Dispatch from 1775: Spurred on by Patrick Henry, Virginia votes to arm itself for war

The year 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Cardinal News has embarked on a three-year project to tell the little-known stories of Virginia’s role in the march to independence. As part of this, I’m writing monthly columns about the politics of the era, written the same way I’d write them today. The events described here took place in March 1775. You can sign up for our monthly newsletter here:

Did Patrick Henry just lead us into war? Or is that war already upon us?