Madelaine Drohan

Good point!

Congress appointed John Thomas, another general, to replace Charles Lee in Canada. He died of smallpox in June 1776 in the midst of the American retreat.

Not everyone agreed. “The general Expectation here is that the boldest Efforts of our Enemies will be made at Virginia and S. Carolina,” John Adams wrote his wife a few days later. “I believe no such Thing. Boston, N. York and Quebec will be their Object.”

“The Congress have at Length Determin'd to Superceed the orders given you to proceed to Canada, and have this day come to a Resolution that you shall take the Command of the Continental Forces in the Southern Departmt. which Comprehends Virginia. North Carolina. South Carolina & Georgia.”

#OTD March 1, 1776, John Hancock wrote Charles Lee, considered one of the top generals in the Continental Army, to say he would not be going to Canada after all.

These shortages only worsened when the fight with Britain intensified in the 13 colonies and the best men and equipment were directed to the fighting closer to home.

Black and white etching of Charles Lee, an American general during the revolution. He is wearing an army uniform and hat.

One of the reasons the Americans failed to conquer Canada in 1775-76 was they under-estimated how hard it would be and did not allocate sufficient men, money, weapons, and provisions.

#hedidnotconquer #canada #history #books #americanrevolution @dundurnpress.bsky.social @revwar250.bsky.social

He was left behind with his printing press when Franklin and the Continental Army fled for home in May 1776. (The half joe was a Portuguese gold coin commonly used in the 13 colonies.)

Mesplet would eventually found the Montreal Gazette newspaper.

But his purpose on this trip was to help Benjamin Franklin persuade the French Canadians to join the American Revolution.

An oil painting of French printer Fleury Mesplet, who was active in the American Revolution. He has grey hair and is wearing a dark jacket and white collar. He is surrounded by books.

#OTD February 26, 1776, the Continental Congress agreed to pay the expenses of French printer Fleury Mesplet and to give him “25 Half Joes to remove Himself, his Family and Types to Canada and there set up a free Press.”

#hedidnotconquer #canada #history #books #montreal #quebec Dundurn Press

Goforth was referring to Franklin’s electricity experiments, which had made him the most famous American of his time. On Feb 15, the Continental Congress asked Franklin, Samuel Chase, and Charles Carroll of Carrollton to go to Canada to salvage the faltering American invasion. They arrived in April.

“Then Perhaps we may be able to draw a Vein athwart their Magazene and Send them upwards Cloathd as Elijah was with a Suit of fire. One or the other of these must be done or we shall be drove to the Necessity of another Frolick of boarding the Town.”

“Rouse once more my old Trojan Collect the Heavey Thunders of the United Colonies and Convey them to the Regions of the North and Enable us to Shake the Quebec walls or on the other hand inform us how to Extract the Electric fire from the Center.

“I understood you are a great man that you Can Turn the Common Course of nature that you have power with the Gods and Can Rob the Clouds of their Tremendious Thunder,” wrote William Goforth.

French, sepia-toned etching from 1778, showing Benjamin Franklin as a God dressed in flowing garments. The Latin inscription can be translated as "He snatched lightning from the sky and the sceptre from tyrants."

#OTD February 22, 1776, the commander of the American forces occupying Trois-Rivières, Quebec, wrote Benjamin Franklin, urging him to use his reputed supernatural powers to conquer Canada.

#hedidnotconquere #canada #history #cdaus @revwar250.bsky.social #America250 @dundurnpress.bsky.social

‘Don’t go to the US – not with Trump in charge’: the UK tourist with a valid visa detained by ICE for six weeks Karen Newton was in America on the trip of a lifetime when she was shackled, transported and held for weeks on end. With tourism to the US under increasing strain, she says, ‘If it can happen to me, i...

Interesting article that mentions the profit motive behind ICE actions. Has anyone seen a good overview of the companies and people making money from detaining people in the US?

He seemed heartened by the decision to send Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Chase, and Charles Carroll of Carrollton to Montreal to salvage the faltering invasion. “These three Gentlemen compose a Committee, which I think promises great Things,” he told Warren.

He worried that if the British kept Canada, they could induce Indigenous peoples "to take up the Hatchet, and commit their Robberies and Murders upon the Frontiers of all the southern Colonies as well as to pour down Regulars, Canadians and Indians together upon the Borders of the Northern.”

At the time, the Continental Army occupied Montreal and Trois-Rivières and were laying siege to Quebec City, the last major population centre in the British colony.

This is a portrait of John Adams, former US president and founding father, painted by Mather Brown in 1788. He is wearing a brown jacket and matching waistcoat, with a white neckerchief. He has some papers in one hand and a quill in the other. He is wearing a grey wig and has a serious expression.

“The Unanimous Voice of the Continent is Canada must be ours. Quebec must be taken.” So declared John Adams in a letter sent #OTD Feb. 18, 1776, to fellow revolutionary James Warren.
#hedidnotconquer #canada #history #cdaus #America250 @dundurn

Congress asked him to bring along his relative, John Carroll, a Catholic priest. The three Americans, who would later become founding fathers, would not set out for Montreal until April 2.

The clergy and seigneurs were happy with what Britain had given them in the Quebec Act of 1774 and feared the Americans would ban the Catholic religion and end their privileged positions in Canada. Carroll was not a delegate. But he was a rich Catholic who could speak French.

It was acting on the advice of a sympathetic French Canadian, Prudent Lajeunesse, who had told the Committee of Secret Correspondence that the only way to overcome the suspicions of the Catholic clergy and the seigneurs was for delegates to make the case in person.

Portrait of a portly Benjamin Franklin. He is wearing what looks like a grey silk suit, with matching waistcoat and white neckerchief. His hair is long and still brown. He looks serious. His lips are pursed.

This is a portrait of Samuel Chase. He has abundant, long, grey hair. He is wearing a dark jacket and white neckerchief. He is gazing directly at the viewer and has a serious expression.

This is a portrait of Charles Carroll of Carrollton. He has a patrician air. He appears to have short grey hair. He is wearing a dark jacket and has a white neckerchief. He has a serious expression and is gazing directly at the viewer.

#OTD Feb. 15, 1776, the Continental Congress asked Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Chase, and Charles Carroll of Carrollton to go to Canada to ask the French Canadians to join the American Revolution.

#hedidnotconquer #canada #history #cdaus @dundurnpress.bsky.social @revwar250.bsky.social

America’s roots are showing. That does not bode well for Canada There are alarming echoes between 1775 and our present moment

There’s an ongoing guessing game about how far in the past Trump is trying to drag the US. I argue it’s 1775, the year Americans began their revolution and invaded Canada.

#hedidnotconquer #canada #history @dundurnpress.bsky.social @theglobeandmail.com

They were scrambling at the time to get the raw materials and the capacity to mill them. Saltpetre was the shortage they mentioned most in their letters at the time.

Trump's Gordie Howe bridge threats came after U.S. commerce secretary met with owner of rival Ambassador Bridge Trump’s threat to block a new Canada-U.S. bridge followed a meeting between his commerce secretary and billionaire owner of existing crossing

nationalpost.com/news/world/t...
Trump's Gordie Howe bridge threats came after U.S. commerce secretary met with owner of rival Ambassador Bridge
On Monday, Howard Lutnick met with billionaire Matthew Moroun, whose family owns the Ambassador Bridge. Following the meeting, Lutnick called Trump

General Lee never got a chance to test Franklin’s theory in Canada because he was reassigned March 1 to protect the 13 colonies against an anticipated spring attack by the British.

#hedidnotconquer #history #cdaus @todayinamrev.bsky.social @dundurnpress.bsky.social @revolution250.bsky.social

4. A Flight of Arrows seen coming upon them terrifies and disturbs the Enemy's Attention to his Business.5. An Arrow striking in any part of a Man, puts him hors de combat 'till 'tis extracted.
6. Bows and Arrows are more easily provided every where than Muskets & Ammunition.”

“1. Because a Man may shoot as truly with a Bow as with a common Musket.
2. He can discharge 4 arrows in the time of charging and discharging one Bullet.
3. His object is not taken from his view by the smoke of his own side.