1776
Tensions had been rising for months. In the town of Norfolk, Virginia, Patriot (colonist) forces had refused to resupply the British Fleet. In retaliation, the British Royal Navy opened fire on the waterfront. While the British started the fires, Patriot troops from Virginia and North Carolina significantly expanded the destruction by intentionally torching and looting homes belonging to Loyalists (Tories) to deny the British a base of operations. Within three days, nearly two-thirds of the city was in ruins. The Patriot leadership successfully framed the destruction as a British atrocity, which helped galvanize southern support for independence.
Meanwhile, General George Washington officially marked the transition of various colonial militias into the reorganized Continental Army. To mark the occasion, Washington raised the Grand Union Flag in Somerville, Massachusetts. This new flag featured 13 red and white stripes with the British Union Jack in the upper corner, symbolizing colonial unity while seeking redress as British subjects.
1777
New Year’s Day was a moment of intense preparation as General George Washington consolidated his forces to defend against a massive British counterattack after the First Battle of Trenton on December 26, 1776.
Most Continental soldiers' enlistments expired on December 31. Washington personally appealed to his men to stay for six more weeks, offering a $10 bounty. Most agreed to stay, preventing the army from dissolving. On January 1, funding finally arrived from the Continental Congress allowing Washington to pay his exhausted troops.
Skirmishes occurred between British and American riflemen at Five Mile Run and Shabakunk Creek in Lawrence (now Lawrenceville). These delayed the British from reaching Trenton for more than a day.