THE EVACUATION OF BOSTON BY THE BRITISH
THIS DAY IN HISTORY
MARCH 17TH
THE EVACUATION OF BOSTON BY THE BRITISH
On this day in history, March 17th, 1776, 249 years ago today, General William Howe evacuated the city of Boston as George Washington and his fellow American compatriots watched triumphantly from Dorchester Heights.
The shot heard round the world happened in the spring of 1775. This is the shot that started the Revolutionary war. The first military engagements of the Revolutionary War happened in the towns of Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts. After fighting in Lexington and Concord had subsided, the British military went to the port city of Boston for safety. For months the Americans had laid siege to the city but to no avail. During the winter George Washington sent Henry Knox (Fort Knox is named after this brave Patriot) to upstate New York. Henry was sent to New York to bring artillery back to Boston from a recently captured British fort. Henry Knox brought 62 tons of artillery hundreds of miles through mountains, rivers, snow, and ice back to Boston. The cold winter trek took 56 days of back breaking labor. With heavy artillery now available George Washington captured Dorchester Heights, and there placed his cannons. Dorchester Heights was a strategic location that overlooked the city of Boston as well as Boston Harbor. When General Howe of the British saw these fortifications and cannons overlooking his position he knew that he was cooked. He soon began evacuating his soldiers from the city. On this day in history the last of the British soldiers finished evacuating the city. The Americans were now able to take control of the important city of Boston.
The siege and capture of Boston was an important victory in America’s fight for freedom. Many heroes’ performed many brave feats in this major military campaign. This victory helped bring confidence to the fighting Americans and helped to fuel the fires of freedom in their souls. In just a few short months after the victory at Boston 56 men would sign a document that would forever change the course of history. This document is called the Declaration of Independence. 249 years ago today American Patriots were victorious in a dangerous battle over the control of the city of Boston. Without this victory Independence from Britain may have never been proclaimed. Without this victory the United States of America might have never been.
Rend Petersen
