Tweets from 1776! The American Revolution and War of Independence and the world in which they happened, 250 years ago.
The Thirteen Colonies
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11 OCTOBER 1776, VALCOUR ISLAND, LAKE CHAMPLAIN: “At half-past twelve, the engagement became general, and very warm”: The British and American lake fleets begin exchanging general broadsides.
ALT The Battle of Valcour Island
11 NOVEMBER 1776, NEW YORK: Redcoat Frederick Mackenzie records a story of Hessians captured by the Continental Army: they “were immediately carried to Philadelphia, where at first The Congress voted that they should be sold as Slaves, but they soon changed their opinion,
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(In five days, John Hancock will send orders to Washington from Philadelphia to “negotiate an Exchange of the Hessian Prisoners at Elizabeth Town … as soon as possible.
ALT John Hancock
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11 NOVEMBER 1776, FORT LEE, NEW JERSEY: “Our Prisoners in the City are Perishing for want of sustinance—having only half allowance of bread and Water,” Nathanael Greene writes to George Washington of Continental soldiers held by the British army. founders.archives.gov/docume…
10 NOVEMBER 1776, WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK: Washington writes to Connecticut Governor Jonathan Trumbull to object to Connecticut’s choice to offer its Continental soldiers twenty shillings a month above what they already receive from Congress. founders.archives.gov/docume…
“The moment they come to act with Troops who receive a higher pay, that jealousy, impatience and mutiny will immediately take place and occasion desertions, if not a total dissolution of the Army, it must be received in an injurious and fatal point of light.
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10 NOVEMBER 1776, FORT CUMBERLAND, NOVA SCOTIA: Calling himself “Commanding Officer of the United States,” Jonathan Eddy sends a written demand to Fort Cumberland demanding that the fort surrender itself to the forces under his command.
Colonel Joseph Goreham, commanding officer of the Royal Fencible Americans who garrison the fort, sends back a reply that Eddy should “disarm yourself and party Immediately and Surrender to the King’s mercy.” The siege of Fort Cumberland begins.
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10 NOVEMBER 1776, NEW YORK: The British garrison is abuzz with rumors about where the fleet of transports that’s been assembled in the harbor will be headed once the troops have boarded it.
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“The transports & Frigates indeed, might go through Hellgate and the Sound, but none of the two decked ships can go that way, nor the Grand Duke Russia transport 672 Tons, and as they must go by Sandy hook and the back of Long Island, and the fleet wd by this means be separated.
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