History That Doesn't Suck - 7: An Olive Branch Rejected, Tom's a Royal Pain(e), & the Siege of Boston

Episode Date: December 4, 2017

“Remember it is the fifth of March, and avenge the death of your brethren!” This is the story of the expiration of hope for reconciliation between the American colonies and the "Mother Country." Bunker Hill's a blood bath. Congress sends King George III their "Olive Branch Petition;" it's D.O.A. Things only devolve further as Thomas Paine rips the King a new one in his  #colonialviral pamphlet, Common Sense. Meanwhile, Captain Aaron Burr witnesses the death of General Montgomery in Quebec and Henry Knox moves cannons over 300 miles to General Washington in Cambridge. The Virginian digs his new toys. Time to move on Boston. ​ ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and go deep into episode bibliographies and book recommendations join discussions in our Facebook community get news and discounts from The HTDS Gazette  come see a live show get HTDS merch or become an HTDS premium member for bonus episodes and other perks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Red One... We're coming at you. ...is the movie event of the holiday season. Santa Claus has been kidnapped? You're gonna help us find him. You can't trust this guy. He's on the list. Is that Naughty Lister? Naughty Lister?

Dwayne Johnson. We got snowmen! Chris Evans. I might just go back to the car. Let's save Christmas. I'm not gonna say that. Say it. Alright.

Let's save Christmas. There it is. Only in theaters November 15th. It's hockey season, and you can get anything you need delivered with Uber Eats. Well, almost, almost anything. So, no, you can't get an ice rink on Uber Eats. But iced tea, ice cream, or just plain old ice? Yes, we deliver those.

Goaltenders, no. But chicken tenders, yes. Because those are groceries, and we deliver those, too. Welcome to History That Doesn't Suck. I'm your professor, Greg Jackson, and as in the classroom, my goal here is to make rigorously researched history come to life as your storyteller. Each episode is the result of laborious research with no agenda other than making the past come to life as you learn. If you'd like to help support this work, receive ad-free episodes, bonus content, and other exclusive perks, I invite you to join the HTDS membership program. Sign up for a seven-day free trial today at htdspodcast.com slash membership, or click the link in the episode notes. It's well before sunrise, June 17, 1775.

Over a thousand Patriot militiamen are on the Charlestown Peninsula just north of red-coat-occupied Boston, and hundreds of them are wielding shovels and pickaxes, or moving stones and barrels as they furiously work under a dark sky to prepare an earthen fort known as a redoubt on Breed's Hill. It's a brilliant move. By fortifying this 75 foot tall elevation overnight, these sleepless New Englanders are depriving the slower moving British army of a strategic position. But wait, Breed's Hill? The Committee of Safety specifically instructed the Patriot commanders here

to fortify the peninsula's farther back and slightly taller elevation called Bunker Hill. It's true that Patriot cannon could strike British warships from Breed's Hill, but the British might answer unkind. This is like daring the Redcoats to attack. Is this a mistake? Or Patriot General Israel Putnam just being his aggressive self? We'll never know for sure, but as 4am calm. calms and goes, as British Navy men hear, then, with a rising sun, see the rebels menacingly entrenching themselves on Breed's Hill, they prepare to respond. From her position in the Charles River's wide mouth, the crew of the 20-gun sloop of war, the HMS Lively, opens a cannonade. It continues for hours. Patriot forces are shaken when a cannonball decapitates one of them,

but Colonel William Prescott inspires the men by jumping on top of their incomplete redoubt's wall and fully exposing himself to the enemy's guns. This fills the colonials with new courage. They bury their fallen man and keep working on the redoubt, which soon stretches over 100 feet long and has a 6 foot tall parapet. But as the Patriots work and cannonballs fly, General Thomas Gage and three new arrivals in Boston, Generals William Howe, Henry Clinton, and John, Gentleman Johnny Burgoyne are holding council. They soon decide to land troops and run the rebels off the peninsula. It's now just past 12 noon. 28 barges transporting some 1,500 soldiers under the command of William Howe are crossing the waters between Boston and the triangularly shaped Charlestown Peninsula's

eastern corner called Moulton's Point. Around one o'clock they begin splashing out of the barges and organizing. Patriot forces are well entrenched now. The redoubt on Breed's Hill is strong and militia from Connecticut and New Hampshire are shoring up the Patriot left flank behind a stone and rail fence that runs along a beach northeast of Breed's Hill and below Bunker Hill. But with several hundred reinforcements still landing, General Howe feels he can take them. He plans to lead elite light infantry, grenadiers, and two other regiments in an attack on rebels at the stone and rail fence, while Brigadier General Robert Pickett leads three regiments and marines

in attacking the redoubt on Breed's Hill. It's a bold move, but William Howe is a bold man. And after the embarrassment of the British military's retreat from Concord two months ago, it's time to make these rebellious colonials pay. It's now just past 3 p.m. Higgitt's wing is advancing uphill through Breed's tall grass. Howe's forces are moving along the beach toward the stone and rail fence. The British fire occasional volleys, but the Colonials don't fire back. In fact, down at the fence, John Stark commands his men to wait until they can see the half-gators on the Redcoats' shins.

Or perhaps it's Patriot General Israel Putnam who's calling out, don't throw away a single shot my brave fellows, don't throw away a single shot, but take good aim, nor touch a trigger till you can see the whites of their eyes. Or is it Colonel William Prescott saying this to his men inside the rig out on Breed's Hill? We'll never be certain of the exact commander or phrase, but the sentiment is spot on. Only when the Redcoats' half-gaiters and glistening bayonets are clearly discernible, possibly as close as 10 yards, do Patriot leaders give the order. Fire!

The explosion of American musketry tears through the wide, three-man-deep oblong lines of crimson-clad soldiers with lethal effect. In one instance, the first line of soldiers falls dead and wounded right into the second line. A second close-range volley further decimates and repulses His Majesty's troops, forcing them to retreat. Both wings of the British force soon regroup. They make a second assault. It fares no better. One English soldier will later recall that most of the grenadiers and light infantry, quote, lost three-fourths and many nine-tenths of their men. Some had only eight or nine men accompanying left, some only three, four, and five. Close quote. From Breed's

grass-covered hill to the beach's stone and rail fence, dead and bleeding British soldiers litter the ground. General Howe is utterly shocked, embarrassed, pissed off. His entire personal staff is wounded or dead. Even his wine didn't survive. A colonial shot shattered the bottle while in his servant's hands. How the general remains unscathed is a mystery of God. But this 46-year-old, 6-foot-tall, handsome, dark-eyed veteran of the American theater of the Seven Years' War, that is, the French and Indian War, won't abide the shame of the British army losing to these colonials as they did at Concord.

He prepares to make a third assault. His men are eager too. Their war cries, push on, push on, and fight, conquer or die, are heard amid the shots of British cannon. This time, they march in spaced out, deep columns to give the Patriots less of a target. Back in the redoubt, William Prescott and his men are nearly out of ammo. Some are loading shards of glass and rusty nails down their muskets barrels for want of ball. They again hold their shot,

waiting until the British troops are within 15 to 20 yards. And then, as with the last two repulsed assaults, they fire with deadly effect. But that's the last one. As William will later put it, their ammo goes out like a candle. The Americans have nothing left to shoot. They can't repulse the Redcoats. British troops swarm into the Patriots' fortifications.

William's men swing their muskets by the barrel like clubs. They throw rocks. A valiant effort, but no match against British bayonets. Seeking revenge for their own dead, the Redcoats slice and impale the Americans, all while dashing out the brains of others, as one British Marine will later report. The Patriot dead stack up within the redoubt. The survivors, including Colonel William Prescott, who parries bayonet thrusts with his sword as they retreat, barely get out alive. They do so as the village of Charlestown below burns to ash, and the better equipped British army occupies the peninsula's hills. Welcome to History That Doesn't Suck.

I'm your professor, Greg Jackson, and I'd like to tell you a story. While the Battle of Lexington and Concord in the last episode was the Revolution's first official battle, the Battle of Bunker Hill, as this clash, mostly on Breed's Hill, comes to be known, was the war's first conventional major engagement. And there's much to note about it. To start, the Redcoats won, but with a pyrrhic victory. That is, a victory not worth the cost. To quote General Thomas Gage, the loss we have sustained is greater than we can bear.

Indeed, the British suffer over 1,000 casualties, nearly 50% of the up to 2,500 Redcoats in the battle. Those casualties include 92 officers. Among the dead is the Major who brandished his sword at Lexington, John Pickern. Interestingly, the patriot who killed the Major may have been a free black man, either Peter Salem or Salem Poor. But be it one or neither of them, Salem Poor so impressed Colonel William Prescott and other leaders in the battle that they later petitioned the Massachusetts General Court to reward him, writing that, quote, Salem Poor behaved like an experienced officer, as well as an excellent soldier. We would beg leave to say in the person of this said Negro, centers a brave and gallant soldier.

Close quote. Alas, no honor is bestowed, but this Black patriot will yet fight for the cause for years to come. But while the British army suffered more, the patriots paid a price too. Of the 1,500 or so Americans who fought, 400 become casualties. This includes the Bostonian who sent William Dawes and Paul Revere on their midnight ride in Episode 5, Dr. Joseph Warren. Recently elevated by the Continental Congress to the rank of Major General, he nonetheless refused command and fought to the bitter end inside the redoubt. When General Howe learns of the Doc's death, the British commander pays the deceased patriot a high compliment.

Quote, this victim was worth 500 of their men. Close quote. The battle also sees the American Revolution's first patriot Native American death, Samuel Ashbow Jr. The son of a reverend and a member of the Mohegan tribe, Samuel fought with Connecticut's 3rd Regiment. And sadly, Samuel isn't only the first of many indigenous men to die for the Patriot cause, he's the first of many Ashboes. By the end of the war, his parents, Samuel Sr. and Hannah, will see four of their five sons die fighting for American independence. Finally, we have to know a mother and her

seven-year-old son who witnessed the battle from a hill near their home in Braintree, Massachusetts. More than 70 years from now, that child will still vividly recall the pain he felt that day. I saw with my own eyes those fires and heard Britannia's thunders in the battle of Bunker's Hill and witnessed the tears of my mother and mingled with them my own at the fall of Warren, a dear friend of my father and a beloved physician to me. That mother was Abigail Adams. The child, future U.S. President John Quincy Adams. These two future leaders of the nation watched this battle as their beloved husband and father, John, was far off in Philadelphia serving in the Continental Congress, and clearly, it left an indelible, traumatizing impact on young John Quincy.

But let's step off the battlefield and get some reprieve from the bloodletting. It's time to track the shifting perspectives of colonial America and even the king as relations continue to deteriorate to the point of real overt independence talk. To that end, I'll walk you through some important arguments, speeches, and documents from Philadelphia to London produced between July 1775 and January 1776. These include Congress's Olive Branch Petition, its Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms, King George III's Proclamation for Suppressing Rebellion and Sedition, and a speech of his that October. Then finally, the famous rebel rouser Thomas Paine's pamphlet, Common Sense. But even as we see patriots starting to contemplate if standing up for their

rights as English subjects means not just a civil war, but fighting for independence, we can't quite go there today. Not just yet. We have to follow this developing war too. So we'll then rewind back to July 1775 and witness as George Washington takes command of an undisciplined American army in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He has his work cut out for him, and as the months pass, we'll also follow his developing bold plan to attack the British in Boston. Sound good? Excellent. And we begin our exploration of shifting American views by backing up one month to witness a strong disagreement in the Continental Congress. Rewind.

It's May, likely the 23rd or 24th, 1775. We're in Philadelphia at the Pennsylvania State House, where John Dickinson is addressing the Second Continental Congress. It's a long speech, judging from his notes, and the main thrust is that, even as they prepare for the possible spread of the currently New England-based Civil War, Congress should try to cool things down.

They should send a petition to the king, a petition seeking a more peaceful, or pacific, to use his word, way of resolving their differences. And John's speech seems to be doing well. A 40-something Pennsylvanian, John's a well-known and liked patriot. Famous, in fact, since his anti-parliamentary taxation pamphlet, Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania, which he wrote amid the Townsend Acts back in the 1760s. As John speaks, other delegates are nodding in agreement.

But once the celebrated moderate finishes, a more radical John rises to seize the floor. It's Massachusetts Bay's stocky and fiery lawyer, John Adams. He speaks forcefully against this petition, and the moment he finishes, yet another New Englander rises, John Sullivan of New Hampshire. He too disagrees with this petition. Civil war is knocking on his home colony's door too, and like Mr. Adams, this young, dark-haired New Englander believes the time for words has passed. As the debate continues, an unspecified but important matter requires John Adams' immediate attention. He rises, grabs his hat, and exits the assembly room. But as he does so, John Dickinson darts after him, catching up with the rotund New Englander in Congress Hall.

And as John Adams will later recall it, the Pennsylvanian explodes on him tersely. What is the reason, Mr. Adams, that you New England men oppose our measures of reconciliation? There now is Sullivan, in a long harangue, following you in a determined opposition to our petition to the king. Look ye, if you don't concur with us in our Pacific system, I and a number of us will break off from you in New England and we will carry on the opposition by ourselves

in our own way. Though a bit shocked, John Adams isn't one to back down. He answers, Mr. Dickinson, there are many things that I can very cheerfully sacrifice to harmony and even to unanimity, but I am not to be threatened into an express adoption or approbation of measures which my judgment reprobates. Congress must judge, and if they pronounce against me, I must submit, as if they determine against you, you ought to acquiesce. The two men part ways. They'll continue to debate in Congress, but their friendship will never recover.

Judging by the two Johns' sharp disagreement, it appears the delegates of the newly convened Second Continental Congress aren't all seen eye to eye amid 1775. Not that we should be surprised. We caught plenty of sharp disagreement in the First Continental Congress during episode 5, and we also saw the Second Congress' divisions appear in the last episode. I trust you recall that, in mid-June, Congress responds to the Battle of Lexington and Concord by calling for a day of fasting that professes loyalty to King George III, yet, only days later, creates an army with our favorite Virginian, George Washington, at its head. Hmm. Congress seems to be going two ways at once.

So how does that work? Let's pause for a moment and clarify where the Patriot cause is at this point. In previous episodes, we've seen that the Patriots, or rebels, depending on your view, want Parliament to respect their rights as English subjects. That is to say, as the Patriots interpret those rights. But that has not meant independence. I think that's been clear enough up until war broke out. But even now, I want to urge you to remember that's still mostly the case. They don't have our hindsight. For all the patriots know, this is going to be an unofficial or short civil war.

A transatlantic British family feud. Even George Washington thinks so as he heads out to take control of the army. He expects to return home by the fall, with the outcome simply being a new and better relationship between colonial America, Parliament, and the crown. Many of the men under his command in Massachusetts feel that way too. In the months to come, he'll find continental officers still drinking toasts to King George III. So even if the most radical congressional delegates are starting to dream of independence, I'm looking at you, Sam and John, the Adams cousins of Massachusetts

Bay. That idea has not entered the debate yet. Patriots mean it when they profess loyalty to the king. They just also prize their rights enough that, as things continue to escalate, they'll brave civil war. Ah, so Congress isn't contradicting itself by talking about peace while creating an army. That said, Congress has a meaningful divide on how aggressively to respond. Should it rush toward this civil war, as John Adams would have them do? Or should they make every last diplomatic play possible, as moderate John Dickinson prefers? That's where the debate is currently, and Congress is trying to explore both sides along the lines of the ancient Roman adage, civis pacem, parabellum.

That is, if you want peace, prepare for war. Let me show you what I mean with two documents produced by Congress in early July. First is the Olive Branch petition. Approved on July 5th, 1775, this is the petition we saw the moderate John Dickinson pushing Congress to create back in May, and, no surprise, he serves as its main author. In the petition, Congress calls for, quote, stopping the further effusion of blood and for averting the impending calamities that threaten the British Empire, close quote. In other words, let's be cool and keep our empire

together. It's a win-win. This olive branch also gives the king a face-saving out. Addressing his majesty directly, it decries, quote, those artful and cruel enemies who abuse your royal confidence and authority for the purpose of affecting our destruction, close quote. So it's not your fault, King George. It's those jerks in parliament. In fact, the petition even states that Congress wants a happy and permanent reconciliation. Sounds good, right? And it's signed by all 12 of the colonies in this Congress. Yes, Georgia is still sitting it out. But the very next day, Congress adopts the Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms. Going back to the end of the Seven Years War, it calls out the new power Parliament has tried to wield over them in the course of 11 years.

It cites the Declaratory Act of 1766, in which, Congress recalls, Parliament asserted it, quote, can of right make laws to bind us in all cases whatsoever, close quote. This declaration also slams the unprovoked assault at the town of Lexington. Now, Congress does show some consistency with the Olive Branch as this declaration states, quote, we mean not to dissolve that union which has so long and so happily subsisted between us and which we sincerely wish to see restored, close quote.

But on the other hand, it shows no contrition as the delegates boldly profess. Our cause is just, our union is perfect. And further, they are, with one mind resolved to die free men rather than live slaves. Damn. Si vis pacem parabellum indeed. But now, the action moves across the ocean. How will the King respond? King George III is unmoved by John Dickinson's olive branch. He doesn't give it the light of day. Actually, he refuses even to receive it.

His Majesty does have an answer, however, to news that his army suffered over a thousand casualties at the June engagement that opened this episode, the Battle of Bunker Hill. Going forth on August 23rd, 1775, this is the Royal Proclamation of Rebellion, which says that, quote, not only all our officers, civil and military, are obliged to exert their utmost endeavors to suppress such rebellion and to bring the traitors to justice, but that all our subjects of this realm and dominions thereunto belonging

are bound by law to be aiding and assisting in the suppression of such rebellion. Close quote. So basically, it's illegal to have patriot slash rebel friends now, which effectively shuts down the few members of parliament or other influential types in London who still want compromise and peace with the colonies. Wow. But hey, I guess we could say John Adams and the king agree on one thing, that there is no hope of peaceful reconciliation. Seems that ship has sailed,

and that it did so out of a tea-filled Boston harbor. And King George III only doubles down on this in a speech that October. It's the afternoon of October 27th, 1775. Per His Majesty King George III's order, both houses of Parliament, the Lords and Commons, are gathered at the old Westminster Palace in London, England. And upon the throne sits the 37-year-old sovereign himself. He's about to address them. Let's listen in. My lords and gentlemen, the present situation of America and my constant desire to have your advice, concurrence, and assistance on every important occasion have determined me to call

you thus early together. Those who have long too successfully labored to inflame my people in America by gross misrepresentations and to infuse into their minds a system of opinions repugnant to the true constitution of the colonies and to their subordinate relation to Great Britain, now openly avow their revolt, hostility, and rebellion. The authors and promoters of this desperate conspiracy meant only to amuse by vague expressions of attachment to the parent state and the strongest

protestations of loyalty to me whilst they were preparing for a general revolt. The rebellious war now levied is become more general and is manifestly carried on for the purpose of establishing an independent empire. It has now become the part of wisdom and in its effects of clemency to put a speedy end to these disorders by the most decisive exertions. For this purpose I have increased my naval establishment, and greatly augmented my land forces. When the unhappy and deluded multitude, against whom this force will be directed, shall become sensible of their error. I shall be ready to receive the misled

with tenderness and mercy. As His Majesty's speech shows, he doesn't see patriot leaders as loyal to him in the least. They're traitors, full stop, not only waging a civil war against him, but seeking to establish an independent empire. How ironic, since we know that Congress still won't even entertain the idea of independence. But one man is about to move the needle significantly on this point.

This is Thomas Paine. English born and bred, Tom is a recent transplant to the colonies. He bonded with Benjamin Franklin while this beloved Pennsylvanian was representing various colonial interests in London. And this, in turn, led the late 30-something Englishman with flowing locks and a prominent nose to traverse the Atlantic in 1774 and make a new home in Philadelphia. Now, Tom's not a shy one. He isn't afraid to take strong positions on controversial issues. For one thing, he's ditched his Quaker roots for deism, which is to say he believes in a God who does not intervene in our lives. For another, he's staunchly anti-slavery.

Even as future scholars later debate just how anti-slavery or even abolitionist Tom is, none will contest that he's certainly among the most ardently opposed to slavery among the Scholars later debate just how anti-slavery or even abolitionist Tom is. None will contest that he's certainly among the most ardently opposed to slavery among the Founding Fathers. But none of Tom's ideas will bring him more attention than his forceful argument in favor of American independence found in his January 1776 pamphlet, Common Sense. Focusing his attacks on the British Constitution and hereditary monarchy, Tom isn't saying much in this pamphlet that's new or novel.

But unlike the typical intellectuals of his day, he doesn't go for pretentious big words or cite snooty classical philosophers to show off his own smarts. Instead, he sticks to what common colonials know, plain English and the Bible. For instance, when Tom attacks the idea of hereditary succession to the throne, he goes Old Testament by reminding his readers that when the Israelites asked the prophet and military hero, Gideon, to be their king, he turned down the throne because

God doesn't approve of such nonsense. Quote Tom, here was temptation in its fullest extent, not a kingdom only, but a hereditary one. But Gideon, in the piety of his soul, replied, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you. The Lord shall rule over you. Words need not be more explicit. Gideon doth not decline the honor, but denieth their right to give it.

Close quote. That's right. Tom might not be the biggest Bible fan, but he knows his audience. He cites the good book left and right. As for common language, I love his critique of hereditary succession. It takes a shot at the French nobleman, William,

who conquered England and made himself king way back in 1066. Says Tom, no man in his senses can say that their claim under William the Conqueror is a very honorable one. A French bastard landing with an armed banditti and establishing himself King of England against the consent of the natives is in plain terms a very paltry, rascally original. It certainly hath no divinity in it. Close quote. By the way, William was born the illegitimate son of a French noble and his mistress. So Tom doesn't just have a mouth on him. In a technical sense, William really was a bastard. Again, none of this is particularly new. But Tom's pamphlet is going to press in January 1776.

Given everything that's happened in 1775, battles, the royal governor of Virginia trying to start a slave rebellion, rumors that British agents want to enlist Native Americans in the fight to come, and of course, word of the king's proclamation of rebellion and subsequent speech, colonials are ripe for ditching their British identity. And in that context, Tom's forceful, clear writing and common sense is a wrecking ball. He goes viral. In sparsely

populated colonies alone, Tom sells over 150,000 copies to say nothing of the copying and sharing, and finds an audience across the Atlantic. The young Prince of Wales reads it. His mom catches him in the act. Perhaps most impressive, though, Tom impacts George Washington, who first acknowledges in writing the possibility of independence on January 31st, 1776. In doing so, he mentions, quote, the sound doctrine and unanswerable reasoning contained in the pamphlet, Common Sense, close quote. So maybe this isn't just a civil war. Maybe this is a war for independence. But wait, what is going on with George Washington and that American army he's been commanding

since shortly after the Battle of Bunker Hill? Are the American forces holding their own outside Red Coat-occupied Boston? Or have things turned for the worse? As intriguing as it is to see Patriot leaders finally giving serious thought to independence in early 1776, we can't tackle the rest of that story in this episode, not while Civil War is consuming Massachusetts Bay. Let's go back half a year and catch up with the war itself. Rewind. It's hockey season, and you can get anything you need delivered with Uber Eats. Well, almost, almost anything. So no, you can't get an ice rink on Uber Eats.

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It's Monday, July 3rd, 1775. George Washington is in Cambridge, Massachusetts, preparing to mount his horse. In a few moments, he'll officially meet the Continental forces that, just two weeks ago, Congress voted to place under his command. And what a two weeks it's been. The vote was on June 15th. He accepted on the 16th, then departed Philly on the 23rd, only to learn while passing through New York of the vicious Battle of Bunker Hill. The report didn't fully convey the magnitude of British casualties. Rather, it highlighted the American defeat.

Is that loss weighing on him now? Or perhaps the 43-year-old Virginian's mind has drifted to his own devastating loss 21 years ago today at Fort Necessity. Yes, an unfortunate anniversary to begin this next chapter of his military career. But he only made it to neighboring Watertown yesterday and could hardly take command on the Sabbath. Well, let's not be too superstitious about this dark anniversary. George is in the saddle now. Let's meet his army.

Between his beautiful blue coat, black cockade hat, and elegant sword, George looks every bit the part of a commander as he rides before the assembled troops. 21 drummers and as many fifers, as Lieutenant Joseph Hodgkins will later note, give the scene an official martial air. Some unnamed officers ride with the new commander, and I would wager that includes his second in command, General Charles Lee. But that's all I can tell you about this moment, because no one here really cares about the arrival of General George Washington.

I know. From our 21st century perspective, you might think the troops would be awestruck. Legend would have you believe that too. Future generations will claim that, on this day, George is gloriously taking command of the Continental Army under an elm tree in the Cambridge Common. That tree will become sacred and when the Washington Elm, as it comes to be called, dies in 1923, the powers that be will cut it into small pieces and give them to important organizations across the country. In truth, though, we have no idea if George is anywhere

near this elm because few care enough to record anything about today. I mean, here's how Private Samuel Hawes describes it in his journal. Quote, July 1st, nothing remarkable this day. The second, ditto. The third, ditto. Close quote. Yeah, ditto for nothing remarkable on July 3rd. See, Congress pronouncing the 15,000 or so men gathered in Cambridge, an American army, doesn't change the reality that this is a New England force with little enthusiasm to have this Virginian here. These regional divides and identities are strong. As George's biographer, Thomas Flexner,

so excellently puts it, quote, history was holding her breath, waiting to discover how so strange a phenomenon as a Southern commander imported into Massachusetts would work out. Close quote. And this Southerner more than has his work cut out for him. Let me tell you a bit about the quote-unquote army George now leads. It lacks general discipline. The men treat orders like suggestions.

Their hygiene is horrendous. Many see washing their clothes as quote-unquote women's work and won't do it, nor have they dug enough latrines. So just think of that odor. Ugh, small wonder that, in writing to his cousin, Lund Washington, George describes these men as, and I quote, an exceeding dirty and nasty people. On top of this, most supplies, from food to ammo to medicine, tools, tents, money, and more, are insufficient and defensive measures to protect them should the British army attack are a joke. Just to really drive the point home,

here's an observation one of His Majesty's surgeons made after visiting this New England force just prior to George Washington's arrival. To quote him, Without New England rum, a New England army could not be kept together. They could neither fight nor say their prayers one with another.

They drink at least a bottle of it a man a day. In other words, stereotypical frat boys couldn't keep up with this army's drinking habits. As for his view of the army as a whole, the surgeon goes on to say that, praying hypocritical rabble without order, subjection, discipline, or cleanliness, and must fall to pieces of itself in the course of three months, notwithstanding every endeavor of their leaders. Yep, this is the army our Southern General has to work with in taking on the most formidable military on the planet. Even if we figure this surgeon is biased against his foe

and only half right, good luck, George. But the Southerner gets right to it. He sets up headquarters in the beautiful, abandoned mansion of loyalist John Vassel, which, it is also worth noting, will become the home of the poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in decades to come, and puts his ill-disciplined troops to work, drilling and preparing defenses in case the Redcoats decide to push beyond their stronghold in Boston. George describes this in a letter to his younger brother, John Augustine Washington,

aka Jack, once he's a few weeks on the job. I found a mixed multitude of people here, under very little discipline, order, or government. My whole time since I came here has been employed in throwing up lines of defense. George's pushing seems to be paying off. Around the same time, late July 1775, an old friend of ours from our time in Concord during the last episode, the Reverend William Emerson, has a fairly different description of the

army from that of the British surgeon. Quote, Generals Washington and Lee are upon the lines every day. New orders from His Excellency are read to the respective regiments every morning after prayers. The strictest government is taking place and great distinction is made between officers and soldiers. Everyone is made to know his place and keep it. It is surprising how much work has been done. Close quote. George's sad excuse for an army is still nothing compared to the British, but he's moving things in the right direction. And you know what

else is remarkable? George is winning over these New Englanders. See, despite the description of drunkenness, these free-spirited and independent New Englanders have a strong work ethic and respect frugality. They step up, and although George is a man of hierarchy and order who believes troops and commanders need to avoid familiarity, he wastes nothing and is constantly in camp. As he suffers right along with those under his command, he earns their respect. Indeed, as the men get to know him, they see what Connecticut congressional delegate, a lifelet dyeryer sees in describing George as, quote, discreet and virtuous, no harem-scarum-ranting-swearing fellow, but sober,

steady, and calm, close quote. They get why Patrick Henry calls his fellow Virginian a man of, to quote him, no pretensions to eloquence, solid judgment and information. They agree with their fellow New Englander, Abigail Adams, who in writing to her husband, John, describes George by alluding to the Queen of Sheba's praise for the wise King Solomon in 1 Kings 10.7. To quote Abigail, I was struck with General Washington. You had prepared me to entertain a favorable opinion of him,

but I thought the one half was not told me. Dignity with ease and complacency, the gentleman and soldier look agreeably blended in him. Yeah, George is humble, likable, and frankly, charming as hell. As 1775 wears on, this Congress-imposed Southerner is gaining the trust and confidence of these Yankees.

But even with robust, intimidating defensive lines and drilling, all is not well with the Continental Army. Now in the last months of the year, enlistments are expiring. Exhausted men want to head home, and thousands do. By New Year's Eve, George literally doesn't have enough troops to man all of his defenses. He's afraid the British will realize how weak they are and take him on. Perhaps the general can hope for good news from Canada. I realize that might sound out of the blue,

but the Patriots are invading Canada right now. And there are good reasons. Taking Canada would deprive the British military of a staging ground for attacking the colonies. Further, might this region, home to 80,000 French-speaking habitants, who are only, somewhat recently, subjects of the British crown because of, you guessed it, the French and Indian or Seven Years' War, prove a 14th rebellious colony? On this very same New Year's Eve that has George stretched so thin in Cambridge, this question is all but being answered with a decisive battle up north. It's 2 a.m., December 31st, 1775. Roughly 1,000

American troops are pushing their way through deep snow drifts and freezing, whipping winds just outside Quebec, Canada. Oh, this is not what Congress had in mind when it gave General Philip Schuyler the green light to invade back in June. But Philip made mistakes. Got sick. It was September before his second in command, Brigadier General Richard Montgomery took over. Mid-November by the time he then took Fort St. Jean in Montreal.

And still two more weeks before this brilliant Irish-born leader could join his forces with those sent by George Washington under the command of Colonel Benedict Arnold. Thus it was that these two young and bold commanders found themselves just outside the Canadian capital of Quebec in December, with only two weeks before end-of-year expiring enlistments would all but end their already depleted army. And thus it is that they're taking advantage of this blinding blizzard to attack the city before those enlistments end in less than 24 hours. It's now about 5 a.m. With the frozen St. Lawrence River behind them, the divided American strike convicts Lower Town from opposite ends. On the north side, Benedict Arnold boldly leads the way until a musket ball crashes into his left leg.

It's bad. His red hot blood seeps into the thick white snow. He yells out encouragement, cheering his men to advance, even as two soldiers supporting the colonel's body pull him away. Seven years war veteran Daniel Morgan and his sharp shooting riflemen dash forward shattering defenses but they find no support behind them, not in time at least. The attack collapses. Daniel and many others are taken prisoner.

Meanwhile on the south side Richard Montgomery is leading his vanguard in an attack against a block house. That is until British artillery fire grapeshot that rips through his thigh, groin, and chin. The fallen general's faithful aide-de-camp, a 19-year-old officer named Aaron Burr, reaches the commander as the life disappears from his eyes. All by himself, Aaron tries to recover the general's body, but the teen just isn't strong enough to drag the lifeless commander through the deep snow and is forced to leave Richard Montgomery's body as the Americans retreat. 400 Americans are taken prisoner.

Scores more are dead. And they've lost General Richard Montgomery. Meanwhile, the 1,700 strong British defenders have suffered only 20 casualties. What a disaster for the Patriots. Congress will yet send thousands of reinforcements, but in the months ahead, rampant smallpox, described by John Adams as 10 times more terrible than Britons, Canadians, and Indians together, will soon force the complete abandonment of this campaign and retreat to New York. From Cambridge to Canada, it appears nothing is going the Patriots' way

as they enter the year of 1776. Perfect for enjoying music and podcasts. Get up to 55 hours of listening with active noise cancelling enabled, soft microfibre cushions engineered for comfort, and a range of colours and finishes. Dyson OnTrack. Headphones remastered. Buy from DysonCanada.ca. With ANC on, performance may vary based on environmental conditions and usage. Accessories sold separately. Interior Chinatown is an all-new series based on the best-selling

novel by Charles Yu about a struggling Asian actor who gets a bigger part than he expected when he witnesses a crime in Chinatown. Streaming November 19th only on Disney+. On New Year's Day, January 1st, 1776, George Washington has a flag raised among his army's fortifications on Somerville's Prospect Hill. Though some scholars will later argue over its exact design, many historians will stand by the traditional understanding that it has a union jack in the top left corner and 13 stripes, one for each colony in this united rebellion. A fitting representation of British subjects wrestling with their national identity, particularly as ships from London are just bringing news

of the King's proclamation of rebellion. But knowing how meager George's forces are, some redcoats in Boston genuinely misconstrue this new and unfamiliar banner as a flag of surrender. Yet, George is starting to bounce back. Second-in-command Charles Lee's attempt to re-enlist men with angry death threats late last year didn't help. There's a reason Native Americans call this ill-tempered General Boiling Water, but half of the 7,000 soldiers whose enlistments expire in January sign on again.

Meanwhile, new faces are showing up. Most are still locals, but some are Southerners, which helps to make this less of a New Englander and more an actual Continental Army. Further, the desperate need for troops pushed George at the end of last year to overturn an earlier order denying Black Americans the ability to enlist in the Army. George's initial opposition is lamentable, but not surprising. Born and raised in a slave-holding family and the inheritor of a plantation, George absorbed the prejudices that presently have most Southerners opposed to the idea of Black soldiers.

But pressed by necessity and exposed to new thinking, as George's biographer Ron Chernow puts it, to the tolerance of his New England men, the Virginian commander reverses his earlier decision. Free black men will continue to fight, including our Bunker Hill hero Salem Poor, who will suffer at Valley Forge and see some of the bloodiest, most decisive battles of the war. In fact, at any given time, 6 to 12% of the Continental Army will be black. So this policy changes not only good personal

growth for George, who will continue to grow bit by bit as he witnesses the valor of black troops in years to come. It's a crucial change for the cause of America. But even though the Continental Army is rebuilding in early January 1776, it still lacks the strength to do what its bold commander really wants to do, drive the Redcoats out of Boston and right into the sea. Ah, the British Army. We haven't paid much attention to this impressive fighting force holding Boston since we first witnessed the brutal June 1775 Battle of Bunker Hill at the start of this episode, so let's pick up by noting a serious change in leadership. You remember

General slash Massachusetts Governor Thomas Gage, right? Of course you do. We got to know him quite well in episodes five and six. Well, he's out as the commander of British forces in North America. Although Bunker Hill was a technical victory, the high cost and British casualties didn't reflect well. So in October, blundering Tom, as his men have taken to calling him, was replaced in Boston by the general whom we met on the ground at Bunker Hill, William Howe. He'll be with us for a long time. Let's get to know him as well. As I mentioned briefly at the start of this episode, this tall, dark, and handsome Englishman is no stranger to North America. As a young Lieutenant Colonel,

William Howe commanded light infantry at Quebec that fateful day in September 1759 when, just outside the city's walls on the plains of Abraham, British General James Wolfe bested French General Louis Moncone and effectively ended French power in North America. Treaties ending the French and Indian, or Seven Years' War, soon formalized this new reality. Now in his mid-40s and a general, William Howe is a bit softer in the middle, can be a procrastinator, and is a man of indulgence.

In fact, word has it that, sequestered in Boston, he's having an affair with Elizabeth Lloyd Loring, and with her husband's blessing, no less. People are calling Elizabeth Billy Howe's Cleopatra. But don't let his charm or penchant for pleasure disarm you. His skill and bravery in battle is unmatched. That said, in early January 1776, we aren't on any battlefields.

We have a stalemate. General Billy Howe and his maybe 7,000 to 8,000 men are hunkered down in Boston. They've of course fortified the Boston Neck, which, short of the Charles River freezing over, is the only way the rebels could attack this port city at the end of a thin peninsula. The British also still hold Bunker Hill on the Charlestown Peninsula to Boston's north and have likewise fortified it. So Billy Howe's forces are secure, yet they're also trapped in Boston. Though better trained than the Continentals

and Patriot militiamen, the Redcoats are fewer in number and dependent on British ships for reinforcements and supplies. In fact, these rationing men are surviving the harsh New England winter by cutting down trees to burn as fuel, including the Patriots' beloved Liberty Tree

that I've told you about in previous episodes. So even as a frustrated George Washington goes out to the bay and jumps on the ice, testing and hoping to find it strong enough to hold an attacking army, neither side can launch a confident attack. They appear to be at an impasse, until Henry Knox shows up with a ridiculous amount of cannons, that is. Boston born and bred, 25-year-old Henry Knox is known for being the life of the party. He's a big dude for the era. He's over six feet tall and weighs in over 250 pounds. But don't let his jovial nature or size fool you. He's brawn and brains. Henry's been hustling and

working to help support his mom and family since his dad disappeared in the West Indies when he was only nine years old. Eventually, he opened a bookstore in Boston called the London Bookstore with all the latest and greatest from the empire's capital. He did well. His shop became a hangout for British officers and loyalist ladies alike. Henry had no experience as a soldier before the war, but his bookworm ways included books on military science. Henry rocked it at the Battle of Bunker Hill,

is now a colonel in the Continental Army, and becoming a fast friend of George Washington. That all said, what's up with these cannons? Well, remember Fort Ticonderoga from the last episode? I only mentioned it briefly, so I'll remind you that this French, then British fortification sits on the edge of colonial New York's disputed boundary on the southwest shore of Lake Champlain, and half a year back, on May 10, 1775, Benedict Arnold and Ethan Allen seized it.

It was loaded with cannons from the Seven Years' War, and back on November 16, Henry began the journey from Cambridge to this isolated fort. He arrived on December 5th, intent upon taking many of those guns back to Massachusetts Bay. It's hard to overstate Henry Knox's accomplishment here. Traversing 300 miles of mountain passes, frozen rivers, and terrible roads, this bookworm colonel leads hundreds of men in transporting nearly 60 guns, just over 40 cannons and over a dozen mortars from Fort Ticonderoga to the Continental Army outside of Boston. Some of these weigh over 5,000 pounds. Altogether, they are an astonishing 120,000 pounds.

The feat requires boats, 42 massive sleds, 80 yoke of oxen, and a difficult rescue mission when, as Henry tells us in his journal, the heaviest cannon falls into the river at Half Moon Ferry. Grateful for the assistance of locals from Albany in recovering this gun, the colonel names this cannon the Albany in their honor. Yet, despite these challenges, not a single gun is lost. In late January, as news of the American defeat at Quebec and copies of Thomas Paine's Common Sense circulate, George Washington gratefully welcomes

Henry Knox and his veritable arsenal into camp. Looks like the nature of this stalemate just radically changed. Over the following month, Henry's guns are placed on the American lines. George, however, wants to take the fight to the Redcoats. He summons his Council of War and lays out a plan to cross the now-frozen channel and attack British-occupied Boston. Wisely, the Council rejects the plan. And that leads to a far better idea. Let's talk geography for a moment. We've already seen in this episode that Boston is at the end of a peninsula,

and that to its north is another peninsula. That more northern one, again, is where you'll find Bunker Hill, still held by the Redcoats just like Boston itself. But right now, in 1776, so very long before Boston's future decision to fill in and dramatically expand its landmass, the region has yet another clearly visible third peninsula to the south of the city. This is the Dorchester Peninsula, and on it are some hills

that reach over 100 feet in elevation, known as the Heights. Like the hills on the Charlestown Peninsula, Dorchester Heights is high enough for Cannon to threaten the Redcoats in Boston. But unlike the Northern Peninsula, the procrastinating General William Howe hasn't bothered to fortify down here. Now that we know the lay of the land, here's the plan. The Continental Army will build

fortifications and place some of Henry Knox's cannons on Dorchester Heights, thereby threatening the British in Boston. But here's the catch. This must be done under the cover of a single night. That's the only way General Howe's army doesn't come up and stop them. How can George Washington's men fortify the hill when they can't dig in the frozen ground, though? Well, Lieutenant Colonel Rufus Putnam has been reading a book called Moeller's Field Engineer, which suggests that, in this situation, an army builds its fortifications off-site. Oxen can then haul these defenses into place before the morning dawns. Not bad for a pre-industrial society.

Pre-fab at its finest. Ingenious. George's men spend the next few weeks building wooden frames to later fill with hay and bundles of sticks. They also fill barrels with dirt. If General Howe's men try to charge up the hill, these things will be rolled down on his troops. That's right, just like the old-school Donkey Kong arcade. In all seriousness, though, the Patriots know that fortifying the hills of Dorchester Heights could unleash a bloodbath, just like when they fortified Bunker

Hill in a single night. As such, George Washington is preparing for hard fighting. He's also readying three of his best generals with 4,000 troops in Cambridge. Assuming the British attack Dorchester Heights after it's fortified, these generals and their men will be waiting for a signal from the Roxbury Church steeple to take to the boats and rush across the thawing waters and mount an amphibious attack on defenseless Boston. Yeah, this could get ugly. The hospital in Cambridge is preparing accordingly. As the day of this bold move approaches, a nervous George calms his mind by catching up

on his correspondence. This includes a young black woman in Providence, Rhode Island, the poet Phyllis Wheatley. She recently wrote a poem for George, praising and encouraging him. He writes back on February 28th, 1776, if you should ever come to Cambridge or near headquarters, I shall be happy to see a person so favored by the muses. And only a few days after writing these words, the Virginian commander makes his move to break the stalemate. It's midnight, March 2nd, 1776. Continental cannons open fire on the British. Redcoat artillery answer in kind. The loud, thundering guns mean a sleepless night for many in the Boston area, including Abigail Adams. Only miles away from the cannons, her home in Braintree shakes. But no real damage is done anywhere. George is merely distracting

the British. March 3rd, the cannonade continues. The Reverend William Gordon will later report that about half a dozen soldiers lost their limbs. March 4th. For the third night in a row, continental guns scream at the British. And once again, British guns reply. But tonight is different. Tonight, these roaring guns cover movement on the Dorchester Peninsula. Ever so quietly, more quietly than the cannonade, at least. General John Thomas leads 2,000 men to the Dorchester Causeway. 800 of them provide cover, but seeing no redcoats, the remaining 1,200 get to work. With the assistance of over 300 ox carts, they silently and stealthily move their tools, guns, 700 to 800 bundles of sticks, wooden frames, dirt-filled barrels, hay bales, and other items

that constitute their prefab fortifications up the steep, frozen hills of Dorchester Heights. Most important, though, are the 20 or more cannons from Fort Ticonderoga. Still making as little noise as possible, they work under the moonlight, and by 10 p.m. have two functional forts, one on each of the Heights' two hills. By 3 a.m., the exhausted, freezing soldiers are finished. They go rest as 3,000 fresh troops replace them on the hill. It's now daybreak, March 5th. After enjoying a night of drinking, General William Howe and his men wake up in Boston absolutely stunned.

Looking across the water, they see the fortifications on Dorchester Heights. According to the Reverend William Gordon, quote, General Howe was seen to scratch his head and heard to say by those that were about him that he did not know what he should do, that the provincials had done more work in one night than his whole army would have done in six months. Close quote. Another officer staring in wonder at the overnight fortifications finds himself thinking, as he later puts it, of the genie belonging to Aladdin's wonderful lamp. More than that though, this officer grasps the real threat these rebels now pose. Quote, from these hills, they command the whole town,

so that we must drive them from their post or desert the place. Close quote. British cannons open fire on the patriot-held hills of Dorchester Heights. It's of no use. But still, sitting in range of the Continental's cannons, General Howe knows he must respond. He decides to attack. Boston's Long Wharf soon teems with thousands of redcoats preparing to ship out, and as they think back on the last

time they fought these colonials for a peninsula, that bloody, deadly battle of Bunker Hill, good God. Some want vengeance, but others feel like sheep going to the slaughter. Clad in his blue coat, mounted on his steed, George Washington inspects the work of his men atop Dorchester Heights. The parapets are in place. The cannons are prepared. The barrels are ready to roll. The redcoats are in a state of pandemonium

far below in Boston. It's perfection. Blood may flow today, but if it does, it will be on George's terms. The Virginian commander bellows out to his troops, remember, it is the 5th of March and avenge the death of your brethren. George's words serve, as the Reverend William Gordon will later write, like fresh fuel to the martial fire. And why is that? Because George's men know exactly who those brethren are.

He's talking about avenging Samuel Gray, avenging James Caldwell, and Samuel Maverick, and Patrick Carr, and Crispus Attucks. Because today, March 5th, 1776, makes exactly six years since Captain Thomas Preston's Redcoats killed these five men in the Boston Massacre. The pain is still fresh in the hearts of George's predominantly New Englander men, some of whom, like Henry Knox, were there that night. And now, with their minds focused on their fallen brethren,

these New Englanders and their brothers-in-arms from sister colonies stand, muskets and cannon at the ready, impatient to greet the British attack. Andy Thompson, Anthony Pizzulo, Art Lane, Beth Chris Jansen, Bob Drazovich, Brian Goodson, Bronwyn Cohen, Carrie Beggle, Charles and Shirley Clendenin, Charlie Magis, Chloe Tripp, Christopher Merchant, Christopher Pullman, David DeFazio, David Rifkin, Denki, Durante Spencer, Donald Moore, Donna Marie Jeffcoat, Ellen Stewart, Bernie Lowe, George Sherwood, Gerwith Griffin, Henry Brunges, Jake Gilbreth, James G. Bledsoe, Janie McCreary, Jeff Marks, Jennifer Moods, Jennifer Magnolia, Jeremy Wells, Jessica Poppock, Joe Dobis, John Frugal Thank you. What did it take to survive an ancient siege? Why was the cult of Dionysus behind so many slaver bolts in ancient Rome? What's the tragic history and mythology behind Japan's most haunted ancient forest?

We're Jen and Jenny from Ancient History Fangirl. Join us to explore ancient history and mythology from a fun, sometimes tipsy perspective. Find us at ancienthistoryfangirl.com or wherever you get your podcasts.