245 years ago, in early 1776, Westford’s Col. John Robinson and the Robinson Regiment were at camp in Cambridge, under the command of Gen. George Washington defending Boston against the British. The Second Continental Congress is severing our political connection to Great Britain in issuing the Declaration of Independence, summarized the colonists’ motivations for seeking independence. What were the events leading up this pinnacle moment? Join us in commemorating 1776.
Pre-reigister for this Virtual event through the links below
February Book Club – 1776 by David McCullough (A Virtual Event) Part 1 Chapters 1-3
Register HERE FOR BOOK Dicussion
Addtional Book Club Discussion
Tuesday February 9, 2021 at 7pm (Part 2 Chapter 4&5)
Tuesday February 16, 2021 at 7pm (Part 3 Chapter 5&6)
Register HERE FOR Meet PAUL REVERE
ZOOM LINK FOR RENDEZOUS with RACHEL REVERE HERE
Robinson’s Regiment, Camp at Cambridge
Cambridge, Westford men (1776) under the command of Col. John Robinson’s Regiment were at Camp in Cambridge. The regiment was one of thirteen New England regiments organized for service in February and March of 1776, and Robinson was chosen as its colonel. George Washington, then in command of the army laying siege to Boston, was encouraged to request the formation of these militia regiments when it became clear that the new Continental Army enlistments which were to begin on January 1st, 1776 were not as robust as hoped. The commission papers of Westford’s Silas Procter, who served as 1st Lieutenant in Josiah Warren’s (3rd) company in this regiment, state that his company was “raised by this Colony as a temporary reinforcement to the American Army until the first day of April next…”. (As it turned out, the siege ended on March 23rd when the British evacuated Boston as a reaction to the newly entrenched artillery pieces on Dorchester Heights.) From the orderly book belonging to Col. John Robinson entitled “Robinson’s Regiment, Camp at Cambridge” https://www.westford.org/westford1775/Col_John_Robinson.html
Sponsored by the Westford Historical Society in partnership with Westford Colonial Minutemen and the Col. John Robinson Chapter of the Daughter of the American Revolution.
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