10/13/2026
WIN a Dobbin House T-Shirt! (Rules below). It is October 1776. The newly declared United States of America is at war with the nation that still claims authority over it, the Kingdom of Great Britain.
The Second Continental Congress, representing the thirteen colonies that hoped to become an independent nation, faced the daunting challenge of creating an army capable of confronting Britain, the foremost military power in the world. On June 15, 1775, Congress appointed George Washington Commander in Chief and entrusted him with organizing the Continental Army. Neither Washington nor most members of Congress possessed significant experience in building or directing a national army. They were starting from scratch and would have to learn “on the job”.
A little more than a year into the conflict, Washington was struggling to unite the separate colonial militias into a cohesive fighting force while securing the supplies needed to sustain an army. Congress offered limited assistance, having little money, a skeletal administrative structure, and no effective authority to enforce its directives. Fortunately, aid from France began to provide much-needed arms and supplies.
The British, meanwhile, enjoyed the advantages of a well-funded government and centuries of military experience. They had already secured victories at Bunker Hill in June 1775, Quebec in December 1775, and Long Island in August 1776, and now occupied New York City. During these setbacks, Washington's greatest military achievement was often preserving his army and withdrawing it intact to fight another day.
Today, we know how the story ends. Yet in October 1776, the outcome was anything but certain. Rev. Alexander Dobbin and the other 2.4 million colonists could not see the future. They watched events unfold with anxiety and determination, wondering whether the revolutionary cause would survive or whether their hopes for independence would be crushed by the might of the British Empire.
Contest Rules: To celebrate the semiquincentennial (250th anniversary) of the 1776 United States and the 1776 Dobbin House, we have honored the year when the Declaration of Independence was adopted, and the Dobbin House was built with a monthly contest. Every month, we have an online story contest, with 3 winners receiving Dobbin House prizes- (1st) T-shirts, (2nd) ornaments and (3rd) pens. To enter the contest, simply respond within 48 hours with a short comment about this historical story. The Dobbin House staff will randomly choose 3 comments as the winners, whose authors will be notified by private message and later announced on this page. Notice! Be cautious of fake links. We only notify winners by private message. Thank you for your interest in our history and good luck!
