Stamp Act Passes in Parliament

The Stamp Act

The Stamp Act was passed in the British Parliament in London on this date in 1765. This bill was designed to help pay for the huge debt created by the recently concluded Seven Years War (the French and Indian War in North America) by taxing the American Colonies. The act required that all legal documents, legal licenses, broadsides, newspapers, decks of playing cards, etc. , printed in the Colonies had to have a special embossed stamp. The stamped papers were to be sold by the British Colonial authorities with the tax varying according to the particular item.

The passage of this bill created a huge protest in the colonies, which surprised the members of Parliament and the King's cabinet. (A similar stamp act had already gone into effect in England). The colonists were used to paying special taxes, but expected the taxes to be levied by their own elected or appointed legislatures and Governors. This act was viewed as "taxation without representation" and many throughout the Colonies called for its immediate repeal. The Stamp Act was the beginning of the radicalization of America and its first movements towards independence.

Happy St. Patricks Day!

St. Patrick

Today is St. Patrick's Day, not only a state holiday in Ireland but also a popular holiday in the U.S. and Great Britain due to the diaspora of the Irish from Ireland in the 19th century. St. Patrick's Day is also the anniversary of the British Army and Navy beginning the evacuation of occupied Boston in 1776 during the American Revolution. This is celebrated as Evacuation Day in Massachusetts and is considered a state holiday in Suffolk County and for many state employees.

The importance of St. Patrick's Day and the juxtaposition of Evacuation Day in the city of Boston and its environs today is somewhat ironic in that during the time of the Revolution, Catholicism was very unpopular. There were many reasons for this, to include King Henry VIII's bitter break with the Roman Catholic Church, the constant threat of attack from the French-Catholic settlements in Canada (a threat which ended at the conclusion of the French and Indian War) and most importantly the founding of Boston by the Puritans of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

For many years Bostonians celebrated Popes Day on November 5 (Guy Fawkes Day in England). The day was marked by bonfires and the dragging around of a stuffed dummy that represented the Catholic Pope. Anti-Catholic feeling was to continue for many years in Boston and even led to street riots and attacks upon our French allies during America's War for Independence on the occasion of military set-backs during the war.

The old ways changed along with the demographics of Boston and many of America's city's when the Irish began to emigrate to the New World in large numbers. This was to have a great affect on America and especially its politics. The effects were most pronounced in the nations big city's and eventually led to the election of two Presidents of Irish-American descent. The influx of Irish immigrants also was to greatly aid the Union Army during America's Civil War.

Battle Reenactment Canceled Due To Protests

The Death of General Wolfe
Benjamin West (1770)

It was announced yesterday by the Canadian National Battlefields Commission that the 250th anniversary re-enactment of the 1759 Battle of the Plains of Abraham planned to take place this summer in the city of Quebec, Canada has been canceled due to safety concerns. Radical French-separatists in the city and province had vehemently opposed the commemoration of this important battle that led to the defeat of French forces and gave Great Britain final control over Canada. The threat of protests and even violence against anyone taking part in the re-enactment led the Commission to their decision. The story is more fully told here.

As this is a non-political blog, I won't comment on what I think about this situation in Quebec.

Re-enactors delight in New York

The Saratogian

This weekend is a re-enactors - and the viewing publics - delight in New York state. First of all, starting on Saturday (Sept. 20) at 9:00 a.m. a Civil War encampment will be open to the public in Congress Park in Saratoga Springs. This event ends at noon on Sunday.

Also this weekend the National Park Service is commemorating the 231st anniversary of the Battles of Saratoga in Saratoga National Historical Park in Stillwater, New York. Revolutionary War re-enactors representing British and American soldiers will be in the park all weekend.

Finally at Fort Edward in New York, from an even earlier era of warfare, re-enactors will be taking part in recreating the French and Indian War (1754-1763). Re-enactors portraying British Regulars, Native Americans, Rangers and American Colonial soldiers will be turning out for this event.

For more details see Paul Post's article Passing Muster from The Saratogian linked here.

Fort Ticonderoga faces financial challenge

Fort Ticonderoga
Ticonderoga, New York 12883

The trustees of Fort Ticonderoga have a problem that many other historical foundations and organizations have faced over the years - a debt crisis. Funding a operation like Fort Ticonderoga (which is a privately owned not-for-profit organization) from year to year is very expensive and it is just like operating a business. You have to pay your employees (volunteers can only do so much) and for your utilities, insurance, maintenance and upkeep.

Unfortunately, all of these expenses cannot be met simply by the cost of admission or the sales in your gift shop or restaurant. Fort Ticonderoga has also had to deal with declining numbers of visitors over the past few years. In order to attract new visitors and to meet the needs of today's visitor, Fort Ticonderoga has been making changes. A new facility has been built with the Deborah Clarke Mars Education Center, the footprint of the Fort has been expanded and concrete has replaced the old mortar and stone that formerly supported the walls of the Fort. This is important because of the frost heaves that winter in the Northeast brings every year.

In order to meet budgetary shortfalls and to fund this expansion Fort Ticonderoga was fortunate enough to have wealthy benefactors: the Mars family. Forest Mars, former CEO of Mars Inc. and heir to the family fortune and his wife Deborah, have donated millions to to the Fort. Deborah Mars was born in Ticonderoga, New York and is president of the board of trustees.

Unfortunately, there was a "falling out" between Forest and Deborah Mars and Fort Ticonderoga's executive director, Nicholas Westbrook. The Mars' apparently felt slighted in the treatment they received from Westbrook and in February of this year severed their relationship with the Fort - by email. Fort Ticonderoga was suddenly left with a $2.5 million debt with no apparent means of paying the bills.

The trustees now face a Hobsons choice: sell some of its assets or possibly be forced to close the Fort. Fort Ticonderoga and its museum has in its possession millions of dollars worth of artwork and historic artifacts. One painting by Thomas Cole, "Gelyna, view near Ticonderoga", could by itself fetch over a million dollars.

Fort Ticonderoga is important both for the important historical role it played in two wars, the American Revolution and the French and Indian War and for its part in educating the public about our history. One of the first popular tourist attractions in this country, for almost two hundred years people have been visiting this destination. Permanently closing such a unique place as Fort Ticonderoga would be a great shame.

Fort at #4 - Charlestown, New Hampshire

Fort at #4
267 Springfield Rd.
Rte. 11
Charlestown, N. H. 03603

The Fort at #4, in Charlestown, New Hampshire is a living history museum featuring a rebuilt 1740 palisade-style timber fort. Situated overlooking the Connecticut River the Fort was, at the time it was built, strategically located to protect the Massachusetts and later the New Hampshire frontier.

Prior to and during King Georges War (1744-1748) and the French and Indian War (1754 -1763), settlers in this area were subject to raids from both French and/or Indian war parties. Building and keeping the fort manned was considered very important in keeping northern Massachusetts towns safe from attack. This was also a way station for colonial and British troops on their way back and forth from the Forts at Ticonderoga and Crown Point in the later stages of the French and Indian War.

Captain Robert Rogers of Roger's Rangers fame is also associated with the Fort at #4. After conducting his successful raid on the Abenaki Indians settlement at St. Francis, Canada Rogers and his men faced a hazardous excursion. Having suffered only light casualties during the actual raid, the Rangers then had to travel through miles of dense forest while being pursued by the French and Native American tribesmen. Many of the Rangers were killed, wounded or captured during the pursuit. Finally arriving at the safety of the Fort at #4 the worn out surviving Rangers were met with much needed food and drink. The Rangers under Lt. John Stark also were responsible for building a military road between the fort and Crown Point in New York.

During the Revolutionary War the now deserted and dilapidated Fort was used by General John Stark again as a rallying point for Colonial soldiers.

The present day Fort was built in the 196o's in the town of Charlestown, New Hampshire. The Fort at #4 is owned by a non-profit organization operating as a Living History Museum and often hosting both French and Indian and Rev War reenactors. It is open to the public for the rest of the Summer and into the Fall, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. It is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. It closes for the season in November and reopens in May.

Captain John Parker statue

Statue of Capt. Parker
Lexington Center
Lexington, Mass.

This statue of Captain John Parker (more popularly referred to as the Lexington Minuteman) posed defiantly with his musket at the entrance to Lexington Green, presents an ideal image of those American colonials who first received fire and then returned it full measure against British Regulars in April of 1775. Considered the opening shots of America's War for Independence the events at Lexington and Concord were not the beginning of armed rebellion in the Massachusetts colony. They were just the start of a shooting war.

At the end of the Seven Year's War (known locally as the French and Indian War) Britain was left with a huge war debt. Beginning with the passage of the Stamp Act efforts were made to collect taxes from the thirteen colonies (and Canada) to help pay off the debt. Unfortunately, this had never really been tried before and the Colonials who up until this time had been living relatively unmolested by government fiat did not take kindly to the new taxes.

Further attempts by the King's government ministers and Parliament to rein in the freedom of the colonies met with with even more resistance. Events escalated after the "Boston Massacre" of 1770 and with the "Boston Tea Party", which led to the closing of Boston Harbor. Additional Regiments of British Regulars were sent from Ireland and England to attempt to restore order, which only made matters worse.

By the summer of 1774 the colony of Massachusetts was openly up in arms. The town militias had been reconstituted to create "Minute Man" companies that would be ready at a moments notice to respond to any perceived threat from the Regulars. (The town of Lexington never did create a separate Minute Company, instead keeping to the old ways with its Training Band).
Arms and munitions were being collected and regular drills were being conducted on town commons.

Both the Powder House Alarm of September 1774 and the proposed seating of appointed judges in Worcester were events that could have precipitated armed conflict, but didn't. It was only when the fighting at Lexington and Concord took place on April 19, 1775, that a irresistible force was created that dragged the reluctant citizens of the other colonies into the American Rebellion.

Rev. War Memorial on Cambridge Common

Cambridge Common
Harvard Square
Cambridge, Mass.

There is a minor mystery associated with these three British cannon that have been sitting on the Cambridge Common for over one hundred thirty years: where exactly did they come from and what role did they play in the American Revolution?

The easy answer is the one provided on the small cement marker next to the cannon. It simply states that the three cannon had been emplaced in Fort William and were left behind when the British forces left Boston in March of 1776. But this marker is fairly new and as I have stated before in this Blog, I have learned over the years that you can't always believe what you read.

I know from my visits to the Cambridge Common many years ago that this site used to be much simpler, with fewer monuments and the cannon used to be arrayed a little differently. I seem to remember reading a marker that stated the cannon were part of the artillery train brought to Cambridge by Col. Henry Knox in his haul from Ft. Ticonderoga and Crown Point. Also, one of the cannon is French in origin, which having been captured in Cnanda during the French and Indian War, could have been transported to one of those two places.

Now I know you can't always rely on your memory, so I investigated further. I've checked a number of sources - both off and on-line - and the sources, so far, all seem to tell the same narrative. In 1875 the Massachusetts State legislature gave these three cannon to the City of Cambridge to place on the Cambridge Common and to hold in perpetuity (as long as they were properly maintained) from stocks held at the State Armory. (John Fiskes account refers to them as "three huge war dogs").

The sources also agree with my memory that these cannon were originally brought down to Cambridge from Crown Point by Col. Henry Knox to help bring to an end the siege of Boston. That puts a different spin on things and certainly makes the cannon all the more important historically. I'm going to investigate further, but for now I'm going to side with historian John Fiske (among others).

A short history of Fort Ticonderoga

Fort Ticonderoga
Ticonderoga, N.Y.

Situated on a peninsula overlooking Lake Champlain, Fort Ticonderoga was built by the French during the French and Indian War (also called the Seven Year's War) to prevent the advancement of British forces from the south into French Canada. Fort Carillon, as it was originally named, can only hold about 400 soldiers within its walls, a not very sizable garrison. But in spite of its small size the Fort was supplied with a respectable amount of artillery pieces by both the French and the British - which was to prove very important to a later generation in another war.

The first attempt in July of 1758 to subdue Fort Carillon by the British ended in failure. A 16,000-man force, made-up of British Regulars and Colonial Militia and led by Major-General Ambercromby, greatly outnumbered the defending French forces. But what was lacking was an artillery train. Ambercromby had decided that speed was of the essence in his overland approach to the Fort and had left his cannon behind.

What he found upon arrival was that the French had been very busy fortifying the lower part of the peninsula with a system of trenches, earthworks and fallen timber. This was sufficient, along with a vigorous defense, to keep Fort Carillon in the hands of the French. The British forces sustained very heavy casualties, with most notably the Highland Regiment (the Black Watch) bearing the brunt of the attacks and the losses. Ironically in the following year, under a different General, Fort Carillon was captured after a brief four day siege. The damaged Fort was rebuilt and given its present Indian name - Fort Ticonderoga, the place between two waters.

Early on May 10, 1775, Ethan Allen and his Green Mountain Boys, along with co-commander Benedict Arnold, arrived at Fort Ticonderoga to attempt its capture yet again. The importance of the Fort now was not just its strategic location, but what was alluded to previously - its cannon and munitions. The American rebels were reacting to the events of Lexington and Concord in the previous month and were hoping to strike a further blow at King George the III.

Awakening the commander of the small, sleeping garrison Ethan Allen demanded the fort's surrender, "In the Name of the great Jehovah and the Continental Congress".* Allen accepted his sword and stepped into his place in history and legend. It was left to Colonel Henry Knox, of the Continental Army, to remove and transport Ticonderoga's artillery to Cambridge, Massachusetts to end the siege of Boston. But that is, as the saying goes, another story.

* This is likely more legend than fact.