Press Releases
One Month Until the 250th Anniversary of Evacuation Day
Commemorative event to recognize the British evacuation of Boston in 1776
The commemoration, part of Massachusetts 250, will feature a ceremonial 10:30 a.m. processional march through South Boston, reenacting the transportation of canon towards the Dorchester Heights Monument in South Boston. A commemorative program will begin at 11:00 a.m., and rededicate the newly refurbished monument at Dorchester Heights. The event will honor the service and sacrifice of thousands of soldiers and civilians whose efforts ended the 332-day Siege of Boston and altered the course of American history.
On March 5, 1776, General George Washington, alongside General Henry Knox, positioned artillery transported from Fort Ticonderoga atop Dorchester Heights using prefabricated fortifications. Facing a fortified American position and weakened by weather and strained conditions, British General William Howe ordered the evacuation of more than 11,000 soldiers and over 1,200 Loyalist civilians aboard a fleet of 120 ships on March 17, 1776. British forces never again occupied Massachusetts.
The procession is open to the public, and the ceremony will be held within a tent at the Dorchester Heights Monument. Admission to an adjacent tent is free and open to the public. The commemorative program will include historical reenactments, music, a wreath-laying ceremony, and a community time capsule event, culminating in celebratory canon fire and music recessional.
Event Highlights — Dorchester Heights Monument
Color Guard, musical entertainment, and reenactor procession of more than 20 groups
Monument rededication ceremony
Remarks from state, federal, and city leaders
Community time capsule presentation
Musical performances and ceremonial wreath laying
Bugle performance of Taps
Scheduled speakers include:
National Park Service representative
Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey
Massachusetts Congressman Stephen Lynch
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu
South Boston Citizens Association representative
Community representatives and historians
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