This week in Revolutionary War history, let’s check up on what was going on 250 years ago in the Thirteen Colonies. Last week, Washington called on all troops in the surrounding regions to force-march to New York as British numbers increased on Staten Island. He does permit soldiers to largely have Sundays off for rest. There are continuing skirmishes on the Hudson River while at the same time in the South, Americans — unbound by British policies — begin to move west against tribal lands.

            On August 9, 1776, in George Washington’s General Orders, he continues preparations for a British attack on New York that seems imminent. Washington makes the ammunition cart system a bit more efficient, while at the same time ordering water casks be refilled and also orders arms be rounded up from “the sick, and put them into use by those who are well.”

            He also, in keeping with the worry that the British attack could come at any minute, says, “The general exhorts every man, both officer and soldier, to be prepared for action, to have his arms in the best order, not to wander from his encampment or quarters; to remember what their country expects of them.”

            The next day, Washington writes to the Queens County Committee of Safety, noting his men have arrested various Loyalists he suspects have aided the enemy. He states he is “sending them into another colony for a short time,” and notes the property they left behind is at the discretion of the local authorities. He finishes, “I shall be happy in believing you will exert your whole power and influence to prevent the mischief which these gentlemen seem to apprehend.”

            He also wrote of the event to Governor of Connecticut Jonathan Trumbull Sr. He asks the governor to allow the men to settle in the state, and adds, “I could wish they might have every accommodation and indulgence having a respect to their rank and education which may be deemed consistent with safety; and they are given to understand that your humanity and politeness will most effectually prevent their being liable to any unnecessary hardships.”

            Also on August 10, news of the Declaration of Independence reaches London and is printed in The London Gazette. They publish two letters from General William Howe, which say, “I am informed that the Continental Congress have declared the United Colonies free and independent states.”

            On August 11, news reaches St. Augustine, Florida, a loyalist colony recently taken from the Spanish in 1763. It was noted that effigies of Samual Adams and John Hancock were burned in the town square.

            On August 12, Continental Captain Andrew Pickens of the South Carolina militia fought the British-aligned Cherokee in Oconee County, where they won a pyrrhic victory against a larger force at close range, with a circle of Americans surrounded by a circle of Cherokee, or a “circle fight.” The Americans would raze the Cherokee settlement of Tamassee.

            Following the publication of news of the American Declaration of Independence, diplomats and ambassadors in London began sending news home.On August 13, Russian diplomat Vasilii Lizakevich sent word to the Empress in St. Petersburg, informing Catherine the Great that the American provinces had formally severed ties with Great Britain. Catherine believed the separation was the fault of the British Crown, noting the event may prove useful to Russia’s ambitions. The first permanent Russian settlements in North America would not be established until 1784 in Alaska, under the orders of Catherine.

            On August 14, the Continental Congress passed a resolution by Thomas Jefferson which sought to grant enmity and land to Hessian mercenary deserters. It notes the Germans will “be protected in the free exercise of their respective religions, and be invested with the rights, privileges and immunities of natives, as established by the laws of these states.” It is not known the effectiveness of the resolution, though thousands of Hessians would desert as the war progressed.

            Also on this day, a committee consisting of John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson would propose their first attempt at an official American government seal. All proposals would be rejected until 1782.

            The Battle of Roanoke Inlet took place on August 15, when Captain Dennis Dauge repelled a British foraging/surveying party in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The entire British party, consisting of 25 soldiers, was killed or captured.

This Week in Revolutionary War History

By Sam Bishop

            Have you ever caught a hermit crab at a beach? Did you notice that not all claws look the same? Many people may not know that there are two main types of these crabs found on the beaches of Massachusetts.

            The first is the long-clawed hermit crab, the smaller of the two, growing between half an inch and 1 inch long. They have long eye stalks and claws and can live five to 10 years in the wild. The second is the broad-clawed hermit crab, which has unevenly sized flat claws and can grow up to 2 inches long. Their claws act as a shield for their shell from predators. This species typically lives up to three years in the wild.

            You may wonder how hermit crabs impact our ecosystems. Hermit crabs are omnivores, eating both plants and animals. These creatures are also scavengers, foraging for dead animals, plants and other decaying material on the ocean floor.

            They do a great job keeping our oceans clean, and other marine life benefit from them. Many creatures are “paguroid hosts,” or live on the shells of hermit crabs. Some of these animals include sea anemones, slipper shells and barnacles.

            Another cool fact about hermit crabs is that they are not connected to their shell. When they grow, they need to upgrade their shells to bigger ones. When a bigger shell appears, hermit crabs will create a “vacancy chain,” where the biggest crab will move into the largest shell, freeing up the rest of the shells. The remaining crabs will line up from smallest to biggest to swap and try on their new shells.

            Unfortunately, due to pollution, hermit crabs sometimes will seek out plastic, such as bottle caps, and can become trapped. It’s important to be mindful of not leaving a footprint when outdoors and to practice “Leave No Trace” principles by packing out all waste, respecting wildlife, staying on designated trails and leaving natural areas as you found them. Also, it’s important to return seashells to beaches to ensure these animals can have future homes. If you do take a shell home, be sure to look in the shell to be extra sure you are not taking any hermit friends home.

By Bailey Sweet

            The Town Coffee Committee met last Wednesday as we do every week, though we have acquired a new moniker, the “ROMEOs” (Retired Old Men Eating Out). It was given to us by a group of the fairer sex who have observed our deliberations from time to time. Anyway, while we continue to solve the town’s and the world’s many problems, we mostly reminisce. Boy, do we reminisce! That may be because we are all so old that we can’t remember what we ate for breakfast yesterday morning, we can remember where we were and who we were with sixty years ago. However, one member remembers the name of every person he has ever met. I am sure you probably don’t care a whit, but I thought I would share a few of my favorite personal remembrances about growing up in our little hamlet while I can still remember them.

            My father and I and my uncles would go up to Bill Apperson’s sawmill on Crystal Spring Road and collect pine slabs. We’d haul them to my grandmother’s house on what is now Driscall Lane. There was a rusty old gasoline powered saw with a blade about two feet in diameter set up behind her barn where the men would spend all day cutting the slabs up into stove length. My job was to stack the slabs up in rows inside the little barn near the house.

            Grandma would burn the slabs all winter long in the giant pot-belly stove which sat in the middle of the “heater room” and use them in the cooking stove in the kitchen. When we were done the men would sit around and drink Dawson’s beer out of stubby glass bottles and I’d get to take a swig of beer.

            Speaking of drinking, back in the 50’s state law prohibited the sale of retail liquor on Sundays. Dad would go up to Freddie Trocchi’s package store on Sunday afternoons, sneak into the back door to buy a fifth of Corby’s whiskey. Freddie would do brisk business on Sundays. Other Sundays we’d get up early and go to 5am mass at St. Anthony’s church. It lasted twenty minutes so the “fishermen” could get out early, then we’d go to the Pilot House diner for a real breakfast of bacon and eggs. Afterward he’d go to Seaport Pharmacy to get his liquor. Back then pharmacies had to hide their “medicinal” liquor behind a curtain on Sundays. Dad would sit at the soda fountain having a coffee and the pharmacist (who will remain nameless, lest the statute of limitations has not expired) would sneak out a bottle in a plain paper bag that dad would quickly put in his coat pocket, finish his coffee and scram out the back door, scamper across North St. to our back door. Then he and I would visit my uncles who lived up on Cathaway Lane near my grandmother. They’d drink shots until the bottle was empty and then we’d go home for lunch. I’d drive home. I guess I was the designated driver even at 13!

            One Sunday old Father Damian, (who was rumored put a good bit of liquor away in his own right and once set the altar curtain on fire with a candle) told the parishioners that the church had no money and he didn’t want to hear a sound when the collection basket got passed. The basket passed up and down the aisle and when it arrived back at the altar it was empty!

            Enough about the booze. When I was in the eighth grade, I recited the Gettysburg address in front of the library on Memorial Day. I was the only Explorer Scout in town, so I got to wear my uniform and march at the head of the parade with the veterans. Being the only Explorer wasn’t much fun. Once I camped overnight with the younger Boy Scouts at Fort Phoenix in Fairhaven. We had those old canvas army surplus tents. It poured rain the whole time. We woke up in the morning soaking wet. That was when I realized I wasn’t much of an outdoorsman.

            If you are wondering why I wrote this column…I can’t remember.

            Mattapoisett resident Dick Morgado is an artist and happily retired writer. His newspaper columns appeared for many years in daily newspapers around Boston.

By Dick Morgado