250 and Counting

When the Second Continental Congress convened in May, there was a large faction of delegates who thought that peace with England was still possible, and made a specific effort to draft a message of reconciliation with King George III. They finished their document and presented it to the whole body of Congress on this day […]

The post July 5, 1775: The Olive Branch Petition appeared first on 250 and Counting.

As mentioned yesterday, when George Washington came to Cambridge, he found a bit of a mess there: several disorganized groups of men, with more on the way, along with supplies still in transit. The first thing he needed to do was to get the fighting force organized, so he began a log book of his […]

The post July 4, 1775: Washington’s First Orders appeared first on 250 and Counting.

On June 15, 1775, George Washington was appointed Commander of the newly-formed Continental Army. On July 2, Washington finally arrived in Cambridge after a few stops in Trenton, New York and presumably a couple of other places. What he found was a huge mess. So on July 3, he officially took command and started the […]

The post July 3, 1775: Washington Takes Command appeared first on 250 and Counting.

As you listen to today’s episode, it’ll become clear that Mike had way too much fun writing and recording this one. But then again, I wrote the title, so. There are plenty of jobs out there that are kind of obscure, in the sense that it’s a job that somebody has, but you never really […]

The post July 2, 1775: Do You Know the Button Man? appeared first on 250 and Counting.

Fun Fact: I say “Cephas Thompson” several times during this podcast, mostly because it’s fun to say. He wasn’t a formally-trained painter, but he had a good eye and some natural talent, and during his career he painted over 600 portraits, with roughly a fourth of those made entirely in Bristol, Rhode Island. Even after […]

The post July 1, 1775: Cephas Thompson appeared first on 250 and Counting.

With the army being literally only a few weeks old, it was necessary to put together some regulations for this group, to ensure consistency throughout the Colonies. Interestingly enough, as the rules were revised over the next several years, a pattern of using another army’s regulations as a template began to emerge. This isn’t necessarily […]

The post June 30, 1775: Army Regulations Take Shape appeared first on 250 and Counting.

Thomas Boyle wasn’t born in Baltimore, Maryland, but when he was a young man he made it his home and became quite successful there, as a merchant marine and an overall businessman. And, of course, given Baltimore’s penchant for naming streets after historic people and events, there is a Boyle Street. It’s not very long; […]

The post June 29, 1775: Thomas Boyle, Privateer appeared first on 250 and Counting.

It feels like we’re selling the day a little short, but not every day has to be Bunker Hill. Also, we’re discovering (and we hope you are, too) that sometimes it’s the smaller moments between the bigger ones that give us better insight into the hearts and minds of the people who lived during that […]

The post June 28, 1775: A Day of Paperwork appeared first on 250 and Counting.

“Schuyler” is one of those names in New York history that pops up quite frequently, partly because they were a prominent family. But it’s also one of those names that you may suddenly realize you’ve heard many times. “Schermerhorn” is another one (no kidding). So is “Burr,” for that matter, as in Aaron and family. […]

The post June 27, 1775: The Northern Department appeared first on 250 and Counting.

In 1775, New York didn’t have a Times Square, nor a Statue of Liberty, nor even a Brooklyn Bridge. Bagels hadn’t made it to the new world, and pizza wasn’t a thing yet. So why did George Washington feel it necessary to stop in New York City on his way to Boston? Short answer: he […]

The post June 26, 1775: George Washington Visits New York City appeared first on 250 and Counting.