Week 7: Cambridge and the American Revolution

 Elmwood

In J.L. Bell’s George Washington's Headquarters in the Longfellow House, the role of Tory Row estates, like Elmwood, is crucial to understanding the shifting allegiances and tensions that characterized Cambridge in the pre-Revolutionary era. One of the themes in Bell’s study that informs the events surrounding Elmwood is the relationship between loyalist figures and the colonial resistance, especially in the context of Cambridge’s growing revolutionary sentiment.

Elmwood, as the estate of Thomas Oliver, the last Royal Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts Bay Colony, became a flashpoint in the larger conflict between the British authorities and colonial resistance. Bell’s work highlights how figures like Oliver were central to the political struggle, as they embodied royal authority in the colonies. The example of the Powder Alarm and the subsequent mob action against Oliver illustrates a key aspect of Bell’s discussion: the increasingly public and direct confrontation between colonial authorities and the people they governed. Oliver’s appointment to the Mandamus Council, alongside Judges Samuel Danforth and Joseph Lee, as part of the Intolerable Acts, mirrors Bell’s exploration of how these laws alienated local populations and fueled revolutionary fervor.

Bell’s treatment of Cambridge’s political climate during this period aligns with the description of the Powder House Alarm and the subsequent demand for Oliver’s resignation. The scene at Elmwood, where Oliver resigned under pressure from a crowd of 4,000 colonists, mirrors Bell’s broader exploration of how colonial officials were forced to choose between loyalty to the Crown and the growing revolutionary movement. Bell emphasizes how these public confrontations were not just political, but personal, as the homes of loyalists were seized and repurposed by the revolutionaries, symbolizing the collapse of royal authority.

The seizure of Elmwood and its conversion into a hospital during the Siege of Boston is another reflection of Bell’s theme of how the Revolution transformed both public and private spaces in Cambridge. Just as other Tory Row properties were taken over by the patriots, Elmwood’s shift from a loyalist residence to a military hospital symbolizes the broader shift in power from British loyalists to the revolutionary cause. Bell’s study of Washington’s headquarters underscores the strategic importance of Cambridge during the early stages of the war, and the transformation of estates like Elmwood into military resources is part of this larger narrative.

The presence of Benedict Arnold at Elmwood during the Siege of Boston further highlights Bell’s discussion of the convergence of important revolutionary figures in Cambridge during this time. The estate, once a symbol of British loyalty, became a crucial site for the patriot cause, illustrating the fluid nature of property, power, and allegiances during the Revolutionary War.

Bell’s study of Cambridge during the Revolution informs the example of Elmwood by framing it as a microcosm of the larger political and social upheaval of the time. The forced resignation of Thomas Oliver and the repurposing of his estate reflect Bell’s exploration of how loyalist properties and figures were caught up in the revolutionary struggle, ultimately succumbing to the forces of rebellion that swept through Cambridge.

Christ Church

One chapter that informs the events surrounding Christ Church is the section that discusses the impact of war on Cambridge’s public spaces and religious institutions, particularly as symbols of both colonial loyalty and revolutionary transformation.

Christ Church, as described in the provided example, was initially a gathering place for loyalists, reflecting its Tory-aligned congregation and architectural connection to the Anglican Church of England. Bell’s work emphasizes how structures like Christ Church were caught in the crossfire of political and social shifts, with loyalist buildings and homes becoming targets of disdain after their wealthy patrons fled. This mirrors Bell’s broader exploration of how the Revolutionary War upended everyday life in Cambridge, from public spaces to private homes, with buildings either abandoned, repurposed, or, as in the case of Christ Church, symbolically ransacked by anti-British forces.

Bell’s focus on Cambridge as a center of revolutionary activity, particularly during Washington’s stay, is also echoed in the church’s temporary reopening for a prayer service attended by Martha Washington. This moment reflects the relationship between the revolutionaries and their former British rulers. Bell’s examination of Washington’s leadership includes how he managed not just military campaigns, but also the moral and religious sensibilities of the people around him. This service, invoking divine guidance for King George III, illustrates the conflicted feelings among the American revolutionaries, as they still hoped for reconciliation with the British Crown before full independence became inevitable.

The desecration of Christ Church during the funeral of Lt. Richard Browne, as described in the example, further highlights the deep animosity between Cambridge residents and British forces. Bell’s study on the interactions between British prisoners and local citizens helps contextualize this violent act. The tension described in Bell’s work between the captured British troops and the resentful American populace mirrors the event in the church, where residents expressed their anger through the destruction of British property. This also exemplifies the theme of revolutionary fervor transforming public institutions—churches once representing British colonial authority became battlegrounds of cultural and political defiance.

Bell’s work on Washington’s headquarters helps to frame the broader significance of Christ Church in revolutionary Cambridge, as both a symbol of loyalist abandonment and as a site of revolutionary conflict and repurposing. The church’s transformation, from a place of worship to a military barracks, and later, its desecration during Browne’s funeral, encapsulates the shifting power dynamics and social upheaval Bell discusses in his account of Cambridge’s role in the American Revolution.

The Courthouse

In J.L. Bell’s George Washington's Headquarters in the Longfellow House, the tension surrounding Cambridge and its surrounding areas plays a crucial role in understanding the broader revolutionary context. One chapter that informs the events surrounding the Powder Alarm and subsequent colonial resistance is the section that discusses the political climate in Cambridge during the early stages of the American Revolution.

In Bell’s study, the role of local figures and their interactions with the British government is highlighted, particularly in the ways local governance and community leadership were directly affected by British mandates, such as the Intolerable Acts. The situation described in the courthouse scene reflects this, as the Mandamus Council and its imposed British loyalists were challenged directly by the colonists who rejected the legitimacy of the British-imposed governance. This aligns with Bell’s emphasis on how colonial opposition to British authority crystallized in areas like Cambridge, where local defiance was not just symbolic but manifested through direct action against figures like William Brattle, who were seen as collaborators.

The courthouse resignations of judges Samuel Danforth and Joseph Lee further echo Bell’s exploration of how local resistance coalesced into organized and strategic actions against British authority. Bell outlines how these acts of defiance were not isolated but part of a growing revolutionary sentiment that sought to reclaim local autonomy in the face of British oppression. In the context of the Powder Alarm, Bell’s work emphasizes how these tensions were part of a larger trajectory of escalating colonial resistance that would culminate in the armed conflict at Lexington and Concord.

Bell’s study of Washington’s headquarters provides insights into the socio-political environment that shaped revolutionary actions like the ones described at the Cambridge courthouse. The courthouse scene is informed by the broader context of local governance and revolutionary fervor that Bell explores in his discussion of pre-Revolutionary Cambridge.