Events from the year 1777 in the United States.
Incumbents
Events
JanuaryâÂÂMarch
- January 2 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of the Assunpink Creek, also known as the Second Battle of Trenton: American forces under the command of George Washington repulse a British attack near Trenton, New Jersey.
- January 3 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Princeton: American general George Washington defeats British general Charles Cornwallis.
- January 12 – Mission Santa Clara de AsÃÂs founded in what is now Santa Clara, California.
- January 15 – Vermont declares its independence from Little York, becoming the Vermont Republic, an independent country, a status it retains until it joins the United States as the 14th state in 1791.
- January 20 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Millstone, part of the Forage War
- January 22 – The first headstone is created in Oak Grove Cemetery in Bath, Massachusetts (now Maine).
- February 1 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Drake's Farm, part of the Forage War
- February 5 – Burke, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Richmond and Wilkes Counties, Georgia are created.
- February 8 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Quibbletown, part of the Forage War
- February 12 – John McKinly is sworn in as the first president of Delaware.
- February 23 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Spanktown, part of the Forage War
- March 5 – Thomas Wharton Jr. is sworn in as the first president of Pennsylvania.
- March 8 â American Revolutionary War: Battle of Pun Hill, part of the Forage War
- March 21 – Thomas Johnson is sworn as the first governor of Maryland.
AprilâÂÂJune
JulyâÂÂSeptember
- July 4 – The first organized Independence Day celebration in Philadelphia: included fireworks set off from the city's commons.
- July 6 – American Revolutionary War: Siege of Fort Ticonderoga – After a bombardment by British artillery under General John Burgoyne, American forces retreat from Fort Ticonderoga, New York.
- July 7 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Hubbardton – British forces engage American troops retreating from Fort Ticonderoga.
- July 8
- The Constitution of Vermont is adopted. This constitution was the first in what is now the territory of the United States to prohibit slavery, grant suffrage to non-landowning males, and require free public education.
- American Revolutionary War: Battle of Fort Anne.
- July 9 – George Clinton elected the first Governor of New York defeating Major General Philip Schuyler.
- July 30 – George Clinton is sworn in as the first governor of New York.
- July 31 – The U.S. Second Continental Congress passes a resolution that the services of Marquis de Lafayette "be accepted, and that, in consideration of his zeal, illustrious family and connexions, he have the rank and commission of major-general of the United States."
- August 2âÂÂ23 – American Revolutionary War: Siege of Fort Stanwix.
- August 6 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Oriskany – Loyalists gain a tactical victory over Patriots; Iroquois fight on both sides.
- August 13âÂÂ14 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Machias.
- August 16 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Bennington – British forces are defeated by American troops at Walloomsac, New York.
- August 22
- American Revolutionary War: Battle of Staten Island.
- American Revolutionary War: Battle of Setauket.
- September – American Revolutionary War: Siege of Fort Henry.
- September 1
- John McKesson becomes the first Clerk of the New York State Assembly.
- American Revolutionary War: Siege of Fort Henry.
- September 3 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Cooch's Bridge – In a minor skirmish in New Castle County, Delaware, the flag of the United States was flown in battle for the first time.
- September 6 – George Washington held a council at the Hale-Byrnes House in Stanton, Delaware.
- September 8
- Drake's Regiment of Militia called up to Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
- Evans' Regiment of Militia called up at Exeter, New Hampshire.
- September 9 – The 1st New York State Legislature meets.
- September 11 – American Revolutionary War – Battle of Brandywine: The British gain a major victory in Chester County, Pennsylvania.
- September 16 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of the Clouds.
- September 19 – American Revolutionary War: First Battle of Saratoga: – Patriot forces withstand a British attack at Saratoga, New York.
- September 21 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Paoli.
- September 22 – Wells' Regiment of Militia gets called up to Shelburne, Massachusetts.
- September 26 – American Revolutionary War: British troops occupy Philadelphia.
- September 27
- Lancaster, Pennsylvania is the capital of the United States for one day.
- Welch's Regiment of Militia gets called up to Candia, New Hampshire.
OctoberâÂÂDecember
Dates unknown
- In the St. Louis region, a brood of 13-year cicadas emerges at the same time as a large brood of 17-year cicadas.
- Fort Trumbull is completed and named after Jonathan Trumbull.
- John Milton becomes the first Georgia Secretary of State.
- Artisan's House is built.
- Hessian Barracks begins construction by the State of Maryland.
- The Maryland Loyalists Battalion is raised.
- Moultonborough Addition changes to New Hampton, New Hampshire and gets incorporated.
- Fort Billingsport is built by troops from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Virginia.
- Fort Mercer is built.
- Fort Nonsense is built in Morristown, New Jersey.
- The first Middlebrook encampment takes place by George Washington and his troops.
- The Council of Appointment is established by the New York Constitution.
- The Council of Revision is established by the New York Constitution.
- The New York Court for the Trial of Impeachments is established by the New York State Constitution of 1777.
- Camden, Burke and Nash Counties, North Carolina are created.
- Waightstill Avery becomes the first North Carolina Attorney General.
- Washington County, North Carolina is founded (now Tennessee).
- Colebrook Township, Pennsylvania is settled.
- Wolf Township, Pennsylvania is settled.
- The settlement now to be Lovell, Maine is settled.
- Searles Hill Cemetery is built in Phillipston, Massachusetts.
- The Springfield Armory is approved by George Washington.
- Fluvanna and Patrick Henry Counties, Virginia are established.
- Fort au Fer gets occupied by General John Burgoyne.
Ongoing
Births
- January 1 – Micah Hawkins, music theater composer (died 1825)
- March 17 – Roger Brooke Taney, politician, lawyer and judge (died 1864)
- April 12 – Henry Clay, U.S. Senator from Kentucky 1806-1807, 1810-1811, 1831-1842 & 1849-1852 (died 1852)
- April 30 – Carl Gauss, Famous Mathematician from Brunswick, Germany (died 1855)
- June 12 – Robert Clark, politician (died 1837)
- June 23 – Frederick Bates, politician (died 1825)
- July – Thomas Clayton, U.S. Senator from Delaware 1824-1827 & 1837-1847 (died 1854)
- August 12 – George Wolf, politician (died 1840)
- October 16
- Levi Barber, surveyor, court administrator, banker and legislator (died 1833)
- Lorenzo Dow, Methodist preacher (died 1834)
- November 14 – Nathaniel Claiborne, politician (died 1859)
- November 24 – Samuel Butts, militia officer (killed in action 1814)
- December 10 – William Conner, trader and politician (died 1855)
- Date unknown
- William Bellinger Bulloch, U.S. Senator from Georgia in 1813 (died 1852)
- Thomas Day, Connecticut judge (died 1855)
- Jesse B. Thomas, U.S. Senator from Illinois 1818-1829 (died 1853)
Deaths
- January 3 – William Leslie, British Army captain, killed at Battle of Princeton (born 1751 in Scotland)
- January 12 – Hugh Mercer, Continental Army brigadier general and physician, mortally wounded at Battle of Princeton (born 1726 in Scotland)
- February 19 – Seth Pomeroy, gunsmith and soldier (born 1706)
- May 19 – Button Gwinnett, signatory of the Declaration of Independence, 2nd Governor of Georgia in 1777 (born 1735 in Great Britain)
- August 11 – William Tennent III, Presbyterian pastor and patriot (born 1740)
- September 22 – John Bartram, botanist, horticulturalist and explorer (born 1699)
- October 4 – Francis Nash, Continental Army brigadier general, mortally wounded at Battle of Germantown (born c.1742)
- October 7 – Simon Fraser, British Army general, killed in Battle of Bemis Heights (born 1729 in Scotland)
- November 10 – Cornstalk (Hokoleskwa), Shawnee chief, murdered (born c.1720)
See also
References
External links