20 APR--This Day in US Military History

2015-04-20T09:11:09-04:00

1775 – British troops began the siege of Boston.

The Siege of Boston lasted through March 17, 1776 and was the opening phase of the American War of Independence. New England militiamen prevented the movement by land of the British Army garrisoned in what was then the peninsular town of Boston, Massachusetts. Both sides had to deal with resource supply and personnel issues over the course of the siege. British resupply and reinforcement activities were limited to sea access.
After eleven months of siege the British abandoned Boston by sailing to Nova Scotia.
The siege began following the Battles of Lexington and Concord, when the militia from surrounding Massachusetts communities limited land access to Boston. The Continental Congress formed the Continental Army from the militia, with George Washington as its Commander in Chief. In June 1775, the British seized Bunker and Breed’s Hills, but their casualties were heavy and their gains were insufficient to break the Continental Army’s hold on land access to Boston. Military actions during the remainder of the siege were limited to occasional raids, minor skirmishes, and sniper fire.
In November 1775, Washington sent the 25-year-old bookseller-turned-soldier Henry Knox to bring to Boston the heavy artillery that had been captured at Fort Ticonderoga. In a technically complex and demanding operation, Knox brought many cannons to the Boston area by January 1776. In March 1776, these artillery fortified Dorchester Heights, which overlooked Boston and its harbor and threatened the British supply lifeline. The British commander William Howe saw the British position as indefensible and withdrew the British forces in Boston to the British stronghold at Halifax, Nova Scotia on March 17 (celebrated today as Evacuation Day).

https://thisdayinusmilhist.wordpress.com/2014/04/20/april-20/

April 20

20 April 1657 – Freedom of religion is granted to the Jews of New Amsterdam (later New York City). 1769 - Ottawa Chief Pontiac (b~1720) was murdered by an Indian in Cahokia. 1775 - British troops b...

Response by SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S. made Apr 20 at 2015 9:16 AM

2015-04-20T09:16:06-04:00

And I bet they told King George it would only take a couple months!

Response by SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S. made Apr 20 at 2015 11:37 AM

2015-04-20T11:37:15-04:00

SFC Robert White
Your dedication to the "History" series is greatly appreciated!

Response by Capt Richard I P. made Apr 20 at 2015 11:38 AM

2015-04-20T11:38:07-04:00

Henry Knox... motivation.