The John Batchelor Show

ASSASSINATION PLOTS AND THE MIRACLE OF NEW YORK Colleague Patrick O'Donnell. In 1776, a conspiracy orchestrated by Loyalist Governor Tryon to assassinate George Washington and destroy Patriot gunpowder supplies was uncovered. Thomas Hickey, a member of Washington's own Lifeguard, was implicated and subsequently executed. Later, during the Battle of Long Island, the Continental Army faced destruction, trapped against the East River. In what O'Donnell calls an "American Dunkirk," the Marblehead Regiment utilized their nautical skills to ferry 9,000 troops to safety in Manhattan under the cover of darkness and fog, saving the revolution from collapse. NUMBER 51872

WASHINGTON'S NAVY AND THE LIFEGUARD Colleague Patrick O'Donnell. Upon arriving in Cambridge in July 1775, George Washington formed a close bond with the Marblehead Regiment, relying on them for security and expertise. Facing a desperate shortage of gunpowder, Washington utilized the Marbleheaders to create an impromptu navy; Captain John Manley successfully captured a British ordinance ship, delivering vital supplies. Washington also established the "Lifeguard" (Commander-in-Chief's Guard) to protect himself and his papers, appointing Marbleheader Caleb Gibbs as commander. The segment describes Beverly as a crucial, difficult-to-navigate port that protected these new cruisers from the Royal Navy. NUMBER 41870

BUNKER HILL, SMALLPOX, AND TREASON Colleague Patrick O'Donnell. The discussion moves to June 1775, covering the Battle of Bunker Hill where Marbleheader Samuel Trevett's cannons successfully repelled Britishcharges despite a critical lack of gunpowder. O'Donnell also details a smallpox epidemic in Marblehead, where a Patriot-funded inoculation hospital on Cat Island was burned down by a mob of Loyalists. Amidst this turmoil, John Glover defended his home with a cannon in his foyer. The segment also reveals the duplicity of Dr. Benjamin Church, a high-ranking Patriot leader who was secretly providing intelligence to General Gage. NUMBER 31819

THE BATTLE OF MENOTOMY AND INFORMATION WARFARE Colleague Patrick O'Donnell. Following the initial skirmishes, the conflict escalated into the Battle of Menotomy, where Marbleheaders engaged the retreating British column in brutal combat. O'Donnell highlights a sophisticated "information warfare" campaign led by Elbridge Gerry, who compiled depositions to establish that the Crown fired first. The Patriots acquired a fast ship to rush this narrative to England, arriving two weeks before General Gage's official report and successfully swaying British public opinion. Additionally, this segment illustrates the civil war atmosphere, describing how Dr. Nathaniel Bond was threatened by neighbors for treating wounded British soldiers. NUMBER 21860

THE CORNFIELD ESCAPE AND THE POWDER CRISIS Colleague Patrick O'Donnell. Patrick O'Donnellintroduces the Marblehead leadership during the critical nights of April 1775. As the British marched toward Lexingtonand Concord to seize gunpowder, three key Patriot leaders—Elbridge Gerry, Azor Orne, and Jeremiah Lee—were forced to flee the Blackhorse Tavern and hide in a cornfield to avoid arrest. O'Donnell emphasizes that the conflict was initially a civil war over resources, specifically black powder, which the Marbleheaders had been smuggling in from Spain. The British aim was to disarm the rebels by seizing these munitions, sparking the events at Lexington. NUMBER 11780