This week in Revolutionary War history, let’s check up on what was going on 250 years ago in New England and the northern Thirteen Colonies. Last week, General Washington and a long column of thousands of Continental Army soldiers finally arrived in New York City. The general would set up a temporary headquarters in lower Manhattan, 1 Broadway. From here, he prepares to inspect and strengthen defenses of the city.
April 19, 1776 is the first anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord. Therefore, the American Revolution had been raging, in its “hot” form, for a year. Patriots Day was this past Monday, and it commemorates the battles and the “shot heard round the world.” The holiday is not a federal one and is observed as a state holiday by Massachusetts and Maine.
Back to 1776, Washington begins his General Orders for the day with “Parole Lexington,” choosing the town as the day’s password for guards and sentries. However, it is not evident that much more is done to highlight the anniversary. Washington instead writes to President of the Continental Congress John Hancock, urging the congress to act quickly in pressuring Native American tribes. He writes, “In my opinion it will be impossible to keep them in a state of neutrality – they must, and no doubt soon will, take an active part, either for or against us, and I submit it to the consideration of Congress whether it would not be best immediately to engage them on our side, and to use our utmost endeavors to prevent their minds being poisoned by ministerial emissaries, which will ever be the case while a King’s garrison is suffered to remain in their country.”
With that, Washington is signifying to Congress to quickly press native groups to join the Continental’s ranks and also potentially suppress/outmaneuver (by what means, one can imagine) those that could ally the British. He also again highlights the importance of Canada, though doesn’t recommend a large-scale conquest of it, saying, “The security of that country is of the utmost importance to us, this cannot be done so effectually by conquest as by taking stronghold of the affections and confidence of the Inhabitants.”
The next day, Washington writes to the New York Committee of Safety asking the body what measures are in place should British warships appear on the horizon. Along with requesting the manner in which 2000-2500 militiamen could be raised for such an instance, he asks for information on and men be stationed at “good lookouts on the heights and head lands at the harbor.” He also asks for signals to be developed and agreed upon across neighboring towns. Though not quite a beacon system like Byzantium or Gondor, he also asks for greater cooperation and understanding from New Jersey.
That same day, as is the theme of the conflict, General Washington writes to Governor Jonathan Trumbull in Lebanon, Connecticut. He writes of the “the state of our ammunition,” saying, “I find we are greatly deficient in the article of ball, and as I understand a large quantity of lead has been manufactured at Middletown in your government.” Connecticut has recently increased production of war-time materials, while also receiving the pirated bounty of powder from Nassau. On that, he ends the letter, “P.S. As the quantity of powder here is much smaller than I expected, and the demand from Canada greater, I should be obliged to you if you would inform me how that has been disposed of which was said to be imported lately into your government on Continental account.”
As Washington continues to be disappointed by the state he finds New York and Colonel Henry Knox continues to be delayed on his trudge from Boston with all the army’s artillery, on April 22 to the south, the Cumberland County Committee for Safety in Virginia drafts a declaration of sorts. Member Carter Henry Harrison reads it allowed on the steps of Effingham Tavern. To the people gathered, he calls on Virginia and the other colonies to “‘abjure any allegiance to his Brittannic Majesty and bid him a goodnight forever.”
Similarly, further to the south, on April 23, the South Carolina Grand Jury in Charlestown issues “Presentments,” or arguments against the Crown and in favor of independence. It begins, “When by evil machinations tending to nothing left than absolute tyranny, trials by jury have been discontinued: and juries in discharge of their duty have assembled, and as soon met as silently and arbitrarily dismissed without being impaneled…” It goes on to state the Magna Carta has been breached, and in order to avoid anarchy, “a new continuation of government, independent of royal authority” is necessary.
Slowly but surely, the war taking place is evolving from what was thought of as a civil war between subjects of King George III towards a war for independence, where by British subjects in the Thirteen Colonies are looking for separation. These acts by smaller town bodies are emboldening and inspiring voices in Philadelphia; especially those keen to write.
This Week in Revolutionary War History
By Sam Bishop