A flying camp was a military formation employed by the Continental Army in the second half of 1776, during the American Revolutionary War .
31-602: After the British evacuation of Boston in March 1776, General George Washington met with members of the Continental Congress to determine future military strategy. Faced with defending a huge amount of territory from potential British operations, Washington recommended forming a "flying camp", which in the military terminology of the day referred to a mobile, strategic reserve of troops. Congress agreed and on June 3, 1776, passed
62-520: A 2s 6d bonus. Brigadier-general Hugh Mercer of Virginia was commissioned as its commandant. Samuel Patterson (a miller from Christiana Bridge, Delaware) was appointed its battalion colonel. The town of Christiana Bridge is located on Old Kings Road, which was one of the first major inland routes in the colonies between Baltimore, Maryland, in the South, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the North. The flying camp
93-434: A female householder with no husband present, 52.0% were non-families, and 36.3% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 3.11. The median age was 31.5 years. The median income for a household in the county was $ 50,597 and the median income for a family was $ 58,127. Males had a median income of $ 48,887 versus $ 43,658 for females. The per capita income for
124-579: A repeat of the Battle of Bunker Hill , withdrawing from Boston to Nova Scotia on March 17, 1776. The British evacuation was Washington's first victory of the war . It was also a huge morale boost for the Thirteen Colonies . Saint Patrick's Day parades have been held in Boston since 1876, but Evacuation Day was not declared a holiday in the city until 1901 amid interest in local history that also resulted in
155-426: A resolution "that a flying camp be immediately established in the middle colonies and that it consist of 10,000 men ...." The men recruited for the flying camp were to be militiamen from three colonies: 6000 from Pennsylvania , 3400 from Maryland , and 600 from Delaware . They were to serve until December 1, 1776, unless discharged sooner by Congress, and to be paid and fed in the same manner as regular soldiers of
186-722: A set of communities grouped together for some statistical purposes. Suffolk County is located at the core of the Boston- Cambridge - Newton , MA- NH Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the greater Boston- Worcester -Providence, MA- RI - NH - CT Combined Statistical Area . The county was created by the Massachusetts General Court on May 10, 1643, when it was ordered "that the whole plantation within this jurisdiction be divided into four shires ". Suffolk initially contained Boston , Roxbury , Dorchester , Dedham , Braintree , Weymouth , and Hingham . The county
217-514: A specific racial/ethnic group or sexual minority , (week) = week-long holidays, (month) = month-long holidays, (36) = Title 36 Observances and Ceremonies Suffolk County, Massachusetts Suffolk County ( / ˈ s ʌ f ə k / SUF -ək ) is located in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts , in the United States. As of the 2020 census , the population was 797,936, making it
248-582: Is the same day as Saint Patrick's Day , a coincidence that played a role in the establishment of the holiday. The 11-month siege of Boston ended when the Continental Army under the command of George Washington fortified Dorchester Heights in early March 1776 with cannons captured at Ticonderoga . British General William Howe's garrison and navy were threatened by these positions, and they were forced to decide between attack and retreat. Howe decided to retreat in order to prevent what could have been
279-456: Is water. It is the second-smallest county in Massachusetts by land area and smallest by total area. Suffolk County has no land border with Plymouth County to its southeast, but the two counties share a water boundary in the middle of Massachusetts Bay . Of the 292,767 households, 24.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 27.1% were married couples living together, 16.3% had
310-483: The Continental Army . Congress appropriated $ 38,500 (in Spanish dollars at 7s 6d [shillings and pence] per paper Continental dollar) for the regiments' support. The pay rate per month was dictated by Congress: Colonel 450s, Lt. colonel 400s, major 350s, captains 300s, lieutenants 200s, ensigns 160s, sergeants 90s, corporals 60s, and privates 50s. Mounted dragoons, artillerymen, and militia serving outside their state received
341-470: The 1st Maryland Regiment, may well have prevented the capture of the majority of Washington's army, an event that might have ended the colonial rebellion. Some 300 of the 400 men from Maryland died, along with 31 of the men from Delaware. The British buried the dead in a mass grave consisting of six trenches in a farm field. Ultimately, of the original Maryland muster, 96 returned, with only 35 fit for immediate duty. Historian Thomas Field, writing in 1869, called
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#1733085753388372-523: The Democratic Party overwhelmingly. No Republican presidential candidate has won there since Calvin Coolidge in 1924. In 2012 Barack Obama received 77.4% of the vote, compared to 20.8% for former governor of Massachusetts Mitt Romney . In the 2014 gubernatorial election , Martha Coakley carried the county by a 32.4% margin, while losing the election statewide by 48.4 to 46.5%. In 2020, Joe Biden won
403-553: The construction of the Dorchester Heights Monument . The state made it a holiday in Suffolk County in 1938. The large Irish population of Boston at that time played a role in the establishment of the holiday. A 1941 law established the holiday in Suffolk County, signed in both black and green ink. Evacuation Day activities are limited in the areas that observe the holiday. The Allied War Veterans of South Boston mark
434-606: The county by the largest margin of any presidential candidate since Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964, and was the first candidate since then to win more than 80% of the vote in the county. The Suffolk County Sheriff's Department's primary responsibility is oversight of the Nashua Street Jail and the South Bay House of Correction . These were built in the 1990s to replace the historic Charles Street Jail and Deer Island Prison , respectively. The Suffolk County Sheriff's Department
465-587: The county region, but there is no county council, executives or commissioners. Prior to the abolition of county government, the authority of the Suffolk County Commission had for many years been exercised by the Boston City Council, even though three communities in the county are not part of the city. However, communities are now granted the right to form their own regional compacts for sharing services. Politically speaking, Suffolk County supports
496-623: The county was $ 30,720. About 15.7% of families and 20.6% of the population were below the poverty line , including 28.1% of those under age 18 and 19.1% of those age 65 or over. According to the 2012-2016 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, the largest ancestry groups in Suffolk County, Massachusetts are: Data is from the 2007-2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Each city has its own school district (including Boston Public Schools , Chelsea Public Schools , Revere Public Schools , and Winthrop Public Schools ), which all follow municipal boundaries. Tertiary institutions in
527-533: The day with a ceremony on Dorchester Heights. The city of Boston offers free parking for the day. In 2010, the state legislature debated eliminating Evacuation Day and Bunker Hill Day as official holidays, citing the expense of giving state and local workers paid days off. The state's 2011 budget required all state and municipal offices in Suffolk County to be open on both days. (federal) = federal holidays, (abbreviation) = state/territorial holidays, (religious) = religious holidays, (cultural) = holiday related to
558-808: The early 20th century, County government functions were absorbed by the City of Boston , with Boston City Council becoming the de-facto County Commission, and the City Treasurer similarly becoming the County Treasurer, albeit said government was not formally abolished until 1999. Like an increasing number of Massachusetts counties, Suffolk County exists today only as a historical geographic region, and has no county government. All former county functions were assumed by state agencies in 1999. The sheriff, district attorney, and some other regional officials with specific duties are still elected locally to perform duties within
589-405: The fourth-most populous county in Massachusetts. The county comprises the cities of Boston , Chelsea , and Revere , and the town of Winthrop . The traditional county seat is Boston , the state capital and the largest city in Massachusetts. The county government was abolished in 1999, resulting in Suffolk County now functioning only as an administrative subdivision of state government and
620-420: The number of men remaining during the retreat across New Jersey at 461 (officers included) when the flying camp battalion arrived at Perth Amboy on October 5, and at 480 of all ranks five days later. It was disbanded by the end of November. (Volo & Volo) The flying camp was an early and short-lived experiment with the concept of extra Continental regiments, a "national" rather than a "confederate" force, which
651-474: The spring and summer of 1777. In contrast to both the extra and additional regiments, all other infantry regiments of the army were organized and supported under the direct authority of individual state governments . Evacuation Day (Massachusetts) Evacuation Day is a holiday observed on March 17 in Suffolk County, Massachusetts (which includes the cities of Boston , Chelsea , and Revere , and
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#1733085753388682-503: The stand of these troops "an hour more precious to liberty than any other in history". Montgomery's and McAllister's Pennsylvanians were mostly made prisoner at the fall of Fort Washington. The remainder of the Pennsylvania Flying Camp marched home. Despite the best efforts of General Mercer, the flying camp was fraught with difficulties almost from its inception, and never realizing its full potential. Colonel Patterson tallied
713-526: The town of Winthrop ), and also by the public schools in Somerville, Massachusetts . The holiday commemorates the evacuation of British forces from the city of Boston following the siege of Boston , early in the American Revolutionary War . Schools and government offices are closed. If March 17 falls on a weekend, schools and government offices are closed on the following Monday in observance. It
744-513: The unit was to be "engaged to the first day of December next [1776]". Pennsylvania sent some 2,000 men, many of whom were quickly drafted into other service by Washington in New York. A list of the flying camp battalions initially formed in Delaware, Maryland, and Pennsylvania in 1776 includes (Miller): A further Maryland and Virginia rifle regiment (of the flying camp) was authorized June 17, 1776 but
775-536: Was also enlisted. Several Maryland militia companies were mustered into service and attached to the 400 that made up the Maryland Line (1st Maryland Regiment) and was ordered to New York, on July 4, 1776. There the Marylanders and those from Delaware took part in the fight at Brooklyn Heights. This was their first fighting in the war and a very costly battle for them as well. The soldiers from Delaware, fighting alongside
806-436: Was among those named in a 2020 WBUR report about the neglect of inmates with medical conditions in Massachusetts prisons leading to their deaths. Several notable figures in Massachusetts history were once the sheriff of Suffolk County: According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 120 square miles (310 km ), of which 58 square miles (150 km ) is land and 62 square miles (160 km ) (52%)
837-631: Was assigned to the main army. The regiment was to consist of the three existing companies, two from Maryland and one from Virginia, plus two new companies to be raised in Maryland, and four new companies to be raised in Virginia. Captain Daniel Morgan's company enlisted in (West) Virginia was the first from the South to reach the field. A German battalion, unofficially referred to as the 8th Maryland Regiment, composed of eight companies from Pennsylvania and Maryland
868-591: Was named after Suffolk , England, which means "southern folk." In 1731, the extreme western portions of Suffolk County, which included Mendon and Uxbridge , were split off to become part of Worcester County . In 1793, most of the original Suffolk County (including Milton ) except for Boston, Chelsea, Hingham, and Hull (which remained in Suffolk) split off and became Norfolk County . Hingham and Hull would leave Suffolk County and join Plymouth County in 1803. Revere
899-401: Was set off from Chelsea and incorporated in 1846 and Winthrop was set off from Revere and incorporated in 1852. In the late 19th century and early 20th century, Boston annexed several adjacent cities and towns including Hyde Park, Roxbury, West Roxbury, and Dorchester from Norfolk County and Charlestown and Brighton from Middlesex County , resulting in an enlargement of Suffolk County. During
930-422: Was to be composed of troops from Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Delaware for the immediate defense of New Jersey while the main army focused on the defense of New York. No such numbers were ever realized for this purpose, the total being under 6000, but Maryland and tiny Delaware seemingly managed to fulfill their quotas. Delaware was assigned to provide 600 men from among those it had already recruited for one year, and
961-439: Was to be distinct as having formed without any administrative connection to any individual state. Sixteen additional Continental regiments were approved by Congress as a separate group on December 27, 1776, specifically in response to a request from Washington for more troops other than mere militia, and Congress expressly delegated the formation of these regulars directly to him. All additional Continental regiments were organized in