This Day in History: March 4

On the night of March 4, 1776, the Patriot officers gave the order to 2,000 or so men -- no one was to speak above a whisper. As American batteries opened up on British positions in and around Boston to cloak the long file of Continental troops in "blue and buff" greatcoats or other hues, who lugged timber and cannons as silently as possible through the darkened streets of Roxbury and into Dorchester. Wincing from the blustery blasts off the Atlantic and from the heft of their ordnance, they pushed ever closer to their objective -- Dorchester Heights.

Of course, the Heights are now part of the National Park Service, so better not bring your guns. I found the following tidbit on the Boston National Historical Park website beyond obnoxious:

Did You Know?

The Internal Revenue Service used to conduct ceremonies rewarding its best collectors and other employees at Faneuil Hall? Considering that Faneuil Hall was the site of some notable tax resistance meetings before The Revolution, we must conclude that the IRS does have a sense of humor after all.

Haw-haw!