1779

Events from the year **1779 in the United States**.

## Incumbents

* President of the Second Continental Congress: John Jay (until September 28), Samuel Huntington (starting September 28)

## Events

### January and March

* January 22 – American Revolutionary War: Claudius Smith is hanged at Goshen, Orange County, New York for supposed acts of terrorism upon the people of the surrounding communities.
* January 29 – After a second petition for partition from its residents, the North Carolina General Assembly abolishes Bute County, North Carolina (established 1764) by dividing it and naming the northern portion Warren County (for Revolutionary War hero Joseph Warren) and the southern portion Franklin County (for Benjamin Franklin). The General Assembly also establishes Warrenton (also named for Joseph Warren) to be the county seat of Warren County and Louisburg (named for Louis XVI of France) to be the county seat of Franklin County.
* February 3 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Beaufort.
* February 14
	+ British Captain James Cook is killed on the Sandwich Islands (later known as the Hawaiian Islands) on his third and last voyage.
	+ American Revolutionary War: Battle of Kettle Creek: A Patriot militia decisively defeats and scatters a Loyalist militia that was on its way to British-controlled Augusta, Georgia.
* February 23 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Vincennes begins.
* February 25 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Vincennes ends.
* March 3 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Brier Creek.

### April - June

* May 1 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Chillicothe.
* May 10 – American Revolutionary War: Chesapeake raid begins.
* May 24 – American Revolutionary War: Chesapeake raid ends.
* June 1 – American Revolutionary War: Benedict Arnold is court-martialed for malfeasance in his treatment of government property.
* June 16
	+ American Revolutionary War: In support of the U.S., Spain declares war on England.
	+ American Revolutionary War: Capture of Saint Vincent begins.
* June 18 – American Revolutionary War: Capture of Saint Vincent ends.
* June 20 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Stono Ferry.
* June 24 – American Revolutionary War: Great Siege of Gibraltar begins.

### July - September

* July 2 – American Revolutionary War: Capture of Grenada begins.
* July 4 – American Revolutionary War: Capture of Grenada ends.
* July 5 – American Revolutionary War: Tryon's raid begins.
* July 6 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Grenada.
* July 7 – Battle of Fairfield destroys 54 barns, 47 storehouses, burned 83 homes, two churches, and municipal buildings including a schoolhouse, the courthouse and the local jail.
* July 11 – Battle of Norwalk weakly opposed by about 50 local militia, easily dispersed. The destruction of the village and its commercial infrastructure destroyed.
* July 14 – American Revolutionary War: Tryon's raid ends.
* July 16 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Stony Point, United States forces led by General Anthony Wayne capture Stony Point, New York from British troops.
* July 22 – Battle of Minisink: The Goshen Militia is destroyed by Joseph Brant's forces.
* July 24 – American Revolutionary War: American forces led by Commodore Dudley Saltonstall launch the Penobscot Expedition begins in what is now Castine, Maine, resulting in the worst naval defeat in U.S. history until Pearl Harbor.
* August 16 – American Revolutionary War: Penobscot Expedition ends.
* August 19 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Paulus Hook.
* August 29 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Newtown.
* September 7 – American Revolutionary War: Capture of Fort Bute.
* September 10 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Lake Pontchartrain.
* September 13 – American Revolutionary War: Boyd and Parker ambush.
* September 14 – American Revolutionary War: Action of 14 September 1779.
* September 16 – American Revolutionary War: Siege of Savannah begins.
* September 21 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Baton Rouge: Spanish troops under Bernardo de Galvez capture the city from the British.
* September 23 – American Revolution: Battle of Flamborough Head: The American ship *Bonhomme Richard*, commanded by John Paul Jones, engages the British ship *Serapis*. The *Bonhomme Richard* sinks, but the Americans board the *Serapis* and other vessels, and are victorious.

### October - December

* October 4 – The Fort Wilson Riot takes place.
* October 6 – American Revolutionary War: Action of 6 October 1779.
* October 16 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of San Fernando de Omoa begins.
* October 18 – American Revolutionary War: Siege of Savannah ends.
* November 2 – The North Carolina General Assembly carves a new county from Dobbs County, North Carolina and names it Wayne County in honor of United States General Anthony Wayne.
* November 11 – American Revolutionary War: Action of 11 November 1779.
* November 20 – American Revolutionary War: Action of 20 November 1779.
* November 29 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of San Fernando de Omoa ends.
* December 18 – American Revolutionary War: First Battle of Martinique.
* December 25 – Fort Nashborough, later to become Nashville, Tennessee, is founded by James Robertson.

## Memoriam

* February 14 – James Cook, Explorer and Navigator (aged 50; Kealakekua Bay, HI Kingdom)