Battle For New England
Bennington Battle Day is on August 16th. It has been an official state holiday since 1913, but many communities have been celebrating the day since 1777. The holiday remembers a time when New England governments joined together to repel an invasion of British soldiers and their mercenaries during the American Revolution. In July, 1777, it had been a year since the Declaration of Independence was adopted by representatives of the thirteen British American colonies. Great Britain planned to break the rebellion by cutting New England away from the rest of the newly declared United States of America. According to historian James Butler, the British government thought isolating New England from the rest of the North American continent would quell the colonial insurrection. American military leader George Washington believed the British Empire would attack Boston, and invade from the sea. However, British forces began to arrive in Canada during May and, by mid-June, they launched an […]