon checking the book, there were no notable events in that timeframe, so I will talk about the events of January 18 - 24

On January 18, officials from the Georgia Provincial Congress arrested Georgia’s Royal Governor James Wright. Wright had been the governor of Georgia since 1760, having previously served as South Carolina’s representative to the Crown and as South Carolina’s attorney. His problems began with the Stamp Act, passed by Parliament in 1765. He managed to be the only royal official to successfully import and sell the stamps despite the efforts of the local Sons of Liberty to stop him. On January 12 a small British fleet had arrived in Savannah’s harbor. The fleet had intentions of purchasing a load of rice to take to Boston’s besieged troops. Delegates for the Georgia Provincial Congress had arrived and decided they did not want Wright to purchase the rice and had him arrested.

The Georgia Provincial Congress Convened on January 20, 1776. During this session the Congress formed a militia that they called the Georgia Line. At this time the population of Georgia, which had only been formed in 1732, and the state had a hard time recruiting soldiers to fight.

There was some support for the American Revolution in Canada. A man named Moses Hazen raised a regiment and applied to Congress for authorization. The Congress authorized the Second Canadian Regiment on January 20, 1776. This regiment would fight throughout the war.

The British ship, HMS Blue Mountain Valley, arrived off the coast of Sandy Hook, on January 20, 1776. The 16 man crew was exhausted by the difficult voyage. The captain of the ship had been told not to dock at any American port without first finding a British war ship for assistance. The captain searched in vain for about 3 weeks. The ship was now running short of water and needed a refitting. The captain needed a port to do this, as well as unload the cargo, which was meant to supply British troops besieged in Boston. The ship arrived off the coast of New York, Near the Sandy Hook Lighthouse, he fired three shots from one of the cannon. This was a signal that the ship needed assistance. A man named Dobbs rowed out to the ship to see what the captain needed. The captain requested that the man take the first mate ashore. The man agreed to do it for a fee. He took the first mate ashore. He was supposed to take him to the HMS Asia, which was anchored nearby. Meanwhile the word of the ship’s arrival had spread among the various ports on shore and plans hatched to capture the ship. Instead of taking him to the Asia, he took him to a tavern where five men waited to interrogate him. Upon learning the nature of the cargo and the weakened state of the crew, the men sent a letter to the Commander of the New Jersey Militia, William Alexander, telling him about the ship and its condition. Alexander commandeered a vessel and quickly assembled a 40-man crew. Alexander had one of the men don a British officer’s uniform. As they approached the Blue Mountain Valley the ruse worked and Alexander’s men quickly boarded the ship and took it over. They sailed it to Amboy where they unloaded it and removed the rigging and sails.

The Congress hoped to gain Canadian support for the war. They had already authorized two regiments of Canadians and hoped for more. On January 24, 1776, they wrote a letter that invited Canadians to send two representatives to Philadelphia and attend the Continental Congress.

On January 24, 1776, Colonel Henry Knox had left Boston and traveled to the fort at Ticonderoga, which the Americans had captured the year before. His mission was to obtain the cannon and other supplies from the fort and bring them down to Boston for General Washington to use to expel the British from Boston. After a long difficult 56-day, 300-mile trek, Knox arrived at Boston with his “Noble Train of Artillery.”

This is merely a summary of the events related in the book, 1776. The articles include much more detail about the events.I hope to have this book published by June 2026. Meanwhile you can enjoy 1775, available at this link:1775, available now on my website at this link:https://mossyfeetbooks.com/2021/10/18/1775/

I would encourage you to visit and subscribe to the Mossy Feet Books You Tube channel for more great content. If you like my videos, please hit the “Like,” button. The more likes I get the more You Tube will show it to other people, allowing me to grow the channel. I also entreat you to visit my website, www.mossyfeetbooks.com. There you will find sample chapters, podcasts, a slew of content and links to where you can buy my books. While visiting the web site you can subscribe to it and receive email notifications of when I publish a new book or other content, like this video and podcast. If you like what I am doing, please purchase a book, as it helps fund my work.You can find my books locally at the at the Romweber Marketplace in downtown Batesville, Indiana.I hope you enjoyed this podcast and thank you for listening.

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Politics MessySince its inception the political process in the nation has been messy and mudslinging in early campaigns was as appalling as it is in modern times. Sometimes it was actually worse. The division of people with different concepts of government's role in people's lives has been with us from the beginning of the republic.Historic Division of Governmental ConceptsIn the early republic the Federalists believed in centralizing Federal power and strengthening the government. The Democratic-Republicans wanted a weak Federal government in which most of the power resided in the states, as they were closer to the people. Today we have the same division, with the Democratic Party in favor or huge government programs and further centralizing the Federal government. In theory, the Republican Party espouses decentralizing the government and promoting responsible fiscal policies.

The Founder's Ideas about Political PartiesThe Founders of this nation avoided the topic of political parties when they wrote the Constitution. Most of them believed that political parties were detrimental to the country. They felt that parties tended to favor their own agendas contrary to pursuing policies that were beneficial to the people. I think we can see that their fears have come true.

The Roots of the Political PartiesIn order to understand the state of politics in the United States, I think it is important to know their roots. I have two books that detail the roots of the political parties and provide historical information of the elections that took place since the beginning of the public. The first one in the series, A History of the United States Constitution, covers the conception of our constitution as well as the amendments. I will talk about that book next week. The second book in the series, A Short History of United States Politics - Book 1, covers the political parties and the elections that took place from 1792 until 1852. The third book, Political Parties and the Presidents - Book 2, covers the years from 1856 through the end of the Civil War.The books are available at most online book retailers like Amazon and Barnes and Noble in softbound, ebook and audio book formats at the link.

Locally, my books are available at the Walnut Street Variety Shop on George Street in Batesville, Indiana.

Henry Hudson Enters Hudson River

This episode relates the voyage of Henry Hudson and his explorations of the Hudson River and Hudson's Bay.

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