The Battles for Boston Light at 250
Description
In July 1775, the siege of Boston was approaching its peak, with the New England militias that had been surrounding Boston itself since April coalescing into the brand new Continental Army and the British dug in within the city to protect the vital harbor. 250 years ago this week, Continental officers planned a daring raid on Boston Harbor, essentially taking them deep into hostile territory, since the mighty Royal Navy ruled the waters. The objective of this raid, or rather raids, because there were two of them, was Boston Light. Marking the entrance to Boston Harbor since 1716, this humble lighthouse became an important strategic target, during a phase of the war where Britain’s presence in Boston was only possible because of a boatlift connecting their supply lines from Long Wharf to Newcastle and Plymouth in old England. We’ll also see how the tide of battle could turn on the back of the simple New England whaleboat, which proved itself to be the 18th century equivalent of a stealth fighter in these engagements. (Parts of this episode originally aired in 2021 as episode 227.)
Full show notes: http://HUBhistory.com/332/
Support us: http://patreon.com/HUBhistory/
The Battles for Boston Light at 250
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1729
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1770s
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1787
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1839
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1876
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1887
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July 2013
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July 2013
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July 2017
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May 2019
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June 2020
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June 2020
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June 2020
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Sept 2022
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- Episode 186: The Battle of Chelsea Creek
- Episode 213: The search for Ben Franklin’s “Lighthouse Tragedy”
- Naval Documents of the American Revolution (vI/II, 1775)
- Naval Documents of the American Revolution (vV, 1776)
- Caleb Haskell’s diary describes the fast day on July 20
- “Struggle for a Lighthouse: The Raids to Destroy Boston Light,” Andrew A Zellers-Frederick, Journal of the American Revolution
- Abigail Adams to John, July 25
- Abigail Adams to John, July 31
- Mass legislature orders the removal of lighthouses at Gloucester, Boston, and Plymouth.
- General Heath reports the first successful raid to Washington
- A Continental watches the first raid from Brighton
- Washington praises the valor and mercy of the second raid
- <a href="https://digital.lib.niu.edu/islandora/object/niu-amar
United States
