Newburyport’s Road to Independence, Part I: The Long, Dark Winter of 1776

Historian Alexander Cain returns to Newburyport to explore one of the most tense and transformative moments in American history in this engaging lecture on Massachusetts and Newburyport in early 1776. As the Siege of Boston drags through a bitter winter, he will discuss civilian suffering inside the town, the controversial use of smallpox in efforts to break the stalemate, and the evolving roles of the militia and the Continental Army. He then turns to Newburyport’s own story: the growing rumblings of independence, the dangerous position of Loyalists, and the unleashing of the town’s most potent weapon in support of the American cause: its “wolfpack” fleet of privateers, which struck at the heart of British supply lines and reshaped Newburyport’s economy and identity on land and at sea.

Alex has authored numerous research articles and presentations on the American Revolution, including the Battles of Lexington, Concord, and Bunker Hill, the Siege of Boston,Massachusetts privateers and the experiences of New England and New York loyalist refugees during the Burgoyne Campaign. In addition, he has published two books: We Stood Our Ground: Lexington in the First Year of the American Revolution and I See Nothing but the Horrors of a Civil War: The Loyalists of McAlpin’s Corps of American Volunteers. He is also the creator of the blog and podcast Historical Nerdery (historicalnerdery.com). Currently, he is in the process of writing his next book, “For God’s Sake, Fire!” – The Massachusetts Militia System on the Eve of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, which is anticipated to be released in 2027.
Funded, in part, by the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism