Posted on Mar 17, 2015
MSG Signal Support Systems Specialist
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George washington at dorchester heights
1776 - During the American War for Independence, British forces are forced to evacuate Boston following Patriot General George Washington’s successful placement of fortifications and cannons on Dorchester Heights, which overlooks the city from the south.

During the evening of March 4, Patriot General John Thomas, under orders from Washington, secretly led a force of 800 soldiers and 1,200 workers to Dorchester Heights and began fortifying the area. To cover the sound of the construction, Patriot cannons, besieging Boston from another location, began a noisy bombardment of the outskirts of the city. By the morning, more than a dozen cannons from Fort Ticonderoga had been brought within the Dorchester Heights fortifications. British General Sir William Howe hoped to use British ships in Boston Harbor to destroy the Patriot position, but a storm set in, giving the Patriots ample time to complete the fortifications and set up their artillery.
On March 17, 11,000 British troops and some 1,000 Royalists departed Boston by ship and sailed to the safety of Halifax, Nova Scotia. The bloodless liberation of Boston by the Patriots brought an end to a hated eight-year British occupation of the city, known for such infamous events as the “Boston Massacre.” For the victory, General Washington, commander of the Continental Army, was presented with the first medal ever awarded by the Continental Congress.

https://thisdayinusmilhist.wordpress.com/2014/03/17/march-17/
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Responses: 4
LTC Stephen C.
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Arms of ireland %28historical%29 svg
Badges of the order of st patrick
MSG (Join to see), my wife has a good friend who was born, raised and educated in the Republic of Ireland before immigrating to the U.S. She tells us that St. Patrick's Day in Ireland is really just another day. Also, St. Patrick's color is blue!
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SPC Allison Joy Cumming
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Boston my be the hub for St. Patrick's Day, however, the celebrations, food and drink are carried throughout the United States.

Lead by example.
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Sgt Matt Pinardi
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Evacuation Day was well documented in the Sons of Liberty Series; the local holiday is meant to commentate the significance of that momentous day . Tragically those who benefit from this holiday don't have the slightest inkling of why they have the day off.
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