The Patriots Daily Bites of American History Series 10 : Meeting of the 2nd Continental Congress

THE COUNTRY

THE PATRIOT

THE HISTORY

PEARL LEONA STURGIS·FRIDAY, Febuary 19, 2016

The Patriots Daily Bites of American History Series # 10
Meeting of the 2nd Continental Congress.
US History textbook 1956 2nd Continental Congress:

Ethan Allen’s Victories:

The 2nd Continental Congress met at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on July 10,1775. It recognized King George 3 as the rightful sovereignty of the colonies but they voted to raise 15,000 men to defend the liberties of the country. On that very day the congress met Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys surprised the guard on duty and gained entrance with his men to Fort Ticonderoga on Lake Champlain. 

It was early in the morning and the garrison (troops stationed in the fort) were asleep/ Ethan Allen burst into the commander’s room and demanded the immediate and unconditional surrender of the fort. “On what authority?” asked the astonished British officer. “IN THE NAME OF THE GREAT JEHOVAH AND THE 2ND CONTINENTAL CONGRESS” thundered Ethan Allen! The British commander surrendered and the Americans took possession of their cannon weapons and all their store.

 Crown Point was a little fortress on the Lake north of Ticonderoga which they conquered next day. Not long after this happened congress appointed George Washington commander in chief of the army around Boston. General Gage, the British general had received reinforcements from England under the command of General Howe, Clinton and Burgoyne he now had 8,000 men. Near the middle of June 1775 he planned an expedition to seize Bunker Hill. this Hill is in Charlestown and overlooks part of Boston. General Gage was afraid the Americans would take possession of it and fire into his camp.

 He was surprised to find that morning that the Americans had fortified and seized the hill during the night while the British soldiers were peacefully sleeping. General Prescott of Connecticut and General Warren of Boston had entrenched himself there with about 1500 men. General Gage knew he must drive Americans from Bunker Hill or they would drive the British out of Boston. He sent General Howe to attack with 3,000 British regulars.

 The American officers ordered their men to wait, as they had little precious gun powder, not to fire till they saw the whites of their eyes. They obeyed. when they did fire the destruction of life was terrible. The smoke lifted and there lay the “Red Coats” stretched in wind rows as a mower rakes his hay. The American’s loss was also heavy. 

Among those who fell was the distinguished patriot General Warren. The british General Howe ordered Boston to be set on fire and by night the town was in ashes. The Americans were driven back but not because they had been defeated. 

When they ran out of ammunition they fought with stones and clubs. When General George Washington heard how the American Patriots had fought at Bunker Hill he exclaimed: “THE LIBERTIES OF OUR COUNTRY IS SAFE!” 

(to be continued)

 Washington takes command.

The War Begins:

To be Continued in the Next Daily Bites of History Series 

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