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History is for Everyone

NH, USA

New Castle

The Revolutionary War history of New Castle.

Why New Castle Matters

New Castle, New Hampshire

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On December 14–15, 1774 — four months before Lexington — New Hampshire patriots under John Sullivan raided the British garrison at Fort William and Mary on New Castle island, capturing 97 barrels of gunpowder and dozens of cannon. The seized arms were later used at Bunker Hill. It was among the first overt acts of armed rebellion in the colonies. The site is now Fort Constitution Historic Site, maintained by the New Hampshire Division of Historical Resources.

Paul Revere's engraving of the Boston Massacre, 1770
Paul Revere, 'The Bloody Massacre Perpetrated in King Street Boston on March 5th 1770' — hand-colored engraving, 1770. Library of Congress. Public domain.