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British Evacuate Boston

The British evacuation began at four o’clock AM. By ten o’clock AM they had loaded 10,000 troops and about 1500 Loyalist citizens that wished to depart Boston on ships. Howe issued orders when the evacuation began to burn the city if the rebels interfered with the evacuation. The British had 120 ships on hand to use to transport the people and soldiers to a temporary sanctuary in Halifax, in Nova Scotia. They left a large quantity of supplies behind. A short time after the Union Jack had disappeared; soldiers of the Continental Army marched into Boston, flags flying and fifes playing “Yankee Doodle Dandy.”
A wary General Washington, fearing British attack on New York, dispatched five regiments of his troops towards that city with General William Heath in command. Continue reading British Evacuate Boston

Adam Smith Publishes the Wealth of Nations

Adam Smith completed seventeen years of note taking and ten years of writing by publishing The Wealth of Nations on March 9, 1776. Regarded as the leading book on economics even today, The Wealth of Nations helped establish the free enterprise system. Continue reading Adam Smith Publishes the Wealth of Nations

Podcast - United States History Timeline

British General Howe’s Unpleasant Surprise

March 2, 1776 – Americans Begin Shelling British Troops In Boston
At the beginning of 1776 the situation at Boston in the early stages of the American Revolution was an uneasy draw. British troops controlled the city and the harbor. American troops surrounded the city. The high hills of Dorchester Heights commanded the city, but neither side wanted to occupy them. The British commander, General William Howe, remembered the results of the earlier battle, the Battle of Bunker Hill. Though the British won that battle, the results were horrendous. British losses had been high as they suffered 226 killed, 828 wounded, these mostly officers. Howe decided another victory like that would ruin him.
General George Washington wanted to take the hills, but his army was under equipped, having little artillery. About 2000 of his 9000 man army had no muskets. The Continental Army was not ready for such a maneuver. Continue reading British General Howe’s Unpleasant Surprise

Podcast - United States History Timeline, Timeline of United States History

Set to Invade South Carolina – General Cornwallis Departs Cork, Ireland

Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marques Cornwallis had retired to southern England to recruit troops to participate in this action. He gathered a force of about 2500 recruits and sailed for Cork to unite with Commodore Sir Peter Parker. With the fleet and the troops assembled, Parker and Cornwallis sailed from Cork on his way to South Carolina. Ethan Allen, whom the British had captured earlier, languished below decks as a prisoner. Continue reading Set to Invade South Carolina – General Cornwallis Departs Cork, Ireland