Historical Events
- 1771-05-16 The Battle of Alamance, a pre-American Revolutionary War battle between local militia and a group of rebels called "The Regulators", occurs in present-day Alamance County, North Carolina.
- 1773-10-14 American Revolutionary War: The United Kingdom's East India Company tea ships' cargo are burned at Annapolis, Maryland
- 1775-05-17 American Revolutionary War: the Continental Congress bans trade with Canada
Continental Army Forms
1775-06-14 US Army first forms as the Continental Army to fight American Revolutionary War
Ethan Allen Captured
1775-09-25 American Revolutionary War hero Ethan Allen captured
Battle of Quebec
1775-12-31 Battle of Quebec: American Continental Army led by Richard Montgomery is defeated trying to take the British stronghold of Quebec City in the American Revolutionary War, General Montgomery is killed and Benedict Arnold is injured
- 1776-03-04 American War of Independence: The Americans capture Dorchester Heights dominating the port of Boston, Massachusetts
US Declaration Reaches London
1776-08-10 News of the United States Declaration of Independence reaches London during the American Revolutionary War
- 1776-10-11 Brigadier-General Arnold's Lake Champlain fleet defeated by British during the Battle of Valcour Island (American Revolutionary War)
Battle of Trenton
1776-12-26 American Revolutionary War: George Washington leads US troops to defeat Hessians at Battle of Trenton, New Jersey
- 1777-03-08 Regiments from Ansbach and Bayreuth, sent to support Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War, mutiny in the town of Ochsenfurt
- 1777-07-07 American Revolutionary War: Battle of Hubbardton
- 1777-08-16 American militiamen defeat British forces at the Battle of Bennington near Vermont, during the American Revolutionary War
- 1777-08-28 American Revolutionary War - Battle of Cooch's Bridge takes place near Newark, Delaware.
- 1777-09-03 Flag of the United States flown in battle for the 1st time at Cooch's Bridge, Delaware, a skirmish during American Revolutionary War
- 1777-10-17 British General John Burgoyne surrenders at Saratoga during the American Revolutionary War
- 1779-06-20 Battle of Stono Ferry fought near Charleston, South Carolina (American Revolutionary War)
Siege of Savannah
1779-10-09 Siege of Savannah (Georgia) during American Revolutionary War: Continental Army General Casimir Pulaski is wounded by grapeshot (a type of cluster munition), dies two days later
Event of Interest
1780-07-10 The comte de Rochambeau and his French force of 7,000 land at Newport, Rhode Island, to join the American Revolutionary War
- 1780-10-16 Royalton, Vermont and Tunbridge, Vermont last major raid of the American Revolutionary War
- 1781-04-29 French fleet occupies Tobago during American War of Independence
Battle That Gave Birth To The USA
1781-09-05 American Revolutionary War: French fleet of 24 ships under Comte de Grasse defeat British forces under Admiral Thomas Graves and Samuel Hood at the Battle of the Chesapeake [Battle of the Virginia Capes] and trap General Lord Charles Cornwallis
Surrender at Yorktown
1781-10-09 Americans under George Washington and the French under Comte de Rochambeau begin bombardment of Yorktown, the last battle of American Revolutionary War
- 1782-02-05 British garrison in Menorca (western Mediterranean) surrenders to French and Spanish fleet as part of the American Revolutionary War
Great Siege of Gibraltar
1783-02-07 Great Siege of Gibraltar, launched by France and Spain against the British colony during the American War of Independence is lifted after 3 years and 7 months
- 1783-04-11 Hostilities formally cease in the American Revolutionary War after the Continental Congress proclaims the "Cessation of Arms" against His Britannic Majesty [1]
- 1783-09-03 Treaty of Paris signed in Paris ends the American Revolutionary War between Great Britain and United States of America
- 1783-11-02 General George Washington, later 1st US President, bids farewell to his army after the American Revolutionary War
Famous Birthdays
- 1718-01-07 Israel Putnam, American Revolutionary War general (d. 1790)
- 1718-04-26 Esek Hopkins, American Revolutionary War admiral and Commander in Chief of the Continental Navy, born in Scituate, Rhode Island (d. 1802)
- 1723-02-24 John Burgoyne, British general (surrendered at Saratoga during the American Revolutionary War), born in Sutton, England (d. 1792)
Samuel Hood (1724-1816)
1724-12-12 1st Viscount Hood, British admiral in the American Revolutionary War and the French Revolutionary Wars, born in Butleigh, England
- 1726-01-17 Hugh Mercer, Scottish military officer (fought in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War), born in Rosehearty, Scotland (d. 1777)
- 1726-12-04 William Alexander, Lord Stirling, American general (American Revolutionary War leader), born in New York City (d. 1783)
- 1727-11-26 Artemas Ward, American politician and soldier (major general during the American Revolutionary War), born in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts (d. 1800)
William Howe (1729-1814)
1729-08-10 5th Viscount Howe, British military leader (commander of British forces in the American Revolutionary War), born in England
Benjamin Lincoln (1733-1810)
1733-01-24 American military officer (Battles of Saratoga, Charleston and Yorktown during the American Revolutionary War), born in Hingham, Massachusetts
Ethan Allen (1738-1789)
1738-01-10 American Revolutionary War patriot (lead the Green Mountain Boys), born in Litchfield, Connecticut
Richard Montgomery (1738-1775)
1738-12-02 Irish General in Continental Army during American Revolutionary War, born in Swords, Dublin
Charles Cornwallis (1738-1805)
1738-12-31 1st Marquess Cornwallis, British general and colonial administrator (leading British general in the American War of Independence), born in London
Benedict Arnold (1741-1801)
1741-01-14 American general and turncoat (American Revolutionary War), born in Norwich, Connecticut
Nathanael Greene (1742-1786)
1742-08-07 American military leader (major general during the American Revolutionary War), born in Potowomut, Rhode Island
- 1744-09-20 Thomas Grosvenor, American Revolutionary War hero (d. 1825)
- 1745-03-10 John Gunby, Maryland Soldier in the American Revolutionary War (d. 1807)
Casimir Pulaski (1747-1779)
1747-03-06 Polish military leader, known as "the father of American cavalry', born in Warsaw, Poland
- 1750-05-02 John André, British Army officer of the American Revolutionary War, born in London (d. 1780)
Nathan Hale (1755-1776)
1755-06-06 American Revolutionary War patriot, "I only regret that I have but one life to give for my country", born in Coventry, Connecticut, North American Colonies
Famous Weddings
Ethan Allen
1784-02-16 American Revolutionary War patriot Ethan Allen (46) weds second wife Frances Montresor Brush Buchanan
Famous Deaths
Richard Montgomery (1738-1775)
1775-12-31 Irish General in Continental Army during American Revolutionary War, dies in attack on Quebec at 37
- 1776-07-01 Francis Salvador, 1st Jew to die in American Revolutionary War
- 1776-12-26 Johann Rall, German Hessian commander, dies in Battle of Trenton in American Revolutionary War at 50
- 1777-01-12 Hugh Mercer, Scottish military officer (fought in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War), dies of his wounds at the Battle of Princeton at 50
- 1779-01-22 Claudius Smith, American Revolutionary War loyalist (b. 1736)
- 1780-09-08 Enoch Poor, American Revolutionary War general, dies at 44
- 1780-10-02 John Andre, British Army officer of the American Revolutionary War, hanged by Americans (spied with B Arnold) at 30
- 1783-01-15 William Alexander, Lord Stirling, American general (American Revolutionary War leader), dies at 57
Nathanael Greene (1742-1786)
1786-06-19 American military leader (major general during the American Revolutionary War), dies at 43
Ethan Allen (1738-1789)
1789-02-12 American Revolutionary War patriot (lead the Green Mountain Boys), dies of an apoplectic fit at 51
- 1790-05-29 Israel Putnam, American Revolutionary War general (b. 1718)
- 1792-06-04 John Burgoyne, British general (surrendered at Saratoga during the American Revolutionary War), dies at 70
- 1795-02-27 Francis Marion, American military officer, sometimes known as "the Swamp Fox", (pioneered guerrilla warfare during the American Revolutionary War), died around the age of 63
- 1800-10-28 Artemas Ward, American politician and soldier (major general during the American Revolutionary War), dies at 72
Benedict Arnold (1741-1801)
1801-06-14 American general and turncoat (American Revolutionary War), dies of delirium in London at 60
- 1802-02-26 Esek Hopkins, American Revolutionary War admiral and Commander in Chief of the Continental Navy, dies at 83
Charles Cornwallis (1738-1805)
1805-10-05 1st Marquess Cornwallis, British general and colonial administrator (leading British general in the American War of Independence), dies of fever at 66
- 1807-05-17 John Gunby, Maryland Soldier in the American Revolutionary War (b. 1745)
Benjamin Lincoln (1733-1810)
1810-05-09 American military officer (Battles of Saratoga, Charleston and Yorktown during the American Revolutionary War), dies at 77
William Howe (1729-1814)
1814-07-12 5th Viscount Howe, British military leader (commander of British forces in the American Revolutionary War), dies at 84
- 1825-07-11 Thomas P. Grosvenor, American Revolutionary War soldier (b. 1744)