On March 8, 1777, soldiers from the Ansbach and Bayreuth regiments, who had been sent to support Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War, mutinied in the town of Ochsenfurt, Germany.
These troops were part of the Hessian forces, German auxiliaries hired by the British to fight against the American colonists. At the time, it was common for smaller German states, such as Ansbach-Bayreuth, to rent out their armies to foreign powers for financial gain. However, the decision to send these regiments to North America was highly unpopular among the soldiers, many of whom had been forcibly conscripted.
Before they could be shipped off to America, hundreds of troops mutinied in Ochsenfurt, refusing to march further. The revolt was swiftly suppressed by authorities, and the surviving troops were eventually forced to board ships bound for the American colonies. Many of these German mercenaries would later desert and choose to remain in America rather than continue fighting for the British cause.
This mutiny reflected the growing resistance to forced military service and foreshadowed the challenges Britain faced in maintaining its foreign auxiliary forces during the Revolutionary War.
We remember Crispus Attucks, Patrick Carr, Samuel Gray, Samuel Maverick and James Caldwell who were gunned down near the Boston customs house by British soldiers of the 29th Regiment of Foot, under command of Captain Thomas Preston, 256 years ago, today March 5th 1770. Most of the troops would be released after being represented by John Adams who would later become our second President.
On the night of March 4, 1776, American Continental forces under Brigadier General John Thomas secretly occupied and fortified Dorchester Heights, commanding Boston and its harbor. Using heavy cannon transported from Fort Ticonderoga and utilizing prefabricated defenses, the strategic move forced the British to evacuate Boston on March 17, 1776.
General George Washington initiated the move to break the stalemate of the siege, with troops moving into position under cover of darkness and a planned artillery distraction.
The British were astonished to find the heights fortified, with General Howe remarking that the rebels did more in one night than his army could in a month.
The frozen ground required the use of pre-made wooden, dirt-filled barricades (fascines) instead of traditional trenches.
The fortification made the British position in Boston untenable, directly leading to their evacuation, which is now celebrated as "Evacuation Day".
On March 3, 1776, Commodore Esek Hopkins led the first Continental Navy squadron on a successful raid to Nassau, Bahamas, capturing the British port and securing vital munitions. This operation, featuring the first amphibious landing by Continental Marines, resulted in seizing significant supplies, though much gunpowder was hidden by the British before the surrender.
Happy Casimir Pulaski Day!
A local holiday officially observed in Illinois, on the first Monday of March in memory of Casimir Pulaski (March 6, 1745[1] – October 11, 1779), an American Revolutionary War cavalry officer born in Poland as Kazimierz Pułaski. He is praised for his contributions to the U.S. military in the American Revolution and known as "the father of the American cavalry.
He commanded an independent unit of cavalry and infantry. The regiment, Pulaski's Legion, raised on March 28, 1778 at Baltimore, Maryland under the command of Polish-born General Casimir Pulaski and Hungarian nobleman Michael Kovats de Fabriczy. The Legion saw significant action, particularly in the Southern theater, including the Siege of Savannah in 1779, where Pulaski was mortally wounded.
TRY REENACTING!
Do you want to fire a musket, help crew a cannon, or just enjoy an evening around the fire?
Our Units are excited to host folks who want to try out the hobby.
They will supply the necessary gear and clothing for you (and your family) to join us for a weekend reenacting the American Revolution!
What are you in for? Read our “What Re-enacting with the NWTA Looks Like.”