Military Action
Descriptions of military battles, procurement, and the spread of military news.
- Action near Boston, Bunker Hill (1775-1776): siege of Boston, Battle of Bunker Hill, skirmishes (in towns, harbor, on islands near city).
- Battles of Lexington and Concord: descriptions of the battles, from both sides; use of battles to mobilize population in the patriot cause.
- British forces: actions of or writings about British forces and forces loyal to the British, i.e., the British Army and Navy, Loyalist militias, and German forces.
- British soldiers in Boston: actions and writings about the British occupiers in Boston.
- Continental Army: actions of and writings about the Continental Army, after its formation.
- Espionage: spying by either side; circulation of false intelligence.
- Foraging, plunder, privateering, blockades: military actions on land and sea to acquire supplies or prevent the enemy from acquiring them.
- Foreign alliances: attempts to gain support from other countries.
- Intelligence and planning: reporting about enemy; planning to defend positions or defeat the enemy.
- Local protection: strategies for or complaints about protecting the local populace against the British (and Tories and Indians) or the patriots.
- Logistics, provisioning, and recruitment: procuring of men, weapons, and supplies; orders about their use; and complaints about their quality or quantity.
- Maine battles: battles and military conflict between the British and patriots along the Massachusetts coast in present day Maine.
- Military organization and discipline: formation of units, rules for discipline, actions taken to sustain discipline.
- Militias and irregular forces: formation of and reports about militias and irregular forces on both sides.
- Muster lists: lists of men by units, by name or number, and their readiness; lists of officers by unit.
- Mutiny and desertion: reports of mutiny or desertion or attempts by the other side to induce desertion.
- New York and Long Island battles: preparation for and fighting for New York City and Long Island, 1776.
- Prisoners: taking of and condition of prisoners, civilian and military; paroling officers and men.
- Ticonderoga/Canada: patriot capture of Ticonderoga; plans to defend Ticonderoga; conflicts between Benedict Arnold and Ethan Allen; battles for Canada.
- Virginia fighting (1776): confiscation of powder, military preparations, Dunmore's Emancipation Declaration; and battles.