Benjamin Rush

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1745, patriot, physician and social reformer Benjamin Rush is born in Byberry Township, PA.
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The Battle of Cane Break

On this day in 1775,

4000 Carolinian militia from five different command regiments combine to attack Loyalists gathered near the Saluda River. Loyalist leader Thomas Fletchall is also captured as the Americans reign victorious at the Battle of Cane Break.
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Robert Barnwell

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1761, Revolutionary War hero and faithful Patriot Robert Barnwell is born in Beaufort, SC.
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American Crisis

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1776, Thomas Payne publishes "American Crisis".

“These are the times that try men’s souls..."
"Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered."
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Valley Forge

On this day in 1777,

The Continental Army goes into winter quarters at Valley Forge, PA. By spring, more than 2000 soldiers will be dead from cold and disease.
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The Battle of Vincennes, IN

On this day in 1778,

A force of 800 British under the command of Lt. Gov. Henry Hamilton, Canadian and Indians from Detroit attack and recapture Fort Sackville at The Battle of Vincennes, IN.
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A Battle a Day - The Colonial Years

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1773, a group of Massachusetts colonists disguised as Mohawk Indians board three British tea ships moored in Boston Harbor and dump 342 chests of tea into the water.
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Virginia

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1791, Virginia becomes the last state to ratify the Bill of Rights, making the first ten amendments to the Constitution law.
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Maj. Gen. Charles

On this day in 1776,

Maj. Gen. Charles Lee, the highest ranking general after Washington, after being routed by the British in White Plains and after writing several letters criticizing Washington's command abilities, and after ignoring Washington's orders to return to the main army near Trenton, is captured in Morris county, New Jersey.
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Pennsylvania

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1787, Pennsylvania becomes the second state to ratify the Constitution.
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The Battle of Matson's Ford, PA

On this day in 1777,

Washington leaves White Marsh with his army to travel to their winter quarters at valley Forge. As soon as they cross the Schuylkill River, an advance guard accidentally runs into a British foraging party. The Americans quickly withdraw back across the river, destroying their makeshift bridge leaving the British to stare at them from the other side of the river at The Battle of Matson's Ford, PA.
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The Battle of Long Island

On this day in 1777,

Col. S.B. Webb and his regiment conduct a raid against the British-held Long Island. The raid is quickly broken up by some British warships. Webb and his men were eventually captured a The Battle of Long Island.
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The Battle of Great Bridge

On this day in 1775,

Col. William Woodford and his 2nd Virginia Regiment, takes on Dunmore for the last time and defeats the British once and for all, destroying Royalist Virginia and delivering it to the Colonies at the Battle of Great Bridge.
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The Battle of Quebec

On this day in 1775,

Colonel Benedict Arnold and General Richard Montgomery lead an American force in the siege of Quebec. The Americans hoped to capture the British-occupied city and with it win support for the American cause in Canada at The Battle of Quebec.
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The First State

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1787, Delaware becomes the first state to ratify the Constitution.
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The Battle of Chestnut Hill, PA

On this day in 1777,

A vanguard of Gen. William Howe's army engages with a Patriot militia force at Chestnut Hill. After heavy firing from both sides, the militia withdraws from The Battle of Chestnut Hill, PA.
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Phi Beta Kappa

On this day in 1776,

In Williamsburg, Virginia, a group of five students at the College of William and Mary gather at Raleigh’s Tavern to found a new fraternity, Phi Beta Kappa. Intended to follow strictly American principles as opposed to those of “England or Germany,” the new society engaged in the fervent political debate typical of student life at Thomas Jefferson’s beloved college in Virginia’s capital.
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The Battle of Rugeley's Mill, SC.

On this day in 1780,

Col. William Washington's dragoons surround a group of 100 Tory militia holed up in a stone barn. Having no cannon at all, he places a large log atop a cannon carriage and wheels to the barn threatening an attack. All 100 surrender at The Battle of Rugeley's Mill, SC.
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Across the Delaware

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1776, Gen. George Washington writes to Congress from his headquarters in Trenton, NJ, to report that he had transported much of the Continental Army’s stores and baggage across the Delaware River to Pennsylvania.
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Lydia Darragh

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1777, legend has it that Philadelphia Quaker housewife and nurse Lydia Darragh single-handedly saves the lives of Gen. Washington and his Continental Army when she overhears the British planning a surprise attack on Washington’s army for the following day.
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Dwindled forces

On this day in 1776,

With the enlistments of nearly 2,000 militia expiring by year's end, the dwindled forces of 8,000 left in New York, Washington realizes a new army would have to be raised to continued in 1777.
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Silas Deane

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1777, after the judgment and loyalty of Silas Deane is called into question, Congress appoints John Adams to succeed Deane as the commissioner to France.
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The Battle of Fort Morris

On this day in 1778,

Lt. Col. Fuser demands surrender, but the fort’s commander, Lt. Col. John McIntosh, tells Fuser to “come and take it!”. Fuser thinks twice of it and eventually falls back, after The Battle of Fort Morris.

By January of 1779, the fort's garrison is forced to surrender and Augusta is occupied by Tories from South Carolina without a fight.
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The Battle of Fort Morris

On this day in 1778,

British Lt. Col. Fuser takes Sunbury, GA from near-by Colonel's Island, without being detected by the 197 Georgians in Fort Morris. The British occupy the unfinished courthouse and celebrate their accomplishments with a puncheon of rum. During the night the defenders of Fort Morris detect the presence of the British and fire their 18-pounders at their empty campsite at The Battle of Fort Morris.
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The Battle of Gloucester, NJ

On this day in 1777,

Brig. Gen. Marquis de Lafayette leads his first action, the reconnaissance force of 300 Continentals regulars against Gen. Charles Cornwallis' command at a town across the river from Philadelphia. Lafayette's outnumbered troops successfully skirmish with a force of Hessians at The Battle of Gloucester, NJ.
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The Battle of Bulltown Swamp, GA

On this day in 1778,

200 men encounter British Maj. James Prévost’s army and fights a delaying action. Col. Baker, although wounded, continues to skirmish at the Battle of Bulltown Swamp, GA.
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The Battle of Fort George

On this day in 1780,

Maj. Benjamin Tallmidge successfully attacks and captures Fort George, along with 54 Tories and 150 others at The Battle of Fort George.
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The Battle of Fort Lee

On this day in 1776,

Lord Charles Cornwallis on orders from Howe, chases Washington across the New Jersey countryside after the Battle of Fort Lee.
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The Battle of Brookhaven, NY

On this day in 1776,

Gen. Nathaniel Green prepares the evacuation of head quarters during the Battle of Fort Lee.

And in 1780,

In the last significant action by the Northern War Department, Maj. Benjamin Tallmadge successfully attacks a British outpost during the Battle of Brookhaven, NY.
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Battle of Fort Lee

On this day in 1776,

Howe crosses the Hudson River and strikes at the second of two forts which is Washington's current headquarters. Thus the Battle of Fort Lee forces the Americans to retreat yet again across New Jersey toward Trenton.

And in 1777,

Faced with a hopeless situation, the Americans evacuate Fort Mercer destroying all assets in their wake. Howe now controls the Delaware River up to Philadelphia.
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The Battle of Ft. Ninety-Six, SC

On this day in 1775,

Maj. Andrew Williamson's contingent of 600 continentals are attacked by 1,800 loyalists and fight to a draw after two days at the Battle of Ft. Ninety-Six, SC.
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The Battle of Sorel, Quebec

On this day in 1775,

American forces blockading the St. Lawrence after the capture of Montreal, capture 3 large British gun ships and 8 smaller craft at the Battle of Sorel, Quebec.
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The Battle of Fort Johnson

On this day in 1775,

and for the next week, British sloops Cruizer and Scorpion attack Fort Johnson, South Carolina to retrieve the guns captured by the Americans when the fort was taken. For five days, sailors and marines keep the militia at bay until all of the armaments are retrieved and placed aboard the ships at the Battle of Fort Johnson.
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The Battle of Quebec

On this day in 1775,

British forces leave Montreal to Brig. Gen. William Montgomery. Montgomery's next move is to join up with Arnold for the Battle of Quebec.

And in 1776,

Gen. Howe turns south from Dobb's Ferry toward the two forts straddling the Hudson river; forts Washington and Lee.
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The Battle of Kemp's Landing

On this day in 1775,

Capt. Dunmore, after being repelled in Norfolk, successfully intercepts militia on march to join Col. William Woodford's militia at the Battle of Kemp's Landing, Virginia.
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The Battle of Montreal

On this day in 1775,

Brig. Gen. William Montgomery accepts the surrender and the Battle of Montreal is over.
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The Battle of Fort Alden

On this day in 1778,

Tories and Indians from the Seneca and Mohawk tribes attack Cherry Valley, NY. Ignoring advanced warning from his scouts, Col. Ichabod Alden is killed. The fort is defended but the town is burned to the ground at The Battle of Fort Alden.
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The Battle of Montreal

On this day in 1775,

Brig. Gen. William Montgomery lands north of the city of Montreal and Maj. Gen. Guy Carlton, with 150 regular is barely equipped to hold them off. The British and 11 ships are captured in heavy winds and shelling bringing to a climax, The Battle of Montreal.
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Charleston

On this day in 1781,

The siege forces at Yorktown relocate. The British still hold New York, Savannah and Charleston. Washington heads north and Greene with Maj. Gen. Arthur St. Clair head south to liberate Charleston.
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The Battle of Lechmere's Point

On this day in 1775,

British raiders from Charleston Point, Boston cross the river to Lechmere's Point to steal livestock. Sentries sound the alarm and Col. William Thompson orders an attack. The British make off with 10 cows at the Battle of Lechmere's Point.

And in 1780,

British dragoons and infantry attack Gen. Thomas "Fighting Gamecock" Sumter's camp at night but are repelled and suffer heavy casualties at The Battle of Fishdam Ford.
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Gen. George Washington

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1775, Gen. George Washington seeks to resolve several problems facing the army: how to encourage experienced troops to enlist, how to assemble a capable officer corps and how to overcome provincial differences and rivalries. Describing the problems, he wrote, "Connecticut wants no Massachusetts man in her corps. Massachusetts thinks there is no necessity for a Rhode Islander..."
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John Carroll

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1789, Pope Pius VI appoints John Carroll, SJ., Bishop of Baltimore, making him the first Catholic bishop in the United States.
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Guy Fawkes Night

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1775, On this day in 1775, Washington condemns his troops’ planned celebration of the British anti-Catholic holiday, Guy Fawkes Night, as he was simultaneously struggling to win French-Canadian Catholics to the Patriot cause.
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Patriot William Shippen

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1801, Patriot William Shippen, of the powerful Shippen family of Philadelphia dies at the age of 89 at his home in Germantown, PA. He was a descendant of the well-known Edward Shippen, colonial Philadelphia’s mayor and Pennsylvania’s chief justice.
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The Battle of Great Swamp, NC

On this day in 1780,

Col. John Senf and a group of 91 Camden Militia attack and quickly drive away Loyalists in Bladen County during The Battle of Great Swamp, NC.
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Montreal

On this day in 1775,

The tide continues in favor of the Americans in Canada as Brig. Gen. William Montgomery's forces take the city of St. John's after a six week siege.

Montgomery has his eyes set on the prize of Montreal.
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The Stamp Act

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1765, in the face of widespread opposition in the American colonies, Parliament enacts the Stamp Act, a taxation measure designed to raise revenue for British military operations in America.
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Dobb's Ferry

On this day in 1776,

With Gen. Howe in Dobb's Ferry, Washington is forced to split his forces again sending one faction (with Gen. Lee and Maj. Gen. Heath) north toward Peekskill and the other (his) across the Hudson into New Jersey.
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Dobb's Ferry

On this day in 1776,

From White Plains, Gen. Howe advances west to Dobb's Ferry cutting Washington off from his two forts. Gen. Washington is faced with the decision of whether to head north towards West Point or west to New Jersey.
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The Battle of White Plains

On this day in 1776,

Cap. Alexander Hamilton's gun battery holds back the advancing British, allowing Washington's main body to continue northward into the West Chester area of New York during the Battle of White Plains.
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The Battle of White Plains

On this day in 1776,

Washington's flight north out of Manhattan is shattered into two factions by Gen. Howe at the Battle of White Plains.
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Growing concern

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1775, King George III speaks before both houses of Parliament to discuss his growing concern about the rebellion in America, and urges Parliament to move quickly to end the revolt and bring order to the colonies.
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The Battle of Tearcoat Swamp, SC

On this day in 1780,

Col. Francis Marion leads a successful raid on Tory militia at The Battle of Tearcoat Swamp, SC.
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Norfolk, Virginia

On this day in 1775,

Six armed British tenders enter Hampton Creek and begin the bombardment of Norfolk, Virginia. Landing parties sent ashore by Capt. Dunmore to burn the town are repelled by local militia.
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Norfolk, Virginia

On this day in 1775,

Six armed British tenders enter Hampton Creek and begin the bombardment of Norfolk, Virginia. Landing parties sent ashore by Capt. Dunmore to burn the town are repelled by local militia.
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The Battle of Fort Mifflin, PA

On this day in 1777,

A British Royal Navy fleet of ships, trying to open up supply lines along the Delaware River to the occupying British army in Philadelphia, is bombarded by American cannon fire and artillery. Six British ships were severely damaged, including the 64-gun battleship HMS Augusta and the 20-gun sloop Merlin, which both suffered direct hits before they were run aground and subsequently destroyed at The Battle of Fort Mifflin, PA.
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Peyton Randolph

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1775, after years of poor health, Peyton Randolph, former president of the Continental Congress, dies at age 54.
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Continental Association

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1774, the First Continental Congress creates the Continental Association, which calls for a complete ban on all trade between America and Great Britain. This was done primarily in response to the Intolerable Acts Parliament instituted after the Boston Tea Party.
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The Battle of Yorktown

On this day in 1781,

More than 8,000 men lay down their arms in surrender, ending the last major battle in the war for American independence at The Battle of Yorktown.
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The Battle of Fort Chambly

On this day in 1775,

The tide begins to turn in favor of the Americans in Canada as General Montgomery's forces capture nearly 90 British, 80 civilians and much needed provisions during the Battle of Fort Chambly.
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The Battle of Saratoga

On this day in 1776,

Washington's escape off Manhattan continues as Col. John Golver holds back Gen. Howe's landing at Pell's Point.

And in 1777,

Gen. Burgoyne surrenders his army to Gen. Gates at The Battle of Saratoga.
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The Battle of New York

On this day in 1776,

Washington begins the evacuation of forces off Manhattan island in preparation for the winter and to avoid being over-run by advancing British forces. He leaves only a garrison of 2,800 men at Ft. Washington and 3,200 at Ft. Lee opposite it on the Hudson at the northern tip of Manhattan.

This marks the beginning of the end for the Battle of New York.
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The Battle of Kingston, NY

On this day in 1777,

Gen. John Vaughn, with 1,700 troops and a flotilla commanded by Capt. Sir James Wallace continuing up the Hudson in an effort to find and support Gen. John Burgoyne, anchors at Kingston. The next day the British set fire to most of the town and move on to Livingston's Manor after The Battle of Kingston, NY.
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The Battle of Mincock Island, NJ

On this day in 1778,

A British force surprises an advance post of infantrymen from Brig. Gen. Casimir Pulaski's Legion. Before the American can send reinforcements, the British kill about 40 men before withdrawing to their ships at The Battle of Mincock Island, NJ.
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The Battle of Saratoga

On this day in 1777,

Gen. Horatio Gates engages Gen. Burgoyne at the Battle of Saratoga.
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The Battle of Valcour Island

On this day in 1776,

Relentless in their pursuit, Arnold, after having been chased from Valcour Island, must scuttle the remains of his 15 ship fleet and escort the remaining survivors to Ft. Ticonderoga at the very southern tip of Lake Champlain.

The British are left to cool their heels for the winter having been frustrated at the Battle of Valcour Island.
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The Battle of Valcour Bay

On this day in 1776,

After the forcing the Americans from Quebec, Royal forces began to move southward along Lake Champlain, constantly harassing Brig. Gen Benedict Arnold as he fled toward Crown Point near the southern tip of the lake. Arnold must stop and engage British warships.

Again, grossly out-numbered and out-gunned, Arnold's delay tactics and subsequent nighttime escape, buys the Americans time.

The Battle of Valcour Bay is considered the first fleet action of the US.
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The Battle of Fort Mifflin

On this day in 1777,

British forces on Province Island on the Delaware river outside of Philadelphia, begin a bombardment against a weak, land side of a fort located opposite of Fort Mercer on Port Island, between Hog Island and Mud Island. The bombardment lasted for about 2 weeks at the Battle of Fort Mifflin.
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The Battle of Polk's Mill

On this day in 1780,

A detachment of 120 mounted riflemen, under Maj. Joseph Dickson, attack a group of Royal Welch Fusiliers, commanded by Lt. Stephen Guyon, at The Battle of Polk's Mill.
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A Battle a Day - The Colonial Years

On this day in 1777,

British forces under Gen. Sir Henry Clinton occupy then destroy Patriot fortifications along the Hudson river valley. The small group of American soldiers encamped on one island destroys as much as possible of the unfinished fort and flees. British troops occupy the island for twenty days after The Battle of Fort Constitution.

And in 1780,
Loyalist militia, commanded by Gideon and Hezekiah Wright, run off Whig residents in The Battle of Richmond Town, SC.
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The Battle of Bristol

On this day in 1775,

A small British naval fleet appeared off the coast of Bristol, RI. Not willing to immediately capitulate to Capt. Wallace's demand, the British opened fire on the town. The naval bombardment lasted for 1 1/2 hours. After a hastily assembled negotiation, Wallace settled for 40 sheep and ended the Battle of Bristol.
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The Battle of the Hudson River Forts

On this day in 1777,

Hoping to assist Burgoyne, Forts Clinton and Montgomery are both attacked by British forces. The Americans hold on for a short time and must then retreat from the Battle of the Hudson River Forts.
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The Battle of Tarrytown, NY

On this day in 1777,

Gen. Henry Clinton launches his convoy of flatboats, galleys, and bateaux with his full attack force and sets out for Verplank's Point. After he arrives, he quickly seizes when the American defenders withdrew without any resistance at The Battle of Tarrytown, NY.
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The Battle of Germantown

On this day in 1777,

In a pre-dawn attack on British positions, thick morning fog and smoke confound the Patriots who begin firing on themselves. A stone building is used by the British as a stronghold. Washington calls for a retreat from the Battle of Germantown.
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The Battle of in Gloucester

On this day in 1781,

British Lt. Col. Thomas Dundas of the 80th Foot, leading 1,000 British troops, encounters French Brig. Gen. Marquis de Choisy, leading French troops and a battalion of the Virginia militia totaling 800 men. The action takes place across the York River from British-occupied Yorktown, which was under Patriot siege, at The Battle of in Gloucester.
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British Major John Andre

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1780, British Major John Andre is hanged as a spy by U.S. military forces in Tappan, NY.
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The Battle of Savage Point

On this day in 1779,

Col. John White outwits an overwhelmingly superior force and prevents them from reaching Savannah by lighting several large fires around a camp to give the appearance of a large troop presence and by riding around the fictitious camps shouting orders to no one. The trick worked and Lt. James French's force of 111 surrendered at The Battle of Savage Point.
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General Washington's letter

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1776, in a letter to his nephew, Lund Washington, plantation manager of Mount Vernon, Gen. George Washington writes of his displeasure with the undisciplined conduct and poor battlefield performance of the American militia. Washington blamed the Patriot reliance on the militia as the chief root of his problems in the devastating loss of Long Island and Manhattan to the British.
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John André

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1780, British spy John André is court-martialed, found guilty and sentenced to death by hanging. André, an accomplice of Benedict Arnold, had been captured by Patriots six days earlier on September 23, after they found incriminating papers stashed in his boot.
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The Battle of Yorktown

On this day in 1781,
General George Washington, commanding a force of 17,000 French and Continental troops, begins the siege against British General Lord Charles Cornwallis with 9,000 British troops at The Battle of Yorktown.
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John Jay

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1779, the former president of the Continental Congress, John Jay, is appointed minister to Spain and tasked with winning Spanish support for the American Revolution and Spain’s recognition of America’s independence.
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Agents of the diplomatic commission

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1776, the Continental Congress elects Benjamin Franklin, Silas Deane and Arthur Lee as agents of the diplomatic commission that will be sent to secure a formal alliance and negotiate a treaty between the United States and France.
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The Battle of Montreal

On this day in 1775,
Captured trying to recruit Canadians to join the American cause, Cap. Ethan Allen is held as a prisoner of war at several places until his exchange in 1778 after The Battle of Montreal.
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The Battle of Diamond Island

On this day in 1777,
Col. John Brown's Continentals successfully raid a British post on Lake George, located south of Ticonderoga. They are, however, unsuccessful in capturing Ft. Ticonderoga itself after The Battle of Diamond Island.
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I have not yet begun to fight!

On this day in 1777,
Gen. Cornwallis marches in to Philadelphia with 4 British and 2 Hessian units. The main body of his army is encamped at Germantown, northwest of the city. Gen. Washington moves to Pennybacker's Mill (Schwenksville) on the Perkiomen River after The Fall of Philadelphia.

And in 1779,
Cdre. John Paul Jones in his Bonhomme Richard captures the Serapis.

"I have not yet begun to fight!"
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I have not yet begun to fight!

On this day in 1777,
Gen. Cornwallis marches in to Philadelphia with 4 British and 2 Hessian units. The main body of his army is encamped at Germantown, northwest of the city. Gen. Washington moves to Pennybacker's Mill (Schwenksville) on the Perkiomen River after The Fall of Philadelphia.

And in 1779,
Cdre. John Paul Jones in his Bonhomme Richard captures the Serapis.

"I have not yet begun to fight!"
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Cap. Nathan Hale

On this day in 1776,
Cap. Nathan Hale is hanged in New York City for spying against the Royal forces stationed there.

"I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country."
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The Battle of Wahab's Plantation

On this day in 1780,
Lt. Col. William Davie launches a surprise attack on Gen. Cornwallis' position killing 60 and suffering only one wounded at The Battle of Wahab's Plantation.
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The Battle of Paoli, PA

On this day in 1777,
The British attack the camps of Brig. Gen. Anthony Wayne's during a midnight raid with fixed bayonets. The Americans fight back and are able to defend their cannon before retreating from The Battle of Paoli, PA.
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The Battle of Paoli, PA

On this day in 1777,
The British attack the camps of Brig. Gen. Anthony Wayne's during a midnight raid with fixed bayonets. The Americans fight back and are able to defend their cannon before retreating from The Battle of Paoli, PA.
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Siege at St. John's

On this day in 1775,
Montgomery begins his siege at St. John's. Ethan Allen is sent ahead to recruit Canadians to the American cause.

On this day in 1777,
Americans raid the vicinity of Ft. Ticonderoga, capturing 300 British and freeing 100 Patriot prisoners.

In Philadelphia, the Liberty Bell is moved to Allentown as Congress moves to Lancaster ahead of Howe's army.
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The Battle of Warren

On this day in 1777,
After the defeat at Brandywine, Howe did not immediately pursue Washington, who was on his way to Reading to resupply. Skirmishing began on and British forces initiated flanking movements around the American lines. A steady rain made a full out engagement impossible and Washington escaped again from the Battle of Warren.
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The Battle of Harlem Heights

On this day in 1776,
Part of Maj. Thomas Knowlton's Rangers encounter a superior numbered British force and is forced to retreat again into the hills of northern Manhattan. Washington sends reinforcements and the tide turns in favor of the Americans, causing the British to back down in the Battle of Harlem Heights.
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Battle of Kip's Bay

On this day in 1776,
The Battle of Kip's Bay finds General Howe landing troops in Manhattan forcing MG Israel Putnam's forces to retreat to Harlem Heights. The British occupy NYC throughout the war and for two months after the war ends.
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The Battle of Newtown, New York

On this day in 1779,
Maj. Gen. John Sullivan had attacked the Iroquois at Newtown along the Chemung River in western New York, in which about 700 (mostly) Iroquois and Tories were decisively defeated by an army of nearly 4000 Continental soldiers. They then carried out a scorched earth campaign, methodically destroying at least forty Iroquois villages throughout what is now upstate New York, in retaliation for Iroquois and Tory attacks against American settlements earlier in the war at The Battle of Newtown.
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Charles James Fox

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1806, Charles James Fox, first foreign secretary of the United Kingdom and vocal supporter of American independence, dies in Chiswick, Devon, England.
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Benedict Arnold

On this day in 1775,
Recently promoted Col. Benedict Arnold, back in Cambridge after his spring campaign with Ethan Allen in New York, begins his march northward, through Maine country, toward Quebec as the second of two pincers (the other being Montgomery's on Lake Champlain).

Arnold's plan is ill-conceived and his forces suffer starvation and harsh elements during their 350 mile march.
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The Battle of Brandywine Creek

On this day in 1777,
on his march to capture Philadelphia Washington's army is stationed along a creek north of Wilmington. While Hessians divert attention to Chadd's Ford, the British outflank the Americans and engage them in a furious fight. The Colonials are forced to retreat to Chester after the Battle of Brandywine Creek.
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Battle of St. John's

On this day in 1775,
A refortified Maj. Gen. Philip Schuyler attempts a second effort upon the fort at St. John's. This second effort also failed and the American force retreated back to Ile aux Noix.
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Captain Nathan Hale

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1776, Captain Nathan Hale of the 19th Regiment of the Continental Army steps forward to become one of the first known American spies of the Revolutionary War.
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The Battle of Martha's Vineyard

On this day in 1778,
A British raiding force attacks an island in Nantucket Sound, destroying several vessels and seizing a large number of sheep and oxen for the army at The Battle of Martha's Vineyard.

And in 1781,
Gen. Greene fights to a bloody draw as Lt. Col. William Washington is wounded and captured at The Battle of Eutaw Springs, SC.
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The Battle of Boonesboro, KY

On this day in 1778,
Maj. Daniel Boone commands a militia and defends his stockade against repeated attacks by the Chippewa and Shawnee for a week at The Battle of Boonesboro, KY.
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The Battle of New London

On this day in 1781,
British Brig. Gen. Benedict Arnold raids then burns New London, CT. He then attacks garrisons at Ft. Trumbull and Ft. Griswold. The Americans who surrendered are bayoneted after The Battle of New London.
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A Battle a Day - The Colonial Years

On this day in 1775,
The captured schooner Hannah, refit with cannon, sails to Boston to harass British troops there.

Her skipper was Army Captain John Broughton.

It is considered the first Continental naval combatant vessel, thereby the beginning of the US Navy.
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The Battles of Ile aux Noix and St. John's

On this day in 1775,
Tensions heat up on Lake Champlain as an advanced group of Maj. Gen. Philip Schuyler's force is ambushed near St. Johns by an Indian force, commanded by New York loyalist. The Patriots managed to drive off the Indians in a bush fight. The Americans suffer 8 killed and 8 wounded at The Battles of Ile aux Noix and St. John's.
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The Battle of Cooch's Bridge

On this day in 1777,
Near Newark, Delaware the only battle to be fought in the first state and the first time the Stars and Strips are shown in battle. Gen. Howe's forces killed around 90 colonials. From here he moved to Brandywine on his way to Philadelphia, after The Battle of Cooch's Bridge.
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United States Treasury Department

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1789, the United States Treasury Department is founded, with Alexander Hamilton as it's head.
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The Battle Ft. Henry

On this day in 1777,
400 Indians lay siege to Fort (Patrick) Henry (now Wheeling, WV). Settlers take refuge in the fort before the Indians attack. Several soldiers die in the skirmishes outside the walls before the siege began, but in the end, there was not any deaths among the fort's defenders at the Battle Ft. Henry.
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The Battle of Fort Henry

On this day in 1777,
Capt. Samuel Mason successfully defends his post when a band of Native Americans from several eastern tribes attack the Ohio frontier fort at The Battle of Fort Henry (current day WV).
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The Battle of Stonington

On this day in 1775,
The British fleet commences bombardment of the Connecticut coastline, killing two and destroying several homes, at The Battle of Stonington.
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The Battle of Long Island

On this day in 1776,

Washington orders the evacuation of Long Island to Manhattan under heavy fog and cover of darkness during The Battle of Long Island.
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Gen. Howe's march through Delaware

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1777, Gen. Howe lands his fleet in the Elk River near Elkton, MD, and begins his march through Delaware on his way to Philadelphia.
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Battles of Cambridge and King's Tree, SC

On this day in 1775,

Two British batteries afloat on the Mystic and one on Bunker Hill begin shelling Brig. Gen. John Sullivan's position on Ploughed Hill. Sullivan, with only one cannon, holds his position and even sinks one of the batteries at the Battle of Cambridge.

And in 1780,

Maj. James Wemyss skirmishes along the Santee River frustrating Maj. John James sent to stop him during the Battle of King's Tree, SC.
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The Battle of Long Island

On this day in 1776,

Confident that the British would not attack New York’s Manhattan Island, Gen. Washington sends additional reinforcements into the lines around Brooklyn Heights. Washington also ordered the dispersal of certain documents among the Hessians urging them to desert, during The Battle of Long Island.
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The Battle of Nail's Fort

On this day in 1778,

Cherokee attack the fort on the Broad River in Georgia, and are beat off. They steal all the horses, wound the commander, a Capt. Sampson Bunn, kill 9 cows and 20 settlers. The Indians try to capture the fort but was unsuccessful at The Battle of Nail's Fort.
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The first Battle of New York City

On this day in 1775,

Capt. John Lamb is ordered to secure the guns at the Battery Park and move them to a safe location. The HMS Asia gets wind of the attempt and exchanges fire with Lamb's men. Panic ensues prompting the exodus of city residents to New Jersey and Long Island after the first Battle of New York City.
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King George III

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1775, King George III declares America is in open rebellion.
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The British retreat

On this day in 1777,

19 days from the start of the siege, the British retreat westward, allowing Fort Stanwix to become the only fort in the United States that did not fall to the British at some point in the war.
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James Wilson

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1798, James Wilson, signer of the Declaration of Independence, and one of the first six Justices, dies at age 55.
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The Battle of Fallen Timbers

On this day in 1794,

Gen. "Mad Anthony" Wayne proves that the fragile young republic can counter a military threat when he puts down Shawnee Chief Blue Jacket’s confederacy near present-day Toledo, Ohio, with the newly created 3,000-man strong Legion of the United States at the Battle of Fallen Timbers.
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Gen. Washington

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1781, Gen. Washington departs Dobbs Ferry, NY for Yorktown, VA.
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Gen. Washington

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1781, Gen. Washington departs Dobbs Ferry, NY for Yorktown, VA.
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Meriwether Lewis

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1774, Meriwether Lewis, of Lewis and Clark Expedition fame, is born in Charlottesville. He is to die at an early age of 35 in 1809.
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Jonathan Trumbull

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1785, Jonathan Trumbull, governor of both the colony and state of Connecticut, dies in Lebanon, CT at age 75.
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The Battle of Camden

On this day in 1780,

British forces under Lt. Gen. Lord Charles Cornwallis destroy the American forces of Maj. Gen. Horatio Gates (the hero of Saratoga) near Camden, SC. Using old tactics from his British command days, Gates is over-run and his units slaughtered in a crushing defeat. Gates himself, brakes from the field of battle and rides his horse for two days into Virginia away from The Battle of Camden.
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The Battle of Newport

On this day in 1778,

French Adm. d'Estang and Gen. Sullivan issue confusing orders for the combined assault of Newport, RI. After several days of bombardment by Sullivan, d'Estang retreats with his fleet and leaves Sullivan exposed and must withdraw from The Battle of Newport.
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The Battle of Lockhart's Plantation, GA

On this day in 1775,

Patriot ships raid Bermuda, capturing its forts and manages to carry off all of the powder in their magazines.

And in 1779,

Col. John Twiggs' militia defeats Lt. Col. Daniel McGirth at The Battle of Lockhart's Plantation, GA.

And in 1781,
Adm. De Grasse and the second French fleet arrives in New York. Washington begins his march to Yorktown.
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The Battle of Bennington, VT

On this day in 1777,

And for three days, Brig. Gen. John Stark defeats a large Hessian group at the Battle of Bennington, VT.
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Washington's fear

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1776, Gen. George Washington writes to Maj. Gen. Charles Lee that the Continental Army’s situation had deteriorated due to an outbreak of smallpox and problems with desertion. Washington feared that the superior British navy might blockade New York, thus isolating the city from communications with other states.
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Samuel Adams

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1777, Samuel Adams dreads that "a very great part of the army is naked - without blankets - ill armed ... without a Prospect of Relief."
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Declaration of Independence

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1776, news reaches London that the Americans had drafted the Declaration of Independence.

And in 1781, Robert Livingston is appointed the first Secretary of Foreign Affairs (today's Secretary of State).
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The Iroquois

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1776, Guy Johnson, British Superintendent of Indian Affairs, returns from England and shares his confidence that the Iroquois will choose to ally themselves with the British crown.

He was correct in his assessment. The Iroquois attempted to maintain their neutrality at the beginning of the conflict, but by 1777, Joseph Brant (aka. Thayendanegea), a formally educated Mohawk and Freemason, led the Iroquois into an alliance with Britain.
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A Battle a Day - The Colonial Years

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in On this day in 1775, Capt. Daniel Morgan and his Virginia riflemen arrive in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

And in 1776, Captain John Paul Jones is commissioned in the Continental Navy.
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The Purple Heart Award

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1782, Gen. George Washington, creates the "Badge for Military Merit." The badge was to be presented to soldiers for "any singularly meritorious action". The badge later becomes the Purple Heart Award.
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The Battle of Oriskany

On this day in 1777,

And continuing for two weeks, Col. Nicholas Herkimer is ambushed six mile from Ft. Stanwix. A group from the fort burn the camp of the Indians that ambushed then thus demoralizing them and providing a chance to escape The Battle of Oriskany.
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The Battle of Morrisania

On this day in 1779,

At the homestead village of Gouverneur Morris (today's Bronx) Lt. Col. DeLancy's Loyalist forces engage with Col. William Hull's Connecticut Brigade. The Patriots take several prisoners and plunder the stores of local Loyalist sympathizers at The Battle of Morrisania.
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Gen. John Burgoyne

No major battles occurred on this date.
But in 1782, British Gen. John Burgoyne dies in England. His humiliating surrender to Patriot forces at Saratoga left a mark on his military career.
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The Battle of Fort Stanwix

On this day in 1777,

The Fort Stanwix (also known at the time as Fort Schuyler) under the command of Col. Peter Gansevoort is sieged by units under the command of British Colonel Barry St. Leger and the Iroquois leader, Joseph Brant. The siege lasted for 19 days at The Battle of Fort Stanwix.
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The Battle of Fort Stanwix

On this day in 1777,

And continuing for two weeks, Col. Peter Gansevoort, with only 750 men, successfully repels a prolonged siege by British, Germans, Loyalists, Canadians and Indian troops commanded by British Gen. Barry St. Leger at the Battle of Fort Stanwix.
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The Battle of Seneca Town

On this day in 1775,

A detachment from the 3rd South Carolina Rangers had been patrolling near Seneca Town. Failing to set up any security for the camp at night, a party of Cherokee Indians surprised the Rangers with a firefight. The Rangers were driven out of the camp at the Battle of Seneca Town.

And in 1778,
The French fleet under Adm. Comte d'Estang arrives off the coast of Newport, Rhode Island.
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The Battle of Great Brewster Island

On this day in 1775,

Maj. Benjamin Tupper leads a force of 300 men in whaleboats to stop British repair work on the island's lighthouse damaged during the Battle of Great Brewster Island 10 days earlier. Tupper's force kills or captures the entire British detachment and work crew.

And in 1777,

19-year-old Marquis de Lafayette is commissioned a Major General by Congress and is assigned to Washington's staff.
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The Battle of Fort Edward

On this day in 1777,

Brig. Gen. Philip Schuyler abandons Ft. Edward and marches down the Hudson to Saratoga. His delaying tactic slows Gen. John Burgoyne forces to a crawl, taking 24 days to travel 23 miles. As Burgoyne approaches the fort, the retreating Americans torch crops and grasslands to deny the British forage, horses, and meat at the Battle of Fort Edward.
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JAG

On this day in 1775,

Congress creates the Chaplains and Judge Advocate General Corps. Col. William Tudor is appointed as the first JAG.
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The Battle of Monmouth, NJ

On this day in 1778,

Mary Lugwig Hays McCauly, the wife of an artillery officer, is generally believed to be Molly Pitcher. She is remembered for bringing water to the patriots, not for drinking, but for swabbing cannon, during the Battle of Monmouth, NJ.
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The Battle of Monmouth, NJ

On this day in 1778,

Mary Lugwig Hays McCauly, the wife of an artillery officer, is generally believed to be Molly Pitcher. She is remembered for bringing water to the patriots, not for drinking, but for swabbing cannon, during the Battle of Monmouth, NJ.
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Dr. Benjamin Church

On this day in 1775,

Congress creates the Army Medical Corps. Dr. Benjamin Church is appointed the first Director General and Chief Physician (today's Surgeon General).

Church was later discovered as a British spy. Congress resolved to jail him in Connecticut until 1777. He was then permitted to leave the country never to be heard from again presumed lost in the West Indies.
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United States Post Office

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1775, Congress establishes the United States Post Office and names Benjamin Franklin the first United States postmaster general.
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The Battle of Mars Bluff, SC

On this day in 1780,

British flatboats carrying sick soldiers are heading towards Charlestown on the Pee Dee River. Having learned of the movement, Maj. Tristram Thomas gathers troops to make an attack. Not having real cannon, they fashion fake "Quaker cannons". When the British approach the "battery," the Patriots rush out and pretend to load the cannons. The Loyalist militia quickly mutiny and surrender to Thomas at The Battle of Mars Bluff, SC.
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Congressional President John Hancock

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1776, Congressional President John Hancock accuses Maj. Gen. Phillip Schuyler of tolerating discord among soldiers from different states under his command. Disappointed, Hancock told Schuyler that Congress was "concerned to find there should be a necessity of recommending harmony to the officers and troops of different States under his command.
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Roger Sherman

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1793, Roger Sherman, a Connecticut Patriot and member of the Committee of Five selected to draft the Declaration of Independence, dies of typhoid in New Haven, Connecticut, at age 72.
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The Battle of Oconee River

On this day in 1777,

After a party of Creek Indians steal horses from Long Creek camp commanded by Capt. Thomas Dooly, he and nine Georgians give chase. Dooly enters an ambush site and is attacked. Dooly was one of the seven men who are killed at the Battle of Oconee River.
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The Battle of Bull's Ferry, NJ

On this day in 1780,

Brig. Gen. Anthony Wayne on orders from Washington, begins the bombardment of a stockaded blockhouse used to supply the British. The Americans try to force their way inside the building but could not achieve this suffering heavy casualties and withdraw from The Battle of Bull's Ferry, NJ.
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The Battle of Great Brewster Island

On this day in 1775,

American soldiers, led by Maj. Joseph Vose, set out in whaleboats for Nantasket Point. When they reached their destination, they drove off the British guard and destroyed the lighthouse during the Battle of Great Brewster Island.
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The Battle of Penobscot Peninsula

On this day in 1779,

Massachusetts, without consulting either Continental political or military authorities, launch an ill-fated, 4,000-man naval expedition commanded by Cmdre. Dudley Saltonstall, Adj. Gen. Peleg Wadsworth, Brig. Gen. Solomon Lovell and Lt. Col. Paul Revere. The expedition, consisting of several warships, has an objective to capture a 750-man British garrison at Castine during The Battle of Penobscot Peninsula.
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Cmdre. John Paul Jones

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1792, Cmdre. John Paul Jones dies in his Paris apartment, where he was still awaiting a commission as the United States consul to Algiers.
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Capt. Moses Kirkland

On this day in 1775,

Capt. Moses Kirkland, commander of Ft. Ninety-Six, changes his loyalty and permits a raid on the fort essentially negating the gains of a week earlier at Ft. Charlotte.
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The Battle of Fisher Summit, PA

On this day in 1780,

A British raiding party that also included some Indians manage to surprise a group of Patriot rangers, commanded by Capt. William Phillips. The patriots are soon beaten by the British. Phillips is captured by the raiding party and taken prisoner to Niagara after The Battle of Fisher Summit, PA.
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The Battle of Fisher Summit, PA

On this day in 1780,

A British raiding party that also included some Indians manage to surprise a group of Patriot rangers, commanded by Capt. William Phillips. The patriots are soon beaten by the British. Phillips is captured by the raiding party and taken prisoner to Niagara after The Battle of Fisher Summit, PA.
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The Battle of Earle's Ford, SC

On this day in 1780,

Col. Zacharias Gibbs sends a spy to infiltrate the Patriot camp commanded by Col. Charles McDowell. Successful, the spy returns with the information. Capt. James Dunlap and a Loyalist force is sent to attack the camp. Dunlap is spotted by a sentry, who alerts McDowell. The Loyalists charge the camp and are met with a counterattack which manages to drive away the Loyalists from The Battle of Earle's Ford, SC.
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The French Revolution

On this day in 1789,

The French Revolution began. The Bastille, perceived to be a symbol of monarchist tyranny, is stormed by insurgents. After several hours of combat, the prison fell. Despite ordering a cease fire, which prevented a mutual massacre, Governor Marquis Bernard de Launay was beaten, stabbed and decapitated; his head was placed on a pike and paraded about the city.
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The Battle of Cedar Springs, SC

On this day in 1780,

Col. John Thomas, commanding the SC Patriot militia, after having been warned of an impending Loyalist attack by his mother prepares an ambush. The Tories quickly retreat from The Battle of Cedar Springs, SC.
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South Carolina

On this day in 1775,

Two companies of mounted South Carolina Rangers seize Ft. Charlotte, just west of Ft. Ninety-six across the Savannah River. The Rangers succeed without resistance from the small contingent of British on garrison.

The action is the first by colonial troops in the royal colony South Carolina.
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Norwalk Burns

On this day in 1779,

The coastal village raids on Connecticut from Long Island continue at Norwalk which is plundered, looted and burned.
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The Battle at Bloody Point, SC

On this day in 1775,

Expecting a shipment to re-supply local Indians with gunpowder and shot, Capts. John Joyner and John Barnwell, commanded vessels that intercepted the armed escort, which was commanded by Capt. Richard Maitland, capturing 16,000 lbs. of gunpowder and shot that was on board at the Battle at Bloody Point, SC.

And in 1780,
Gen. Comte de Rochambeau arrives at Rhode Island with 6000 French troops.
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The Battle of Newport.

On this day in 1777,

Lt. Col. William Barton and 40 militia capture British Maj. Gen. Richard Prescott and his aide-de-camp during a night time raid. Prescott is the commanding general of Royal forces in the colony of Rhode Island and is used for a prisoner exchange for Maj. Gen. Charles Lee after the Battle of Newport.
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The Battle of Boston Neck.

On this day in 1775,

Continental volunteers led by Maj. Benjamin Tupper and Capt. John Crane attack a British outpost routing the British guard, and burned down the guardhouse and the Battle of Boston Neck.

And in 1779,

Maj. Gen. Clinton's raiders burn the entire town of Fairfield, CT to the ground.
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The Battle of Hubbardton

On this day in 1777,

British and Patriot forces in the Saratoga campaign engage in the only battle fought in Vermont territory during the War for Independence, at The Battle of Hubbardton.
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The Battle of Skenesborough

On this day in 1777,

Maj. Gen. John Burgoyne’s British navy shoot their way through the port defenses at the site where small US Naval ships were assembled for the Lake Champlain campaign. American defenders attempt to destroy their poorly maintained fortifications and depart for Fort Anne to the south. A small party pursues the fleeing rebels and the remainder awaited the arrival of Burgoyne at the Battle of Skenesborough.
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A Battle a Day - The Colonial Years

On this day in 1779,

Fed up with the constant harassment his troops on Long Island were enduring from across the sound in Connecticut, Maj. Gen. Sir Henry Clinton launches an attack on New Haven. The local militia and students from Yale were no match for the British who plundered the town at The Battle of New Haven.
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The Battle of Vincennes

On this day in 1776,

The Continental Congress approves the Declaration of Independence.

And in 1778,

Lt. Col. George Rogers Clark, fresh from his victorious campaign against the Kaskaskia and Cahokia settlements on the Illinois, captures Vincennes, a settlement of about seven hundred inhabitants on the Wabash River at The Battle of Vincennes.
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Battle of Wyoming, PA

On this day in 1778,

Settlers, led by Col. Nathan Denison, were greatly out numbered by the combined British and Indian forces that attacked and then massacred them near Forty Fort at the Battle of Wyoming, PA.
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Battle of Ft. Ticonderoga

On this day in 1776,

The second Continental Congress declares it's independence from Great Britain.

And in 1777,

Brig. Gen. Simon Fraser's light infantry and Brig. Gen. Baron von Riedesel's advancing units exchange volleys at the marshy banks of Eagle Creek at the foot of Mount Independence. When the smoke cleared, no one had been injured at another Battle of Ft. Ticonderoga.
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Indian nations

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1775, the Continental Congress resolves to recruit Indian nations to the American side in their dispute with the British, should the British take native allies of their own. Few “such Indians Nations” saw any advantage to joining the Patriot cause. Rather, they saw Great Britain as their last defense against the encroaching land-hungry European settlers into their ancestral territory.
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Articles of War

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1775, the Continental Congress drafts its rationale for taking up arms against Great Britain in the Articles of War. Congress attempts to notify George III that the colonists weren't unhappy with him, and were unhappy with parliamentary policy.
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Articles of War

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1775, the Continental Congress drafts its rationale for taking up arms against Great Britain in the Articles of War. Congress attempts to notify George III that the colonists weren't unhappy with him, and were unhappy with parliamentary policy.
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Townsend Act

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1767, Parliament passes the Townsend Act which imposes taxes on the colonies for the importation of, among other commodities, tea.
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The Battle of Charleston

On this day in 1776,

Col. William Moultrie successfully defends the entrance to Charleston by defeating a group of British ships. After sustaining severe damages to several of their ships, the British withdraw from Ft. Sullivan during The Battle of Charleston.

And in 1778,
Gen. Lee fails in his attack of the British rear guard as they move to across New Jersey toward New York City. Washington rushes in to rally the troops at the famous Battle of Monmouth Courthouse.
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The Battle of Liberty County

On this day in 1779,

Patriot forces from Georgia under Cols. Baker and Twiggs successfully engage Loyalist forces under Lt. Col. McGrath at two different sites during The Battle of Liberty County.
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Battle of Woodbridge

On this day in 1777,

Maj. Gen. William Alexander (Lord Stirling) is outnumbered as he fights a delaying action that confounds Gen. Howe's attempt to outflank Washington with Cornwallis. Howe removes his forces to Staten Island, vacating New Jersey, after the Battle of Woodbridge.
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Virginia

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1788, Virginia become the tenth colony to ratify the Constitution.
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Guilty of treason

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1776, Congress declares all Loyalists "guilty of treason" against the United Colonies. The punishment for which is execution.
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The Battle of Springfield, NJ

On this day in 1780,

Gen. Greene reinforces the troops opposite British forces near New York and repulses an attack sending them back to Staten Island at The Battle of Springfield, NJ.
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Battle of New Brunswick

On this day in 1777,

In an example of how complicated and confusing Washington's battle plans were, Maj. Gens. Sullivan, Maxwell and Greene fail to engage the British and their allies on withdraw from Brunswick to Amboy, about a 12 mile march along the Battle of New Brunswick.
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Spain declares war

On this day in 1779,

Spain declares war on England.
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Great Seal of the United States

No major battles occurred on this date.

But 1782, Congress adopts the Great Seal of the United States.
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Six Nations

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1776, members from the Six Nations or Iroquois (Mohawks, Oneidas, Onondagas, Cayugas, Senecas and Tuscaroras) continue meetings with Congress in Philadelphia.
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The Battle of Ninety-Six, SC

On this day in 1778,

Fearing being cut off by the French Navy, and after the devastating loss at Saratoga, the British leave Philadelphia for New York City. Maj. Gen. Arnold is left in command of the city.

And in 1781,

Army engineer Tadeusz Kościuszko's and Gen. Greene's efforts are defeated by the superior defenses of the fort at The Battle of Ninety-Six, SC.
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The Battle of Bunker Hill

On this day in 1775,

American forces near Boston establish earthen works on Breed's Hill (Bunker Hill). Col. William Prescott commands 1100 militia to repel several British attacks before being overrun at the Battle of Bunker Hill.


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Battle of Chambly

On this day in 1775,

Washington accepts command of the Continental Army. The support corps of the Engineers, Adjutant General, Quartermaster and Finance are created.

And in 1776,

Brig. Gen. Arnold commands a delaying action providing cover for the continued retreat from Quebec to Crown Point at the Battle of Chambly.
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Commander in Chief

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1775, Washington is named Commander in Chief of the newly formed Continental Army and is raised to the rank of General.

And in 1776, Delaware votes to suspend government under the British Crown and separate officially from Pennsylvania.
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The first United States Army

On this day in 1775,

The first United States Army is created by the Continental Congress. It is officially called the "Continental Army".

And in 1777,

Congress approves the first official flag of the United States.
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Marquis de Lafayette

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in in 1777, a 19-year-old French aristocrat, Marie-Joseph Paul Roch Yves Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette, arrives in South Carolina for the first time from France with the intent to serve as General George Washington’s second-in-command.
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Virginia Convention

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1776, Thomas Jefferson is selected to write the first draft of the Declaration of Independence. Meanwhile in Jefferson's home state of Virginia, the Virginia Convention, assembled in Williamsburg, unanimously adopts George Mason’s declaration of rights.
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Declaration of Independence

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1776, the Continental Congress selects Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, John Adams of Massachusetts, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, Roger Sherman of Connecticut and Robert R. Livingston of New York to draft a declaration of independence.
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Continental Army

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1775, John Adams proposes to Congress, in Philadelphia, that the men laying siege to Boston should be considered a Continental Army led by a general.
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The Gaspée

On this day in 1772,

The British revenue schooner, The Gaspée, runs aground near Warwick, RI. Abraham Whipple leads a band of Colonists in the attack on the ship. The ship was boarded, looted and burned, in an action preceding the Revolutionary War.
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Battle for Quebec

On this day in 1776,

After one week of fighting Brig. Gen. John Sullivan is forced to break off and retreat back to Washington at New York after The Battle of Three Rivers. Brig. Gen. William Thompson is the first US General captured in battle. This marked the end of the Battle for Quebec.
And in 1780,

Cap. John McClure attacks a group of Loyalists gathering to take protection under Col. Housman. This is the first Patriot victory after the fall of Charleston.

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Battle of Connecticut Farms

On this day in 1780,

Moving from Elizabethtown Point to Connecticut Farms, Gen. Mathews under Knyphausen, is forced to retreat by Col. Elias Dayton's 2nd New Jersey Continentals and local militia at The Battle of Connecticut Farms.
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Hannah Ogden Caldwell

On this day in 1780,

Hessian Gen. Wilhelm Knyphausen sends about 5,000 troops from Staten Island to Elizabethtown Point, NJ. Hannah Ogden Caldwell, wife of the fiery Rev. Caldwell currently in Washington forces, is shot in her home while hiding with her children and maid.
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Battle of Augusta, GA.

On this day in 1781,

Gen. Lee sieges Ft. Cornwallis and convinces the garrison to surrender, thus liberating the city at The Battle of Augusta, GA.
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Live Slaves or die Freemen

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1776, John Hancock tells Marylanders to "live Slaves or die Freemen."
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Verplanck's Point

On this day in 1779,

After their victory at Sonty Point, British forces move up the Hudson River and capture Fort Lafayette located at Verplanck's Point.
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Quartering Act

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1774, Parliament completes its punishment by expanding the Quartering Act to allow soldiers to board in occupied private homes. While martial law is declared in Massachusetts.
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Battle of Three Rivers

On this day in 1776,

Brig. Gen. John Sullivan arrives at St. John's to relieve Maj. Gen. John Thomas who is dying of smallpox. Sullivan launches the Battle of Three Rivers with 2000 men against 6000 British regulars.

And in 1778,

Cobbleskill, NY is sacked and burned by Mohawks and Tories.
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Battle of Stony Point, NY

On this day in 1779,

Washington orders Maj. Gen. Anthony Wayne to attack the fortress under Col. Henry Johnson. Wayne sends a dispatch telling Washington that “The fort and garrison, with Johnson, are ours!" Wayne was awarded a medal by Congress, one of the few issued during the Revolution after the Battle of Stony Point, NY.
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A Battle a Day - The Colonial Years

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1806, Revolutionary war veteran and future President, Andrew Jackson kills Charles Dickinson in a duel.
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Ft. Donnally

On this day in 1778,

Frontier warfare begins when Dick Pointer, a slave, defends a small block house from a surprise Shawnee attack until the militia garrison arrive at The Battle of Fort Donnally. In 1801, Pointer is given his freedom by the Virginia Assembly regarding his heroism at Ft. Donnally.

And in 1780,

Col. Abraham Beuford's detachment, with the last Continental unit in the south, is massacred by Col. Banastre Tarleton at The Battle of Waxhaws, SC.
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Evacuation of Richmond, VA

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1781, Maj. Gen. Marquis de Lafayette leads the evacuation of Richmond, VA as Brig. Gen. Arnold approaches.
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Battle of Cahokia, IL.

On this day in 1780,

Col. George Rogers Clark with reinforcements from Ft. Jefferson in Ohio, successfully fends off Indians and Tories at The Battle of Cahokia, IL.
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The United Colonies of America

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1775, Congress declares the new name of "The United Colonies of America." The first President is Payton Randolph.
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Bristol, RI.

On this day in 1778,

A British raiding party enters, burns and plunders the town of Bristol, RI.
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Battle of Sag Harbor

On this day in 1777,
A Patriot raiding force from Guilford, CT, cross the Long Island Sound. They surprise a British foraging party destroying 12 British ships, and causing many casualties at The Battle of Sag Harbor.

And in 1778,
A British raiding party enters, burns and plunders the town of Warren, RI.
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Battle of Stono, GA.

On this day in 1779,

British troops were camped on one side and Hessians on the other side of the Stono River, with a galley anchored in the river. Patriots attack the Hessian camp and immediately come under fire from the galley. The British cross over the river to reinforce the Hessians. The colonial schooner Rattlesnake arrives and fires into the rear of the British and Hessian forces. The American suffer heavy losses at The Battle of Stono, GA.
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Battle of Caughnawaga, NY

On this day in 1780,

Chief Joseph Brant and a group of Indians make a surprise attack on the settlement located on the Mohawk River. Brant burned the settlement to the ground during The Battle of Caughnawaga, NY.
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Galphin, SC

On this day in 1781,

Gens. Lee, Marion and Sumter capture Fort Galphin, SC.
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Battle of Barren Hill

On this day in 1778,

British forces from Philadelphia attempt to trap 2,200 Continentals defending Valley Forge led by Marquis de Lafayette. Lafayette, through skillful maneuvering, avoids the entrapment and the destruction of his forces at The Battle of Barren Hill (now Lafayette Hill).
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Battle of The Cedars

On this day is 1776,

left in command of 400 troops by Brig. Gen. Benedict Arnold, Col. Bedel then Maj. Isaac Butterfield surrender the fort near Montreal at the Battle of The Cedars.

Later Bedel and Butterfield are court marshaled and thrown out of the Army.
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Cap. Benedict Arnold

On this day in 1775,

Cap. Benedict Arnold in the second day of assault on the naval forts near St. John's captures the British sloop George. It is renamed Enterprise and is the first of many vessels bearing that name.
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Battle of St. John's

On this day in 1775,

Cap. Benedict Arnold captures a garrison and several boats near Fort St. John's on the Richelieu River. Ethan Allen is repelled from the fort by a British relief force at the Battle of St. John's.
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Battle of St. John's

On this day in 1775,

Cap. Benedict Arnold captures a garrison and several boats near Fort St. John's on the Richelieu River. Ethan Allen is repelled from the fort by a British relief force at the Battle of St. John's.
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Button Gwinnett

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1777, Declaration of Independence signer, Button Gwinnett, receives a fatal bullet wound in a duel with his political rival, Georgia “city Whig” Lachlan McIntosh.
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Fort Granby, SC

On this day in 1781,

With the use of flaming arrows, Gens. Lee, Marion and Sumter capture Fort Granby, SC.
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Battle of Sawpit Bluff, FL

On this day in 1777,

Pro-Loyalist Indians raid Baker's encampment and take 40 horses when they escaped. These were recovered the next morning; during the ensuing skirmish, one Indian was killed, his body later mutilated by the rebels after The Battle of Sawpit Bluff, FL.
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Ft Crown Point

On this day in 1775,

Lt. Seth Warner takes a small group of Ethan Allen's Green Mountain Boys and sails northward on Lake Champlain to capture Ft Crown Point. This, with Ft. Ticonderoga, provides a base of operations for the Americans for their upcoming Canadian campaign.

And in 1780,

Charleston falls to the British under Clinton.
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Battle of Orton Mill

On this day in 1776,

upon learning of the approaching British forces from Kendal Plantation, a 90-man detachment of North Carolina Regulars, commanded by Maj. William Davis withdraw. Once the British troops arrive they proceed to burn the mill. On their way back to their ships, the British plunder homes along the way from the Battle of Orton Mill.

And in 1781,
Gens. Lee, Marion and Sumter capture Orangeburg, SC.
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Battle of Ft. Ticonderoga

On this day in 1775,

Caps. Benedict Arnold and Ethan Allen, in a pre-dawn raid, take 50 British and 100 cannon. A garrison was left to guard and fort and cannon since they had to no way to move the guns after the Battle of Ft. Ticonderoga.

And in 1777,

Maj. Gen. Adam Stephen attacks British Highlanders at Piscataway. He is driven off with the British pursuing him for miles back to the American camp at Metuchen after The Battle of Piscataway.
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Battle of Ft. Ticonderoga

On this day in 1775,

Caps. Benedict Arnold and Ethan Allen, in a pre-dawn raid, take 50 British and 100 cannon. A garrison was left to guard and fort and cannon since they had to no way to move the guns after the Battle of Ft. Ticonderoga.

And in 1777,

Maj. Gen. Adam Stephen attacks British Highlanders at Piscataway. He is driven off with the British pursuing him for miles back to the American camp at Metuchen after The Battle of Piscataway.
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Battle of Pensacola

On this day in 1775,

Captains Benedict Arnold and Ethan Allen and his Green Mountain Boys arrive separately at Lake Champlain near Fort Ticonderoga. Arnold insists that Allen serve as his subordinate. When Allen threatens to take his "Boys" back to (now) Vermont, Arnold agrees to a co-command.

And in 1781,
Spanish Brig. Gen. Bernardo de Gálvez y Madrid, Count of Gálvez captures the British capital of West Florida at The Battle of Pensacola.
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Battle of Bordentown, NJ

On this day in 1778,

As Clinton was preparing to evacuate Philadelphia for New York City, he sends light infantry to destroy the naval ships moored at Bordentown. The British immediately march into Bordentown and destroy remaining vessels and the homes of Colonel Borden during The Battle of Bordentown, NJ.

And in 1780,
The British begin the final phase of the siege of Charleston with cannon bombardment of the city.
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John Paul Jones

On this day in 1777,

After raiding the English coast (the first such in seven hundred years), John Paul Jones in his Ranger, captures the Drake in the Irish sea. He is later deemed the father of the US Navy.

"... I intend to go in harm's way."
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