PODCAST

250 and Counting

Acroasis Media

This day 250 years ago

history

All Episodes

2:00

Here Come The Hessians–February 5, 1776

250 and Counting ·

2026/02/05

I think I need to clarify something that I said during today’s episode. I mentioned that about 2200 Hessian soldiers fought in the Revolution. That number is accurate, but it only refers to the soldiers who came from Hesse-Hanau and were affected by the treaty alluded to today. Another big chunk came from Hesse-Kassel and the rest came from elsewhere in Germany. In all, more than 30,000 Hessians fought in the Revolutionary War, comprising about a fourth of the British land forces

en-US

2:00

When Generals Meet–February 4, 1776

250 and Counting ·

2026/02/04

A war map of New York City from 1776. This was almost the entire city at that time.OK, I’ll admit I cheated the title a little bit. The fact is, both General Charles Lee, who was part of George Washington’s inner circle, and General Henry Clinton, who was a British general, did arrive in New York City on the same day. The odds are pretty low that, despite how small New York City is compared to today, they actually encountered one another on this day. The post When Generals

en-US

2:00

Fort Whetstone–February 3, 1776

250 and Counting ·

2026/02/03

Aerial view of Fort McHenry. The curved earthworks wall along the bottom third of the picture is a remnant of Fort Whetstone. via Wikimedia Commons. I was actually rather disappointed not to be able to find any images of Fort Whetstone. Surely there are some pictures from that time, but the Internet was not in a giving mood today. In today’s artwork you can see some remnants of the original fort (most of what you see is modern-day Fort McHenry). Those are along the bottom of the

en-US

2:00

Salisbury Iron Furnace–February 2, 1776

250 and Counting ·

2026/02/02

A typical iron factory setup, This image is generally used to represent the Salisbury Furnace. via National Park Service.In early 1775 when hostilities first broke out, the Salisbury Iron Furnace was owned by an Englishman named Richard Smith. By the end of the year he’d cleared out and gone back home to England, and remained there for the rest of the war. After an inspection in early January, the Committee of Safety formally recommended that the Salisbury Iron Furnace be confiscated

en-US

2:00

William Montgomery Crane–February 1, 1776

250 and Counting ·

2026/02/01

Portrait of William Montgomery Crane. By Unknown author – The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography, Volume XII, 1904, page 422, via Wikimedia Commons. If you’re going to have a kid in 1776, you’re probably going to be feeling a little patriotism when you do so. Such was the case with William Montgomery Crane, who got his middle name from General Richard Montgomery, under whom his father served around this point in the Revolutionary War. Crane’s father was

en-US

2:00

The Fate of a Crew–January 31, 1776

250 and Counting ·

2026/01/31

Etching of William Alexander, Lord Stirling, as a Major General. Etching by H.B. Hall, 1892. via New York Public Library.The capture and ultimate disposition of the HMS Blue Mountain Valley and her crew was, in the bigger scheme of things, a relatively minor event in the American Revolution, however it did suddenly bring both New Jersey and New York into more active participation in the war. And even though the Blue Mountain Valley was beset by storms that they couldn’t possibly

en-US

2:00

Enlisting Apprentices–January 30, 1776

250 and Counting ·

2026/01/30

“Colonial Blacksmith, 1776”. Wood engraving, attributed to “Granger” though this may be the name of the collection.While we’re talking about enlisting apprentices today, it should be noted that there was precious little difference between an apprentice and an indentured servant, except maybe their age. Thus, the rules that applied to apprentices when it came to enlistment could also be applied to indentured servants, especially inasmuch as some of those rules

en-US

2:00

From John To George–January 29, 1775

250 and Counting ·

2026/01/29

A letter written by John Hancock. Letters from John Hancock to George Washington weren’t especially scarce, nor were letters going the other way. However, today’s letter takes on a few important topics for Washington that one hopes came greatly appreciated. There was commendation that Washington had the foresight to send troops to New York, there was some good financial news, there was also good news in the realm of troop recruitment, and there was a warning about likely

en-US

2:00

Arrest of a Franklin–January 28, 1776

250 and Counting ·

2026/01/28

Portrait of William Franklin, 1790, attributed to Mather Brown. via Wikimedia.It used to be rumored that Benjamin Franklin had over 30 children out of wedlock, but that’s since been debunked. (And there goes a perfectly good “lightning rod” joke.) But William Franklin was considered illegitimate, though he was raised by his father and his common-law wife Deborah Read. There are some breadcrumbs here and there that lead some historians to believe that Deborah was, in fact,

en-US

2:00

Rules for Native American Trade–January 27, 1776

250 and Counting ·

2026/01/27

Engraving titled Washington and Fairfax and a War-Dance by John Rogers, 1857. The event depicted actually took place in 1779. As noted in the episode, there were several different rules laid down for trading with Native Americans at that time, and some of them were designed to ensure that they remained on our side or, at worst, that they remained neutral in Revolution-based matters. But the rules wound up working out well for both sides: the various tribes were able to get the materials

en-US

2:00

Our First Memorial–January 25, 1776

250 and Counting ·

2026/01/25

The monument erected to honor Richard Montgomery outside St. Paul’s Chapel at Trinity Church. The inscription reads: This Monument is erected by the order of Congress, 25th, Janry, 1776, to transmit to Posterity a grateful remembrance of the patriotism conduct enterprise & perseverance of Major General Richard MontgomeryWho after a series of successes amidst the most discouraging Difficulties Fell in the attack on Quebec. 31st, Decbr, 1775. Aged 37 Years. We weren’t even a nation

en-US

2:00

Jean-Guillaume Hyde–January 24, 1776

250 and Counting ·

2026/01/24

Detail of an 1830 lithograph by Ducarme after a portrait by Legrand.While the United States has had its share of international mishaps, not all of them have been created by Americans. Jean-Guillaume Hyde, more properly known as “Jean-Guillaume, baron Hyde de Neuville”, would be an early example of this. Hyde was probably a textbook case of failing upward, as he appears to have suffered multiple setbacks and still managed to come out ahead later on. As early as 1793, when he was

en-US

2:00

A Most Dreadful Voyage–January 23, 1776

250 and Counting ·

2026/01/23

“An English Ship at Sea Lying-To in a Gale,” painted by Willem van de Velde the Younger, late 17th century.The HMS Blue Mountain Valley—which probably got its name from the place in eastern Jamaica—had rather a rough trip to America from London in late 1775 and early 1776. They left London in mid-October 1775 and ran into multiple storms before arriving somewhere near Boston nine or ten weeks later. Damage to the ship was such that it was judged unsafe to enter the Massachusetts

en-US

2:00

“Which Will Be Your Choice?”–January 22, 1776

250 and Counting ·

2026/01/22

Portrait of Francis Lightfoot Lee. Artist and date unknown, however the original painting is thought to have been created during his lifetime. This is the basis for many images of Lee.Francis Lightfoot Lee is another one of those Founding Fathers who was there for much of the main action, but who doesn’t seem to get as much press as Jefferson, Franklin, Adams and a few others. That’s not to say he didn’t have any influence. In fact, as we learn today, he was one of the

en-US

2:00

Elisha Haley–January 21, 1776

250 and Counting ·

2026/01/21

Portrait of Elisha Haley, artist unknown, created approximately 1860.Elisha Haley wasn’t necessarily a lawmaker at either the State or the Federal level who made such a huge mark that he’s become a kind of household name, but he appears to have been solid enough that he could get elected multiple times at both levels. I did discover, after recording the episode, that Haley is not, in fact, buried in Crary Cemetery but rather in the Wightman Cemetery, which is also in Groton. His

en-US

2:00

Charles Pinckney Sumner–January 20, 1776

250 and Counting ·

2026/01/20

Charles Pinckney Sumner was a man ahead of his time, in the sense that he knew not only that slavery was wrong, but that slaves need not only to be freed, but to be treated as equal citizens. He also carried a rather Utopian view of what society should be like, that Nature was at least as important as Nurture, if not more so. Although he and his wife Relief Jacob had at least nine children, they were considered to be not especially demonstrative with one another, even described by some

en-US

2:00

Busy Day In Congress–January 19, 1776

250 and Counting ·

2026/01/19

Painting of the Continental Congress by John Trumbull, created around 1819. This painting depicts a date several months after today. Trumbull was especially insistent on painting subjects from life whenever he could. The Second Continental Congress Committees, several of them anyway, reported out on this day in 1776 and it was starting to become clear that the individual colonies had some needs when it came to defense. There were issues with prisoners possibly being mistreated, word had

en-US

2:00

Church Gets Out–January 18, 1776

250 and Counting ·

2026/01/18

Given that Benjamin Church was discovered to be a traitor long before Benedict Arnold was, it’s a little peculiar that Arnold’s name has carried down through history much more than Church’s was. Maybe it’s because Church was a little less prominent in the Revolution before he was caught. Maybe “Benedict Arnold” has a better ring to it as something to hurl at someone who’s broken your trust. It’s also possible that, at that time, nobody

en-US

2:00

Many Letters to George–January 17, 1776

250 and Counting ·

2026/01/17

Copy of a letter sent in April 1776 by Washington to the Continental Congress. via Library of Congress. George Washington was a prolific letter writer, and as such he also tended to receive a great number of letters. We have to day three missives sent to George Washington on this day in 1776. (Pardon my brevity for this episode; as I write this my wife has spent the better part of the day in the hospital for a surgical procedure, and I’m too exhausted to be my usual clever

en-US

2:00

A Council of War–January 16, 1776

250 and Counting ·

2026/01/16

This appears to be a colorized print taken from a monument relief. This is actually Washington’s Council of War from shortly before the Battle at Monmouth. George Washington was a good leader in the sense that he knew what his troops needed, but he was also a good leader because he sought the counsel of others before making decisions. Washington would call a Council of War before he made big movements, and the Boston Council of War was no exception. Washington knew that the Siege of

en-US

480 results

250 and Counting

All Episodes

Similar Podcasts

The Old Front Line

Paul Reed

Today In History with The Retrospectors

The Retrospectors

جنود خلدهم التاريخ

ALSUMOOD PODCAST

Film History - Daily

Inception Point Ai

Madonna - Biography Flash

Inception Point Ai