The Burning of Falmouth: The Fire That Forged the Declaration of Independence
About this episode
In October 1775, the Royal Navy unleashed a firestorm on the colonial seaport of Falmouth, Massachusetts (modern-day Portland, Maine). What started as a punitive bombardment by Lieutenant Henry Mowat to punish the town turned into a massive strategic blunder. It radicalized the eastern seaboard, helped establish the Continental Navy, and literally wrote itself into the Declaration of Independence.
Welcome back to History Distilled. In this episode, we break down the maritime standoff that sparked the siege, the relentless incendiary barrage of the HMS Canceaux, and the defiant militia resistance in the burning streets.
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- Dan
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