President Washington

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1789, Washington is sworn in as the First President of the United State.
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New York City

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1776, shortly after the American victory at Boston, Gen. Washington orders Brig. Gen. Nathaniel Greene to take command of Long Island and set up defensive positions against a possible British attack on New York City.
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Battle of Norwalk

On this day in 1777,

Maj. Gen. William Tryon makes his way to Compo Hill, CT, close to where he would board his ships. Brig. Gen. Benedict Arnold's men form up for another attack, having to retreat the day before. 400 British troops, led by Gen. Robert Erskine charge with bayonets and the Americans scatter. Tryon's men board the ships and sailed off from The Battle of Norwalk.
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Battle of Ridgefield

On this day in 1777,

Brig. Gens. Arnold, Wooster and Silliman march to Bethel, having learned that the British would be returning to Norwalk. Arnold and Silliman head for Ridgefield with 400 men, while Wooster sets out to harass the British rear-guard with 200 men. Wooster skirmishes repeatedly until he was mortally wounded. At Ridgefield, Arnold's force barricades the road at the north of town and fire as the British approach. About to be outflanked, the Americans retreat and Arnold is nearly captured at The Battle of Ridgefield.
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Battle of Danbury

On this day in 1777,

16 year old Sybil Ludington, of Putnam County, NY, rides her horse 40 miles to gather the militia to counter-attack the British who had come up from Long Island to where patriot stores were kept, to burn the food, supplies and equipment gathered there. The British attack and burn the Connecticut town at The Battle of Danbury.
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Battle of Blanford, VA

On this day in 1781,

British Brig. Gen. Benedict Arnold defeats Maj. Gen. Baron von Steuben in a late afternoon battle where British artillery contributed significantly to the outcome at The Battle of Blanford, VA.

Further south, Lord Francis Rawdon pushes Greene back from the second battle of Camden known as The Battle of Hobkirk's Hill, SC.
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Battle of Petersburg

On this day in 1781,

British Gen. William Phillips lands on the banks of the James River at City Port, Virginia. Once there, he combines forces with now British Gen. Benedict Arnold, to launch an attack on the town during The Battle of Petersburg.
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Battle of Whitehaven

On this day in 1778,

John Paul Jones, aboard his ship, the USS Ranger, launches a surprise attack a harbor fort. Jones decides to burn the fort; the blaze ultimately consumed the entire town. It is the only American raid on English shores during the Battle of Whitehaven.
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The Boston Tea Party

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1774, The Boston Tea Party occurs.
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Battle of Onondaga

On this day in 1779,

A 550-man Patriot force, commanded by Col. Gose van Schaick, conduct a surprise raid on the home of the Onondaga Indians. This capital was burnt during the Battle of Onondaga.
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New York state constitution

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1777, the first New York state constitution is formally adopted by the Convention of Representatives of the State of New York, meeting in the upstate town of Kingston.
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Battle of Lexington

On this day in 1775,

The first shots of the American Revolutionary War rang out! Cap. J. Parker with 70 Minutemen face 1,800 British infantry at The Battle of Lexington.

The battle moves to Concord Bridge. Cap. John Parker commands 4000 Americans and forces the Red Coats back to Charlestown by dark after the Battle of Concord.

"the shot heard 'round the world"
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Paul Revere and William Dawes

On this day in 1775,

Paul Revere and William Dawes rode from Boston to Lexington to warn John Hancock and Samuel Adams of the advancement of the British army.

Listen, my children, and you shall hear
Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere,
On the eighteenth of April, in Seventy-Five;
Hardly a man is now alive
Who remembers that famous day and year.
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Battle of Ft. Carlos

On this day in 1783,

British Captain James Colbert, along with a group of 82 partisans, launches a surprise attack on a post located on the banks of the Arkansas River. The only Revolutionary War action to take place in Arkansas was The Battle of Ft. Carlos.

And in 1790,

Benjamin Franklin dies.
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Henry Clinton

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1738, Henry Clinton, the future commander in chief of British forces charged with suppressing the rebellion in North America, is born in Newfoundland, Canada.
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Battle of Fort Watson, SC

On this day in 1781,

Gens. Lee and Marion join forces to capture a British held fort. The Americans construct a tower from where riflemen can shoot into the fort, thus forcing the surrender at The Battle of Fort Watson, SC.
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Battle of Charleston

On this day in 1780,

Brig. Gen. Isaac Huger guards the last line of supply into Charleston. The British capture the crossroads trapping Lincoln in the process during The Battle of Charleston.
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Battle of Bound Brook

On this day in 1777,

Gen. Cornwallis leads 4,000 troops in a surprise attack on a small garrison of American troops in the village in central New Jersey. Cornwallis’ decision to launch the four-column attack at daybreak caught Maj. Gen. Benjamin Lincoln completely by surprise and unable to launch a counterattack at The Battle of Bound Brook.
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Townshend Act

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1770, Parliament moves to pacify outraged colonists by repealing most of the clauses of the Townshend Act. The Act was an attempt to consolidate fiscal and political power over the American colonies by placing import taxes on many of the British products bought by Americans, including lead, paper, paint, glass and tea.
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Cessation of hostilities

No major battles occurred on this date.

In fact, in 1783, cessation of hostilities followed a preliminary peace treaty.
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Cmdr. John Paul Jones

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1778, Cmdr. John Paul Jones and his crew of 140 men aboard the USS Ranger set sail from the naval port at Brest, France, and head toward the Irish Sea to begin raids on British warships.
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Peggy Shippen

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1779, Benedict Arnold marries Peggy Shippen, who encouraged his treason and covered for him when he escaped from Washington's posse.
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John Adams

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1778, John Adams arrives in Paris to replace Silas Deane as a member of the American commission representing the interests of the United States. Deane had been recalled to America by Congress after fellow diplomat Arthur Lee accused him of misappropriating French funds.
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Navy Captain John Barry

On this day in 1776,

Navy Captain John Barry, commander of the American warship Lexington, makes the first American naval capture of a British warship, the HMS Edward off the coast of Virginia.
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American ports

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1776, the Continental Congress takes the first step toward American independence by announcing their decision to open all American ports to international trade with the exception of Britain.
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Benjamin Franklin

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1774, Benjamin Franklin writes an open letter to Britain’s Prime Minister Frederick North from the Smyrna Coffee House in London. This facetious letter suggests that the British impose martial law upon the colonies and appoint a “King’s Viceroy of all North America.” Ironically, Lord Noth does just that one month after in Massachusetts.
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A Battle a Day - The Colonial Years

On this day in 1776,

General George Washington begins marching his unpaid soldiers from their headquarters in Cambridge toward New York in anticipation of a British invasion after The Siege of Boston.
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Privateers

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1776, because it lacked sufficient funds to build a strong navy, the Continental Congress gives privateers permission to attack any and all British ships.
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General Ebenezer Learned

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1777, the Continental Congress promotes Colonel Ebenezer Learned to the rank of Brigadier General of the Continental Army.

And in 1787, British Commander in Chief Thomas Gage dies on the Isle of Portland, England.
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Battle of Frontier Warfare

On this day in 1779,

American Col. Ethan Shelby leads an expedition of southern militia into the Kentucky area, destroying hostile Indian settlements along the Tennessee, Powell and Clinch Rivers as The Battle of Frontier Warfare expands westward.
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