As if in response to a statement by John Adams that American independence ought to be celebrated with “Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other”, American troops bombarded and set on fire a small British warship that had wandered within range between Staten Island, where the huge British army had just landed, and the New Jersey shore, where the Americans still held their ground. This took place at daybreak of July 4th, 1776, and the ship was still on fire, with the flames and smoke visible from the town of New York, at noon.
Meanwhile, according to one source, a more spectacular fireworks show was taking place in Little Egg Harbor, at the mouth of the Mullica River in southern New Jersey. John Hancock, relying on hearsay, wrote from Philadelphia that an American ship loaded with guns and gunpowder had been run ashore by a British warship:
Our people began unloading her, and after Taking out some Arms and 250 half [barrels of] Powder they discover’d a Number of Boats full of Men from the [British] Ships of war approaching them. Our People finding it necessary to quit the Vessell, and determining she should not fall into the Enemy’s hands, laid a long train [i.e., fuse] whereby to Blow her up; the Men from the Boats boarded her, gave three Cheers, and immediately the Ship Blew up, and Destroy’d in a moment 50 or 60 of The Man-of-war’s men and sent them to ——— Heaven, I hope. … thus they see it is Dangerous to be too meddling in other Men’s affairs, they had better quit, but if they will be so foolish they must abide the Consequence.
John Hancock to William Cooper, 6 July 1776.
The account that Hancock heard and passed on makes a good story, but it’s unfortunately inaccurate in most of its details: the incident actually happened on July 5th, rather than the 4th; the crew of the American ship (the General Putnam), though run ashore, was able to beat off the approaching British; and the ship did not get blown up. In the words of the American captain:
I…got all my arms and ammunition on the beach, and the [British] ship came to anchor about a quarter of a mile from us, and began a heavy firing upon us; at last, she hoisted out two barges and manned them with about 50 men; but as they approached the shore, we handled them so roughly that they were obliged to make a scandalous retreat.
Captain Thomas Cregier to Thomas Randall, 9 July 1776.
But, although that first Fourth of July was lacking in fireworks, we’ve more than made up for it since.