#gaspee

[galvanized-art]

Cards I illustrated for an educational trading card game about the American Revolution

[davidbrussat]

Battle of the 195 riverfront

Battle of the 195 riverfront

The proposed hotel would sit just north of the east end of the wavy footbridge in this illustration of what the 195 district could look like – minus its regrettable new buildings. (The River Church)

The I-195 Redevelopment District Commission gave Level 1 approval this afternoon to a hotel proposed for the water’s edge east of the Providence River, a place from which the colonists’ assault on the…

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[rihistoricalsociety]

The Burning of the Gaspee

The following is a guest post by RIHS intern Jessica Chandler.

RHiX3119. The Burning of the Gaspee.

When the Gaspee, an armed British Navy ship, became grounded in the waters near Providence, John Brown called everyone to action. His plan? To attack and destroy. Many hated the ship, and after meeting in Sabin’s Tavern at nine o’clock on June 9, 1772, the group headed out to the long boats. As they set off, sailing silently into the waters, all held weapons and a hatred for the British. It was at midnight that the British noticed the long boats, and from there the attack begun. The 1856 painting above commemorates the event, which is considered one of the first acts of war in the American Revolution.

From there, two things happened. First, Joseph Wanton, Governor the Colony of Rhode Island at the time, released this proclamation on June 12, informing citizens of the burning while also putting out a one hundred pound reward for those involved with the act.

RHiX17563. A Proclamation.

Second, also appearing in 1772, was this “New Song Called the Gaspee,” a rhyme that details what happened that night on June 9. One of the verses reads:

Then set the men upon the land,

And burnt her up we understand,

Which thing prokes the king so high,

He said those men shall surely die.

The purpose of the song might have been to spread the word so more men involved in the incident would be caught, due to the four verses at the end which detail the rewards set by the Proclamation.

RHiX17320. New Song Called the Gaspee.

These, along with many other items, are a part of the Rhode Island Historical Society’s collections, and serve as a reminder of this momentous event that occurred 242 years ago this June 9.

Works Cited

Bucklin, Leonard H. “The Story of the Gaspee Attack.” Gaspee Info. History. Joseph Bucklin Society. 2009. Web. 26 May 2014. <http://www.gaspee.info/history/GaspeeStory.htm>

Bucklin, Leonard H. “Order of Events.” Gaspee Info. History. Joseph Bucklin Society. 2009. Web. 26 May 2014. <http://www.gaspee.info/history/eventsOrder.htm>

[moreteaforme]

MY DREAM COME TRUE!!!

Redcoats marching through Providence with torches!

The Queen coming to retake her realms! 

How long I have waited!

[minutemanworld-blog]

On June 9, 1772 the HMS Gaspee was burned to the ground after being lured into shallow water where she was grounded and then attacked by Rhode Islanders. At this time the anti-smuggling laws of England were seen by many New Englanders as being unjust and Rhode Islanders led by Abraham Whipple and John Brown burned the Gaspee and looted the ship.

One of Brown's ships would later be captained by John Paul Jones as a privateer. After the war Brown would be one of the first people to be charged under the federal anti-slavery importation acts.

Abraham Whipple was a successful captain and squadron commander in the Revolutionary War until taken prisoner in 1780. He remained a farmer for the rest of his life, eventually moving west--first to Vermont and then to Ohio.

[donewithfish]

Moonbats on Flickr.

[jamie-r0se]

And this is why no one outside of Rhode Island should try to achieve "Rhode Island Drunk"

[donewithfish]

Parade Day

Today my neighborhood celebrates The Burning Of The Gaspee. The Gaspee was a British ship named by combining the words gas and pee without any humorous intentions. A bunch of colonial drunks burned the ship to the waterline and captured and shot its captain, revolting against British something something taxes. It is one of the events that lead to the American Revolution.

The Gaspee Days Committee, a group of local people I probably wouldn't like who formed a committee because they couldn't figure out how to run for a real office, used to refer to the burning of the H.M.S. Gaspee as The First Blow For Freedom until someone pointed out that the word blow makes people think of penises. See? You just thought of a big, juicy, rock-hard penis. Or you did now, anyway.

My father had a Gaspee Day Parade T-Shirt for roughly thirty years before his wife threw it out. It was basically see-through by that time, even when dry. He was mad when she did, even though it was on the verge of disintegration.

I don't go to the parade anymore because fuck parades. If I want to watch people walk and sweat I'll go to work.

When I did go to the parade, I ignored almost everyone in it except for the Governor, who I booed, and the Vietnam Vets, who I would stand and applaud for. Those guys deserve it.

The one parade I do like watching is the parade of losers walking down my street to go TO the parade. 

Tonight there is a colonial encampment at the park down the street from my house. Tomorrow is the reenactment of the burning of the Gaspee. In the old days, they would push an old boat out into the water and light it on fire until the liberals put a stop to it. Now it's all earth friendly and shitty. If I ever hit powerball, I'm going to hire a bunch of people to dress like British Soldiers and invade the encampment.