250 and Counting

In putting this episode together, I realized that I used this same image of Edward Rutledge back in the September 9 episode. However, I neglected to put the information for the image in the alt text. And that’s something I do try not to overlook. On the other hand, I was still hopped up on […]

The post Busy Day For Mr. Rutledge–September 27, 1776 appeared first on 250 and Counting.

The Continental Congress, in the wake of Washington’s recent letter, finally realized that they weren’t going to be able to defeat the British on their own. Some outside assistance would be needed. So on this day in 1776, they appointed a three-man commission to undertake a diplomatic mission to France, seeking money, arms and other […]

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Back in April, Mike and I had the opportunity to visit the Massachusetts Historical Society, and we were able to spend some time with the man whose job it is to curate, analyze and organize the papers of the Adams family. Not just John and Abigail, but their descendants and maybe a few ancillary branches […]

The post John Adams Wants To Go Home–September 25, 1776 appeared first on 250 and Counting.

George Washington was a practical man, and he realized that without a standing army, he wouldn’t stand a chance against the British. Sure, it’s good to have motivated people who are passionate about the cause, but when they have setbacks, they’re more likely to bail out, and that’s exactly what he was facing once the […]

The post Washington’s Desperate Letter–September 24, 1776 appeared first on 250 and Counting.

The Dominguez-Escalante Expedtion was an effort to find an over-land route from Santa Fe, New Mexico, to Monterey, California. Their journey took them north across the Colorado Plateau to Utah Lake Valley, which was a peculiar route at first, until you realize that they started with a route taken by Juan Rivera in 1765. Atanasi […]

The post The Dominguez-Escalante Expedition–September 23, 1776 appeared first on 250 and Counting.

For a long time the debate about what Nathan Hale said before he was hanged was whether he said “I regret that I have but one life to give for my country” or “I regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.” In more recent years, it’s emerged that what he […]

The post Nathan Hale Is Hanged–September 22, 1776 appeared first on 250 and Counting.

One of the events that took place the same day of Nathan Hale’s capture is that there was a huge fire in New York that burned about a quarter of the city. Now, the British thought that it was started by American saboteurs to prevent the city from falling into British hands. However, while that […]

The post Nathan Hale’s Capture–September 21, 1776 appeared first on 250 and Counting.

The Pennsylvania Constitution turned out to have many unique qualities, but they were so good that before long they weren’t unique anymore, because so many people copied them. That’s not to say that everything about the Pennsylvania Constitution was unique, or even original. For instance, the document begins with a Declaration of Rights that was […]

The post Pennsylvania Writes A Constitution–September 20, 1776 appeared first on 250 and Counting.

The Battle of the Black Hole, also known as the Battle of Coweecho River, lasted about two hours and had surprisingly few casualties, considering its location and just how fierce the fighting was. Colonel Andrew Williamson essentially marched into an ambush in a deep gorge, and had to fight their way out. They began by […]

The post Battle of the Black Hole–September 19, 1776 appeared first on 250 and Counting.

Washington’s report to Congress regarding the events at Harlem Heights a couple of days earlier didn’t pull any punches with regard to how badly his army was beaten, or what mistakes he and his men might have made. It didn’t always make for cheerful reading in Congress, but at least they knew what they were […]

The post Washington’s Report–September 18, 1776 appeared first on 250 and Counting.