February 8, 2004

Gunpowder for General Washington

Outcome of the American War for Independence was so glorious that history has nearly forgotten how precarious the first few months were because of a shortage of gunpowder.  

The British army occupied Boston in 1775 to enforce tax collections and stamp out talk of secession.

The first shot for independence -- as every school child knows -- was fired by Minute Man militia at Lexington, Mass., on April 19, 1775. The target was  well-armed red-coated British soldiers from Boston on a search-and-destroy mission.

Another clash between the Massachusetts militia and British took place June 17 at Breed Hill (not nearby Bunker Hill as later recalled). The British suffered great casualties but drove back the militia.

The Second Continental Congress determined to rebel against occupation but adopted an "Olive Branch Petition."

This included a "declaration of causes and necessities of taking up arms." It said: "We have no desire for independence, but we will not yield to enslavement."

More ominously the petition hinted that the colonies might seek "foreign aid." England was engaged in hostilities at that time with France and Spain.

Congress also called for an army of combined militia. A reluctant George Washington was persuaded to take charge of the new army on July 3.

He rushed to Cambridge, Mass., where 14,500 volunteers had gathered after the battle of Breed's Hill.

His ordnance was 55 cannon and much gunpowder captured by Benedict Arnold and Ethan Allen in an attack on the British fort at Ticonderoga six weeks earlier. How they did this, and hustled the prizes through the wilderness to Boston is another interesting story.  

Washington asked how many barrels of gunpowder they had. He was told 308. On inspection, however, Washington discovered the actual number was only 90. This would be barely enough for nine rounds of cannon and musket fire.

Nevertheless, the Continental Army and British occupiers of Boston lobbed desultory cannon rounds to keep each other at bay.

In the meantime, Congress in November appointed a committee headed by Silas Deane "to get in touch with our friends abroad." A French trading emissary arrived at Philadelphia a month later to assess the situation.

Close Call

By Jan. 10, 1776, Washington had just one pound of gunpowder. Had British Gen. William Howe at Boston  attacked that day, he would have won the war and crushed the burgeoning American nation.

Instead, Howe evacuated Boston to participate in the capture of New York City and Philadelphia. The Continental Congress there was causing greater political and economic problems for King George III.

Washington turned his army to reinforce resisting colonies elsewhere. He was supplied by French, Spanish and Dutch traders carrying contraband to the little West Indies island of Statia.

That port was open to all traders, pirates or not,  seeking big profits. American tobacco and cotton could be exchanged readily for gunpowder and shot. British traders participated despite the war between their home country and rebelling Americans.

Silas Deane overseas was successful in getting  French King Louis XVI to send a large sum of gold and military supplies to the American cause. The dictum that "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" is not a new one.

Benjamin Franklin had developed many friends in England and France as representative of the colonies since 1773. Though he had returned home upon the outbreak of war, he was able through correspondence to arrange critical supplies through his European contacts.

Richard Henry Lee of Virginia on June 2, 1776, proposed a resolution to Congress that the United Colonies "ought to be free and independent states." On June 11, Congress appointed a committee to draft a Declaration of Independence before adopting Lee"s resolution.

Thomas Jefferson presented a draft on June 28, and Lee's resolution is approved on July 2. After making some revision in the Declaration, Congress approved it without dissent.

Benjamin Franklin declared, "We must hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately!"

Delegate John Hancock was the first to sign the controversial document in large letters, "So King George may read that without spectacles."

New York abstained from adopting the Declaration but approved it on July 15.

Dutch Treat

From this point on, the warehouses on Statia Island bulged with munitions for the United States. Blockade runners picked up cargo there in sleek, fast unarmed ships that could out run British warships.

The British government forbade the export of arms as early as Oct. 1774, but merchants there paid little heed. As the American revolution dragged on, King George ordered British merchant ships sailing west be accompanied in convoy with armed ships of the line.

This, also, was futile. Admiral Hood conducted a large convoy of English merchantmen to the Caribbean in 1780. He awoke one morning to discover that 12 ships had disappeared during the night.

Had they strayed from the convoy, sunk by pirates or evaporated?

The mystery was solved a month later when Hood anchored at Statia. There the missing ships were transferring their cargoes to American ships.

American traders avoided the blockade in several ways. False flags and papers were easy subterfuges.

On Statia, American agents bought munitions as fast as the fledgling U.S. government could borrow money at home and abroad.

The contraband was reshipped to the mainland on fast Bermuda sloops sold to the Americans illegally.

Victory

Some came via "powder cruises" officially sponsored by Congress or the various states. The Massachusetts Board of War, for example, had 32 "trading vessels" most of which had French names.

These picked up and delivered cargoes throughout the Caribbean Sea and at French, Spanish and Dutch ports in Europe.

Other American states sponsoring trading cruises were South Carolina, Maryland, Connecticut, Virginia and Pennsylvania.

American Legion historian Harvey Ardmand writes that these vessels evaded capture through superior knowledge of American waters, outstanding seamanship, faster-sailing vessels and native wit.

Once the gunrunning ships were within sight of the American coast, their small size became an important advantage.

They usually sailed through Oracoke Inlet - a passage through the sandbar separating Pamlico and Albemarle Sounds off North Carolina -- then up various rivers out of reach of British cruisers. Finally the munitions were shipped north by wagons.

The British knew quite well what Statia meant to the American war effort. After five years of war, the British could abide Statia no longer. Admirals Rodney and Hood seized control of the island.

They captured more than three million pounds worth of munitions (about 150 million dollars in today's currency). They sent it toward home in 24 cargo ships - most of which were recaptured by American and French privateers and sent back to America.

Admiral Rodney in 1780, described the problem:

"This rock of only six miles in length and three in breadth, has done England more harm than all the arms of her most potent enemies. Alone, it has supported the infamous American rebellion."

Rodney was exaggerating. America got even more gunpowder from other clandestine sources.

However, without Statia, especially in the first part of the war, Washington and his army could not have survived to win the war with the surrender of all British forces by Gen. Cornwallis at Yorktown, Va., on Oct. 18, 1781.

Author: Lindsey Williams

Cutlines

1 - large, soldiers - Can be cropped as indicated, see book. Page 41

From "Harper's Weekly" 1881

2 - This view depicts Gen. Washington in the trenches at Yorktown, Virginia. After years of hit-and-run tactics, Gen. George Washington and his Continental Army cornered the British Regulars at Yorktown. Though a flotilla of British reinforcements were on their way, it was blocked by French warships under command of Marqui DeGrasse. Gen. Cornwallis - weary, and realizing resistance was hopeless -- surrendered on Oct. 18, 1781.

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2 - long shot view of Statia Island  two choices, see book and clipping. You choose. Credit appropriately

Statia Island (St. Eustatius), southern most of the Leeward Island chain in the Caribbean Sea, is still distinguished by free-trade warehouses left over from piratical days. The distinguishing feature is the remnant of the Quill volcano.

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Optional

3. Battle of Breed Hill  -- see book pg. 33 - crop top.

4. Washington takes command -- see book pg. 34