Today in History: January 27

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NASSAU, BAHAMAS – On this day in Bahamian history, the Raid of Nassau took place in 1778, during the American war of Independence.

The United States Continental Navy Sloop Providence, commanded by John Peck Rathbun anchored offshore, under the cover of darkness and a party of 26 marines rowed ashore and captured Fort Nassau, after climbing the walls and subduing the guards.

The marines deceived the soldiers at the fort by giving the “all is well!” call to guards while they repositioned the cannons to defend Nassau from any British forces that may have come to retaliate.

Captain John Trevett, who led the men ashore, later sent three marines to demand the surrender of Fort Montagu.

The fort was surrendered, and the marines dumped the gunpowder from the fort into the sea and spiked the cannon. Capt. Rathburn left Nassau on January 30, with the gunpowder from Fort Nassau, 300 guns and three ships captured from Nassau Harbour, burning another two that he was unable to take with him.

A long and stormy House of Assembly session took place on this day in 1958.

They met at 8:15 pm that dark night in what would go down in history, as one of the longest and stormiest sessions in its modern history.

One of the reasons for the prolonged parliamentary session was that then governor, Sir Raynor Arthur had requested that British troops be sent into Nassau.

In 2012, 65 people lost their jobs with the closure of Robin Hood’s Tonique Williams-Darling Highway store.

At the time, the retailer’s president said he had little choice but to liquidate the company after it suffered a $3.6 million net loss.

An emotional Sandy Schaefer said the closure of the retailer’s second store on Prince Charles Drive, a victim of a delayed opening and the ongoing roadworks, had prevented the company from generating a return on its investment.

And in 2021, Lavado Duncanson was appointed Acting Parliamentary Commissioner.