The month of September was a difficult one for the American forces in 1776. They escaped capture in August by retreating to Manhattan but the British clearly had the military advantage. Yet, by September 10, they had not closed the military trap. It was true that General William Howe had positioned his troops along the … More September 10, 1776: A Volunteer Steps Forward
What was the decisive moment of the Battle of Brooklyn? Was it when the British outflanked the Americans? The heroic defense of the Maryland Regiment at the Old Stone House? When General Howe failed to annihilate the Americans at the end of the day or the next? All three could be supported by events. However, … More The Great Escape
Washington summed up the anguish of those who lived through that terrible day. A battle that both sides knew was coming with one side, clearly outgunned and outnumbered. The Americans knew that there was a good chance that all would be over for their “cause” by night fall. Between the early skirmishes on the night … More August 27, 1776: “What brave men I have lost today!”
General Israel Putnam is one of the “lost” memories of the Battle of Brooklyn and the American Revolution. In August of 1776, Washington handed over the command of the Brooklyn defenses to Putnam, the hero of Bunker Hill. “Old Put” as he was called by the American soldiers was an immensely popular commander. A butcher … More “Old Put”
The tension in New York on August 24 must have been acute. On the 22nd, the British had landed over 15,000 soldiers onto Brooklyn’s shores, near modern Dyker Beach Park. This was just the beginning. The immense armada that sailed into New York harbor throughout July signaled that the Crown was done with talking. The … More August 24, 1776
Tomorrow, August 22, begins Battle Week in New York City. There will be events throughout Brooklyn and Manhattan commemorating the great battle that occurred on August 27 in 1776. The battle the largest of the American Revolution was fought throughout what is now Park Slope, Flatbush, Cobble Hill, Clinton Hill, Brooklyn Heights and then spilled … More BATTLE WEEK BEGINS
When most Americans think of the Revolution their first image is of Bunker Hill or the Boston Tea Party or the Boston Massacre. Very few Americans know that New York played a pivotal role in the lead up to the Revolution or that its citizens were as vital to the cause as any Bostonian. Isaac … More Isaac Sears – the Sam Adams of New York
This month we celebrate the 239th anniversary of the Battle of Brooklyn or the Battle of Long Island or the Battle of New York – take your pick. Whatever it is called, it is arguably the most important battle of the American Revolution, one that few New Yorkers know or pay attention to. The fighting … More Battle of New York 1776
Happy French Revolution!!! Although Americans would not hear of the French news for several weeks, July 14 was viewed as the culmination of the ideas of the American Revolution. The Founding Generation immediately recognized that the French actions were a direct result of not just the ideas of the American Revolution but the action of … More July 14, 1789
If you were in New York in 1776 on July 9 at six in the evening assembled on the Commons (City Hall Park today) would have been the American forces led by General George Washington. They were there on the orders of Washington to hear the Declaration of Independence. A large crowd had also gathered … More July 9, 1776
Bowery & Canal 