by Tammy Ditmore | Jun 25, 2026 | Countdown to Semiquincentennial
Tuesday morning, June 25, 1776, was taken up with military affairs mainly: letters from General Washington (he wrote daily) and other generals (referred to the Board of War), a compensation request, a large batch of marine appointments, a secret committee order for...
by Tammy Ditmore | Jun 24, 2026 | Countdown to Semiquincentennial
After an unusually long adjournment, Congress resumed business with two letters from General Washington and a resolution “to put a stop to the raising the companies of Mohickan and Stockbridge indians.” Quoting a New Jersey convention letter describing Governor...
by Tammy Ditmore | Jun 23, 2026 | Countdown to Semiquincentennial
June 23 being a Sunday, Congress continued in its usual adjournment, after an unusual Saturday adjournment. As expected, delegates caught up on correspondence, extending as far back as April – and were often expressing dismay, disappointment, and alarm over the very...
by Tammy Ditmore | Jun 22, 2026 | Countdown to Semiquincentennial
No business in Congress on June 22, 1776, as it adjourned for both Saturday and Sunday. During the break, William Ellery (for the the Rhode Island delegation) wrote an update about Congress to Governor Nicholas Cooke, which included a brief but accurately detailed...
by Tammy Ditmore | Jun 22, 2026 | Editing
To celebrate America’s 250th birthday, I’m welcoming a guest writer to this space! Michael Ditmore is a professor, author, early American scholar, and my husband! Everyone knows (or thinks they know) that we celebrate July 4 because that’s when the...
