Patriots Win the Battle of Gloucester

On this day in history, August 8, 1775, Patriots win the Battle of Gloucester, an early battle of the American Revolution fought in Gloucester Harbor, Massachusetts. After the war broke out on April 19, patriots from around the colonies surrounded the British in Boston, trapping them inside the city. This made the British soldiers dependent on supplies brought in from the sea.

British General Thomas Gage and Admiral Samuel Graves began sending raiding parties along the coast to take supplies from seaside communities and farms. One such raid was attempted by Captain John Linzee, aboard the HMS Falcon, on August 5, when he sent a raiding party to shore near Ipswich Bay. This particular raid failed when local farmers drove off the sailors with their shotguns.

Linzee cruised along the coast of Cape Ann for a few days, until he saw two American merchant ships, newly arrived from the West Indies, on the morning of August 8th. Linzee pursued the ships, quickly capturing one of them without a fight and posting his own men to captain the ship. The second ship, however, was captained by a more experienced seaman who knew the area well. He sailed into Gloucester Bay and grounded the ship to prevent the British from capturing it.

Linzee anchored the Falcon and the captured ship in the bay, then sent out 3 small boats of sailors to capture the grounded ship. By this time, the people of Gloucester had called out the militia, who began firing on the small boats as they approached the ship. The sailors reached the ship, but were trapped on board by continuous gunfire from the shore.

Captain Linzee fired his cannons on the town and sent a landing party to burn the town down as a distraction. The landing party was not able to reach the town, however, and the sailors remained trapped on the ship. Late in the afternoon, Linzee’s first lieutenant, in charge of the boarding party on the ship and now injured from gunfire, managed to get away on a small boat with a few other sailors, but the rest remained trapped on the ship.

The grounded ship was eventually boarded by the citizens and the remaining soldiers were taken captive. Linzee, realizing things were falling apart, sent the captured schooner to shore to retrieve the captured soldiers. The schooner’s native sailors mutinied against Linzee’s men, took them captive and reclaimed the ship. At this point, Linzee realized resistance was futile and he sailed off.

The British loss at the Battle of Gloucester was listed as one of the reasons for an October expedition under British Captain Henry Mowat to punish Massachusetts coastal towns. Captain Mowat’s orders specifically included Gloucester as a target, but Mowat decided to forego bombarding the town because its buildings were too far apart and he didn’t think his ships’ guns would have much effect.

This expedition culminated in the Burning of Falmouth (present-day Portland, Maine), the first American town completely destroyed by the British. The burning of Falmouth led many Americans who were previously neutral or undecided to come down squarely against the British and led the Continental Congress to create the Continental Navy.

This article was originally posted on Revolutionary War and Beyond

I recently came across a new service called Dog Spots on the New York State Thruway that travellers may be interested in: dog-sized sanctuaries available for travellers so you don’t have to leave your dog in the car while you run errands, etc.  Using an app on your phone (DogSpot by Dog Parker), you can lock/unlock and monitor your pet while they are enjoying the climate controlled environment. After your pet leaves, it sanitizes itself.  For 30 cents a minute!

This service is currently available at some rest areas on the NY Thruway and is apparently coming within the year to several cities including Boston. Membership includes one dog and two dog parents and is $25 but, the website says they are currently waiving membership fees. Here’s a news video if you are interested.

An image borrowed from the website gives you an idea:

I can’t wait to bring the girls down!

https://twitter.com/YupThatExist/status/998896383531864064

Hi Joey:

Windhover AUGUST News of Performances and Special Events 2018

Quarry Dance Vll drew record crowds at the MARS estate last weekend. It was one of those magical performances that seemed to transcend time, with the beauty of the landscape and the pristine quarry matched by the athleticism and stunning talent of the Dušan Týnek Dance Theatre dancers.

Blue Whale lecture: With our goal of celebrating and learning more about the natural world and the preservation of the creatures that inhabit it, please join us for a lecture on the Blue Whale. Coming up on Wednesday, August 15^th from 5:30-7:30pm, researcher/scientist Michael Fishbach of the Great Whale Conservancy will present a power point talk with video about what we know of this largest creature on earth and what we are doing to protect them. RSVP required to Lisa Hahn at Windhover@verizon.net  Donations appreciated. Wine and cheese served.

Better Balance & Brain Movement Workshop for teachers that teach seniors. Stay physically stable and mentally able. This workshop explores balance, cognitive impairment and movement by understanding issues related to aging. Taught by Lynn Simonson, creator of Simonson Technique, an organic approach to movement that prepares the body to dance in a way that is anatomically intelligent and somatically aware. Friday. August 10- Saturday, August 11, 2018. Inquires can be addressed to Lynn Simonson at: simonsondance@gmail.com

Paul Taylor 2 Dance Company returns to Windhover from Wednesday, August 22 – Sunday, August 26, 2018. This exciting modern dance company brings athleticism and fresh ideas to bear on choreography. Open classes for all ages and levels are scheduled for you to drop in at the following times: Wednesday, August 22 from 9:30-1:00am; Thursday, August 23 from 6:00-7:30pm; Friday, August 24^th from 9:30-11:00am; and finally on Saturday, August 25^th from 9:30-11:00am. One open rehearsal of the Paul Taylor 2 Company will be a treat for viewers to see on Thursday, August 23^rd from 4:00-6:00pm.

PERFORMANCES: On Friday and Saturday evenings, August 24^th and 25^th at 7:30pm, the entire PT2 dance company will perform Paul Taylor’s choreography at Windhover, on our outdoor stage, weather permitting. Otherwise, the performances will take place in our back dance studio with limited seating. Dances performed include: Party Mix; 3 Epitaphs; Runes and Aureole, all works choreographed by Paul Taylor. Check out our website for further details or call Windhover at 978-546-3611.

No tickets or fees, but tax deductible contributions are greatly appreciated for classes and performances. Contact: Lisa Hahn, Executive Director, Windhover, 257 Rear Granite Street, P.O.Box 2249, Rockport, MA. 01966

Email: Windhover@verizon.net     www.windhover.org

Reflections on the water usually give me that “peaceful easy feeling” (how many of you are humming that song right now?)