Tuesday, May 31, 2011

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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Monday, May 30, 2011

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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Sunday, May 29, 2011

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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Saturday, May 28, 2011

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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Friday, May 27, 2011

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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Thursday, May 26, 2011

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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Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Bristol, RI.

On this day in 1778,

A British raiding party enters, burns and plunders the town of Bristol, RI.
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Tuesday, May 24, 2011

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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Monday, May 23, 2011

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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Sunday, May 22, 2011

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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Saturday, May 21, 2011

Galphin, SC

On this day in 1781,

Gens. Lee, Marion and Sumter capture Fort Galphin, SC.
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Friday, May 20, 2011

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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Thursday, May 19, 2011

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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Wednesday, May 18, 2011

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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Tuesday, May 17, 2011

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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Monday, May 16, 2011

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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Sunday, May 15, 2011

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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Saturday, May 14, 2011

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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Thursday, May 12, 2011

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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Wednesday, May 11, 2011

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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Tuesday, May 10, 2011

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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Monday, May 9, 2011

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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Sunday, May 8, 2011

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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Saturday, May 7, 2011

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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Friday, May 6, 2011

William Franklin

No major battles occurred on this date.

But in 1775, in a candid report to William Legge, 2nd earl of Dartmouth and the British secretary of state for the colonies, Benjamin Franklin’s son, the Royal Governor of New Jersey, William Franklin, writes that the violence at Lexington and Concord greatly diminishes the chances of reconciliation between Britain and her North American colonies.
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Thursday, May 5, 2011

Battle of Martha's Vineyard

On this day in 1775,

The British ship HMS Falcon captures two American ships at the Battle of Martha's Vineyard.
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Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Battle of Coosawhatchie River

On this day in 1779,

Lt. Col. John Laurens men were guarding a road against the expected assault by British soldiers from Savannah. When they encounter the British, Laurens chooses a bad position in range of enemy artillery. Capt. Richard Shubrick takes command after Laurens is wounded and withdraws to avoid total capture at The Battle of Coosawhatchie River.
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Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Battle of Fort Johnson

On this day is 1776,

in North Carolina, American snipers returned to their positions and begun to fire on the Cruizer. The Cruizer returned fire silencing the snipers and bringing to a conclusion the Battle of Fort Johnson.
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Monday, May 2, 2011

A Battle a Day - The Colonial Years

On this day is 1776,

Maj. Gen. John Thomas relieves Brig. Gen. Wooster at Quebec. Thomas, who has contracted smallpox, prepares for a siege of the Indian and British forces outside of Montreal.

Elsewhere in North Carolina, Maj. Gen. Clinton landed 10 companies near Fort Johnson to try to eliminate the snipers. After landing, the snipers were nowhere to be found.
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Sunday, May 1, 2011

Fort Johnson

On this day in 1776,

Maj. Gen. Henry Clinton destroyed Fort Johnson because American riflemen had used the fort to fire on the nearby British naval fleet for days. The fleet moved to within 200 yards from the shore, and were still being fired on from the militia.
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