washington to the bostonians

George Washington, Address to the Residents of Boston (October 27, 1789)

dorchester heights

On March 4, 1776 British General William Howe received word of the American position overlooking Boston. He had to wonder if Boston was defensible.

Howe

What tipped the balance was American Brigadier General John Thomas. He had slipped 2,000 troops along with cannon and plenty of supplies into Dorchester Heights the night before. The Americans had enough time to dig trenches for the artillery.

Thomas

Howe had no choice but to evacuate Boston. He sailed his army to Nova Scotia. Howe stayed there until March, when he moved to New York. He engaged Washington there to disrupt the Colonials, who marched away from New York as a result.

Dorchester Monument

The Dorchester Monument was erected in 1898. It is part of the Boston National Historic Park.

The history.com post was the source of this post.

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/american-forces-occupy-dorchester-heights

causes and necessities revisited

My previous post touched on The Declaration of the Causes and Necessities for Taking Up Arms. The Declaration was one of several addresses issued by Congress to justify the necessity of armed resistance.The Continental Congress has previously issued the "Olive Branch Petition", which was drafted by John Dickinson. This petition was accepted by the Congress on July 5, 1775. The day after Congress debated "The Declaration of Causes". (1)

Prior to this a committee was appointed to adopt a first draft of the declaration. This committee was comprised of John Rutledge, William Livingston, Benjamin Franklin, John Jay, and Thomas Johnson.

The shooting war had started on April 19, 1775 at Lexington - Concord, Massachusetts, but a declaration of war hadn't yet been adopted. The document has this at its heart:

"We are reduced to the alternative of choosing an unconditional submission to the tyranny of irritated ministers, or resistance by force. The latter is our choice."

The choice was clear. The Colonials had decided to continue war with Great Britain. Could there be any turning back? Most likely no, however I get the feeling if Great Britain would consider addressing the Colonies' grievances, bloodshed would be stopped. Trust though, was a major issue. Both sides did not trust one another. That was clear.

This declaration told the world why the battles were happening. (2) The declaration stated that the shooting war was on, and here's why. So, was this America's first civil war? The Continental Congress was not declaring independence (that would happen a year later). It was declaring that this war was official on July 6, 1775. This declaration of war was drafted for General Washington to read to his troops stationed at Boston. If any of Washington's forces had any doubts, this document ended  those.

The Declaration of the Causes and Necessity begins very similar to The Declaration of Independence. It notes how human life and inalienable rights are from God and no man has the right to take them away.

"...the inhabitants of these colonies might at least require from the parliament of Great-Britain some evidence, that this dreadful authority over them, has been granted to that body. But a reverence for our Creator, principles of humanity, and the dictates of common sense, must convince all those who reflect upon the subject, that government was instituted to promote the welfare of mankind, and ought to be administered for the attainment of that end." 

The document does not demand independence, but lays out why hostilities are being waged. Thomas Jefferson and John Dickinson were named to the committee, to probably finish the draft. Jefferson's first draft was not accepted and Dickinson made the revisions. (3)

Dickinson wrote: "Our cause is just. Our union is perfect. Our internal resources are great, and, if necessary, foreign assistance is undoubtedly attainable..." (3)

The Congress spelled out that the colonies were their native land. An excellent point, since most were born in the colonies, and were raised with good intentions for a productive and fruitful life. There was a freedom of birthright. That freedom was being prohibited. Points were made that Parliament had imposed laws on the Colonies and that they, members of Parliament, had no right to do so. There was no defense from the Crown. The declaration spelled out that going to arms was the only defense against such tyranny and the protection of their property was paramount. 

Congress wished to bring reconciliation with reasonable terms and to relieve the Empire of the calamities of civil war, but not at the expense of their liberties. Thus it was civil war. 

I can't help but think of how many representatives knew the war would evolve to a war of independence. British authorities were harsh in their treatment and this would get worse. As events transpired, the war took on a much more deeper meaning for the Colonials. It was becoming an all or nothing fight and the Declaration of Independence was the beacon for a totally free nation.

american revolution taverns in boston

Parts of the American Revolution were spawned in a variety of taverns. Taverns played an important part of Boston's history, for the Revolution and beyond.

I discovered a post that has excellent information of some special Boston taverns. Take a look and explore these historical landmarks.

EXPLORE THE TAVERNS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION IN BOSTON

on the wings of a medium

The boston1775 blog has an intriguing post about the medium and author Joseph Stiles. Mr. Stiles wrote a book which he details contact with John Quincy Adams and George Washington.

John Quincy Adams

The notebooks Stiles created to act as a foundation for his book are in the Library of Congress.

John Benedict Buescher looked into the notebooks. Fortunately, Mr. Buescher made his findings public in a published report. This report includes a short bio of Mr. Stiles. It states that Mr. Stiles interned as a publisher and worked as a proofreader and critic.

Stiles was 13 years old when John Quincy Adams ended his term as president. Mr. Adams returned to Boston when he was serving in the House of Representatives. A procession was held in Mr. Adams' honor for his anti-slavery efforts in the House. The procession ended at the Universalist Church where Mr. Stiles was a member.

Mr. Stiles, as a medium, claimed to have made contact with John Quincy Adams' spirit. From that time, Stiles began producing "messages" from the spirit of John Quincy Adams! Stiles automatically wrote in notebooks. These were the documents Buescher brought together.

Whether you believe in medium communication or not, Stiles has gained attention over the years. His book, Twelve Messages From the Spirit of John Quincy Adams, had both positive and negative reviews.

One item I came to find, was John Quincy Adams views on slavery. Did his views really need fortified? Most likely not. But when brought to our time, we find Quincy's anti-slavery foundation was a bedrock for the Abolitionist movement of the 1850's. This, I feel, is an important historical footnote.

Stiles was a far-fetched spiritualist with radical spiritual notions and it's difficult to get our arms around his teachings. I commend the boston75 blog for posting this story. For me, it's interesting and part of the Boston area history. Make your own judgments and keep an open mind. I did.