Revellers across the US took part in Fourth of July activities on Tuesday — celebrating the nation’s founding with parades, fireworks and even hot dog eating contests. Known somewhat more formally as the US Independence Day, the federal holiday marks the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. The American Revolutionary War lasted from 1775 to 1783 and – according to some historians – has some strong links with India.
A CNN report quoted history professor Kathleen DuVal and others to contend that Britain and France had fought the final battle of the American Revolution in Tamil Nadu’s Cuddalore.
“When France entered the war in 1778 as an American ally, the British East India Company immediately moved to attack France’s Indian colonies, drawing both countries’ Indian allies into the fight. One notable figure involved in the Anglo-French fighting was Hyder Ali, sultan of the Kingdom of Mysore in southern India,” the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia writes on its website.
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Seattle-based historian Don Glickstein told the publication that fighting took place on land and at sea near the French-led garrison at Cuddalore. The naval battle of Cuddalore on June 20 was considered a French victory while their troops were forced back on land. But as the French ships prepared to bombard the British land forces a “a British ship appeared in the distance flying a white flag”.
“They brought news that six months before in Paris, the British, French and the Americans – the Dutch were a little later – signed the Treaty of Paris ending the American Revolution. Cuddalore was indeed the last battle of the American Revolution,” he told the publication.
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Updated: 05 Jul 2023, 05:12 AM IST