The “Road to the Signing” will continue to July 4th (and beyond). A dedicated group of history enthusiasts from the BRCC History Committee will chronicle daily happenings in Philadelphia, London, Black Rock and wherever the story leads us. By April of 1776, much had occurred in the colonies that would forever change the course of…
April 28, 1776
Fortifying Black Rock Harbor By 1775 , Black Rock Harbor had established itself as a primary shipping center for the Fairfield colony. The harbor offered a sheltered and deep channel for shipping, and their cargos had easy access to Kings Highway and the surrounding communities. In 1753, a bridge and road across Ash Creek were…
April 24, 1776
Connecticut - The “Provisions State” With the exception of the raids along the coast and some British incursions into the interior, Connecticut remained free of major battles and was never occupied by the British. That, along with its rich farmland, meant the colony became a major supplier of food for Washington’s army. In 1775, Joseph…
April 20, 1776
Between the growing rebellion in the American colonies and in his holdings in the Caribbean and elsewhere, King George grows worried that his army will be stretched too thin. He initially asks Catherine the Great of Russia to lend him a few thousand fighting men, but she turned him down with the excuse that she…
April 16, 1776
General George Washington issues a series of General Orders, one warning that British troops who had recently evacuated Boston could arrive in New York at any moment. Washington urged engineers to speed up fortifications, with additional soldiers assigned to help complete defensive works as quickly as possible. Also on this day, John Adams noted in…
April 15, 1776
The British evacuation of Boston began on Sunday, March 17th sailing their forces to their naval base on Nova Scotia. General Washington made the decision to move his newly formed army to fortify New York City and, particularly, to establish control of the Hudson River. He correctly predicted that this would also be the goal…
April 7, 1776
In May 1776, the American Congress bid each colony to form new governments, since British rule had basically collapsed. Sitting in Philadelphia with the American Congress, John Adams received the letter written the previous month from his wife, Abigail, which would go on to be often-quoted over the years: “I long to hear that you…
April 3, 1776
The Continental Congress opened its session in Philaselphia for the day and spent most of the morning attending to “war business”- referring a letter from General Washington to committee, payment for supplies, military matters, etc. They then spent the remainder of this session establishing the rules of engagement for privateering and providing authority to the…
Black Rock Community Council History Program 