HIT AND RUN HISTORY begins its WGBH web series of biographies on the Columbia Expedition.

British Royal Marine under Captain James Cook and First American travel writer, John Ledyard witnessed the death of James Cook in Hawaii, and went AWOL to return to his native United States with the scheme of global trade. Hit and Run History heads down to Connecticut to investigate the carnage wrought by Loyalist and Hessian troops prior to Ledyard’s homecoming.

Andy’s note: We actually filmed this episode before did the introduction to the series, The Medallion.  Our first day of production took us first to the Massachusetts Historical Society to meet with Librarian Peter Drummey and Curator of Art Anne Bentley about the series.  From there, we headed down Boylston Street to the Boston Public Library.

It was a real surprise to find an original edition of Ledyard’s account of his time under Captain Cook. On a following day of production, we hit New London and Groton — on the first really hot day of the summer, and wouldn’t you know my Rav4’s AC would pick that day to stop working.  Hot, muggy and barely a puff of a breeze off Long Island Sound.  That climb up Fort Griswold was definitely a workout.

Watch online at wgbh.org/history.  For more information on Hit and Run History following the story of John Kendrick and the Columbia Expedition visit hitandrunhistory.com.

(Photo credit:  Andrew G. Buckley atop Fort Griswold , Groton CT by Matthew J. Griffin; Main Staircase, Boston Public Library by Andrew G. Buckley)