Letters from the Front: Retreat from New York [RevWar]

The David Library of the American Revolution ^ | Oct. 28, 2011 | Jedediah Huntington

[Pharmboy]

"...they were not able to effect any Thing on Acco of the heavy & incessant Fire from the Enemies Forts & Ships; no less than Eight Coll: & Lt. Colonels have been taken, died or killed since the Landing on L: Island"

By the end of September 1776, the George Washington's Continental Army was in the midst of a stubborn retreat from New York City. In late August the British Army under General Sir William Howe maneuvered the Americans off Long Island. On September 15th, Howe landed at Kip's Bay, forcing the Americans to evacuate New York City and retreat to their defensive works atop Harlem Heights. Sometime in the following weeks, Jedediah Huntington's command moved to King's Bridge, guarding the crossing over the Bronx, which was a significant river at this time. His account, which can be viewed below, details the various reversals of fortune that the American army suffered during the period, along with casualties including Captain Nathan Hale. The situation would continue to unravel for Washington, as his army was pushed further north in October and finally forced to retreat across New Jersey in November and December.

Sol Feinstone Collection No. 594 Jedediah Huntington to Jabez Huntington, 28 Sept. 1776. Kings Bridge, New York. Transcribed by Andrew Dauphinee August 2011

“Camp Kings Bridge 28 Sept. 1776

Hond Sir I reached this Place Yesterday at 3’oClock in the Afternoon, With as Little Fatigue as I ever had in a Journey ― had the Pleasure of seeing Brothers Chester & Joshua pretty well Bror. Joshua has been ill but got near well_Bror. Eben is well but I have not seen him. neither of the Brothers were in the Actions of Sunday or Monday ― Brother Joshua commanded a Party Gov: Island three Days after our Troops evacuated it (for the Purpose of bringing off some Cannon) which was as hazardous as to have been in the Engagements above mentioned ― they were not able to effect any Thing on Acco of the heavy & incessant Fire from the Enemies Forts & Ships ― no less than Eight Coll: & Lt. Colonels have been taken, died or killed since the Landing on L: Island ― Col: Gay of Sickness ― Lt. Col: Clark taken – Coll.Selden, Lt. Col: Thomson, & Moulton taken on Sunday, Lt. Col Knowlton killed ― Col: Pettibone died of sickness ― Lt Col: Hart taken on Sunday by best Information the Enemy lost about 400 in the Action of Monday & we only 15 or 20 ― Lt. Sim Huntington is alive & well.________

Last Sunday 200 Men in 5 Boats undertook to land on Montressors Island above Hell Gate & attack some of the Enemy which were upon it only one of the Boats landed and attacked the Enemy with Success one other got on the Rocks the rest upon the first Fire put about & left their brave Fellows to fight the Enemy alone, as soon as the Enemy perceived the smallness of our Numbers they took Courage and drove back our Men with great Slaughter. a few of my Regiment suffered in this Action ― You have likely heard that a Commo. of Congress has been here to concert a Plan for a new Army, it is not yet published in Orders___ the Heads are said to be__ that each Private [pg 1] is to have Six pounds Bounty a Coat & 100 Acres Land for inlisting during the War – Wages of Officers and Men the same as before, the Officers also are to have Land ― 88 Battalions of about 700 Men each are talked of ― Each State is to have its Quota assigned which they are to raise & appoint their own Officers from Colonels down’ards our Men who were Prisoners at the Northward are arrived among us about 400 of them they are on Parole not to take up Arms untill an Exchange of Prisoners is made ― they bring an Acco that General Gordon of Burgoynes Army was mortally wounded by a Party of our People when he was reconnoitering near St. Johns and died of his Wounds at Quebec about a Fortnight afterwards.__

General Sullivan is exchanged for General Prescott__tis said Lord Stirling is to be exchanged for Gov: Brown__ Brig: Genl. Donal McDonald was proposed for that Purpose but he is not owned by his Side to be more than a Major___

As far as I have seen I like the Situation of our Camp and doubt not with a common Blessing we shall be able to hold our present Ground___ Things are getting into good Order to what they have been Ovens are building to bake Bread___ a Barracks are already up for a great Proportion of the Army & more are going up___ the North River is open to Kings Bridge ― about one Third of the City of NYork was consumed with Fire – unheard of Barbarities were committed by the Kings Troops at that Time upon any of the Citizens who came in their Way___ some it is said were thrown into the Flames others tyed up by the Legs & their Throats cut, this they pretend is necessary to deter others from firing Houses, as [pg 2] they suppose the Citizens set Fire to the City ― Capt Hale of Webbs Regt was sent out on Long Island as a Spy – he was detected & hung in NYork___ the Enemy have Possession of Paulus Hook.___ We have a Breast Work from River to River abt 10 Miles from the City, between which & Kings Bridge are our Generals Head Quarters & the Main Body of our Army, one Division under the Command of Maj: Gen: Heath is on the Side of Kings Bridge next the Country, where I am ― but I forbear to add as Capt Fraiy is intelligent and can tell any Particulars I remain your affectionate Son Jed Huntington

If the Assembly is to complete my choir of Officers & I continue, I shall be very sollicituous as to the Persons I am to have under me, I think the Commanding Officers of Regiments ought to be consulted.

my Love & Duty to mother &c &c

When Blisses Cheeses come in I wish half a Dozen might be sent to me, & the Firkin of Butter if it comes from Pomfret, & 3 or 4 or half a dozen Bushell Oats by first Opporty. all address to Capt Wadsworth or the Commissary at Byram River

[patton]

Ithica? Oh, yuk.

No wonder you are in CA. Slightly less liberal than Ithica.

;)

[Dr. Scarpetta]

Thanks for the ping! BTTT

[ETL]

Liberty: The American Revolution - PBS:

LIBERTY! is a six-part series of one-hour documentaries for PBS. It describes how the American Revolution evolved and how a new nation was born in the aftermath of the Revolutionary War, using actors, Revolutionary era scholars, and eyewitness accounts of the time. LIBERTY! is hosted by award winning journalist and ABC news anchor, Forrest Sawyer. Edward Herrmann is the narrator. It was originally broadcast Nov. 23 - 25, 1997.

EPISODE 1: “The Reluctant Revolutionaries” 1763-1774

In 1763, the capitol city of America is London, George Washington is lobbying for a post in the British army, and no one thinks of Boston harbor when they hear talk of tea parties. In a dozen years, the colonies are on the brink of rebellion. What happens to bring this country so quickly near war with England?

EPISODE 2: “Blows Must Decide” 1774-1776

A total break from Great Britain remains hard for Americans to imagine, even after shots are fired at Lexington and Concord. Words push matters “Over the Edge” in 1776. Common Sense argues that it is the natural right of men to govern themselves. The Declaration of Independence declares this same idea a “self-evident” truth. For Americans, there is no looking back. There will be war with England.

EPISODE 3: “The Times That Try Men’s Souls” 1776-1777

Days after the Declaration of Independence is signed, a British force arrives in New York harbor. Washington and his troops are driven to New Jersey. With only a few days of enlistment left for many of his volunteers, a desperate Washington leads his army quietly across the Delaware River on the day after Christmas, 1776, to mount a surprise attack on a sleeping garrison in Trenton.

EPISODE 4: “Oh Fatal Ambition” 1777-1778

The “united” states remain in dire need of funds and military support. Congress dispatches Benjamin Franklin to France in hopes of creating an alliance which will provide both. Meanwhile, a British army marches down the Hudson River trying to cut off New England from the other colonies. The British are crushed by Americans at Saratoga. The French enter the conflict on the American side.

EPISODE 5: “The World Turned Upside Down” 1778-1783

The British hope to exploit the issue of slavery and to enlist the support of loyalists in the south. They fail. After a series of brutal engagements, the British army heads for Virginia, only to be trapped by the miraculous convergence of Washington’s army and the French fleet at Yorktown. The end of the war is at hand.

EPISODE 6: “Are We to Be a Nation? 1783-1788

Peace comes to the United States, but governing the world’s newest republic is no simple task. Congress is ineffectual and individual states act like sovereign nations. By the time the Constitutional Convention convenes in 1787, many wonder if the country can survive. The long ratification process helps define what sort of nation the United States is to be—a process that continues to this day.

http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/liberty_episodes.html

---

You can watch the first 5 (of 6) episodes here:
http://libertymaven.com/2008/03/23/liberty-the-american-revolution-from-pbs-video/984/

[ETL]

Related...

A WALKING TOUR OF THE BATTLEFIELD IN OUR MIDST

From

THE BATTLE FOR NEW YORK:

The City at the Heart of the American Revolution

by Barnet Schecter

The Battle For New York Walking Tour:
http://www.thebattlefornewyork.com/walking_tour.php

______________________________________________________________

The Battle For New York Home page:
http://www.thebattlefornewyork.com/home.php

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Memorial to Revolutionary War patriots shines anew in Brooklyn
November 15th 2008:
http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2008/11/15/2008-11-15_memorial_to_revolutionary_war_patriots_s.html

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The Prison Ship Martyrs' Monument in Brooklyn's Fort Greene Park (PDF File):
http://www.fortgreenepark.org/pages/ASP_0307_PrisonShips.pdf

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"Fort Greene Park is located in Brooklyn, New York, on a hill overlooking Wallabout Bay and downtown Brooklyn. It is both a popular neighborhood park and a historically significant site. The thirty acre park is home to tennis courts and playgrounds, and is host to events such as concerts, poetry readings, and other civic gatherings. It is also the site of a Revolutionary War fort and a monument to Revolutionary War prisoners, who were held by the British in unbearable conditions aboard prison ships in Wallabout Bay. Today, a monument stands in the park commemorating these Prison Ship Martyrs.

The park is named for Revolutionary War General Nathaniel Greene (1742-1786) who oversaw the construction of Fort Putnam at the summit of the park in 1776. During the battle of Brooklyn, Fort Putnam defended General Washington's retreat across the East River to safety before being left to the British. Once again, in 1812, patriotic citizen volunteers fortified the top of the hill in anticipation of a British attack, digging trenches and laying out barriers. The attack never came, but the fortification was named for General Greene.

In 1814, regular ferry service connected the village of Brooklyn to the City of New York. The connection led to extensive development, and Brooklyn was incorporated as a city in 1834. Brooklyn continued to grow by leaps and bounds as immigrants streamed into the city. By 1846, Walt Whitman, the celebrated poet and then editor of The Brooklyn Daily Eagle was writing almost daily urging for a park in Brooklyn. The park would be a "lung" to provide the densely populated city with free circulation of air and where the people could spend a few grateful hours in the enjoyment of wholesome rest. As a result, Washington Park on the site of Fort Greene was established as Brooklyn's first park in 1847.

In 1864, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, who had achieved fame for their design for Central Park, were engaged to prepare a design for the park. Their design approach called for a park with a "somewhat rural character", consisting of "a series of shady walks that will have an outlook of open grassy spaces at intervals." A vine covered arbor was placed at the top of the park to take advantage of the cool breezes of the summit. A military salute ground was located in front of the Arbor, and two cannons were placed at the corners that overlooked the East River. Flowering Chestnut trees were planted around the perimeter of the park, and the site was graded and pathways constructed.

The park's master plan also included a monument to the prison ship martyrs. The Revolutionary War prisoners who died aboard the wretched prison ships were buried in shallow graves on the shore of Wallabout Bay. As time passed, their remains were uncovered or washed out to sea. Their bones were collected by Brooklynites and ceremoniously buried in a vault on Hudson Street, near the Brooklyn Navy Yard. By the 1860's, this vault was in a state of disrepair, and Olmsted and Vaux's plan created a final burial place and monument for the Martyrs.

As Brooklyn continued its growth into the twentieth century, the park was long overdue for a renovation. The effort to raise funds to create a permanent monument to the Prison Ships Martyrs was finally successful, and the leading Architectural Firm of McKim, Meade and White won a competition for the design of the new monument. Their design for the Prison Ships Martyrs' Monument called for a huge doric column crowned with a bronze urn in a square plaza atop the hill. The urn would be lit as an "eternal flame" to the memory of the martyrs. Also proposed for the plaza were two 190 foot long pergolas to replace Olmsted and Vaux's popular seating areas. Their new monument was unveiled in a grand ceremony in 1908.

While the park has changed much over the years, its historic value remains undiluted. Currently, restoration efforts are underway to bring the park to a state of good repair, for the preservation of history and for the enjoyment of future generations."

http://www.fortgreenepark.org/pages/history1.htm
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From the NYC Parks dept website...

Mcgowan’s Pass, Central Park

McGowan’s Pass, part of the escarpment that crosses Manhattan around 106th Street, consists of two rock outcrops located on either side of Kingsbridge Road. The Pass takes its name from a popular local tavern owned by the McGowan family during the late 17th and early 18th centuries.

After his early Revolutionary War defeat at the Battle of Brooklyn (1776), General George Washington (1732-1799) moved most of his troops north of McGowan’s Pass, leaving only a small contingent to the south. Hoping to trap the Continentals, on the morning of September 15, 1776, British troops landed from dozens of transport ships anchored in Kips Bay (near present-day 34th Street). Washington, headquartered at the Morris Mansion on West 160th Street and Edgecombe Avenue, charged southward through McGowan’s Pass, directing his men to counter the invading force.

Rallying a small force of soldiers, Washington ordered them to march westward across Manhattan Island, then north on Bloomingdale Road into Harlem Heights. A small band of Maryland militiamen (near present-day 92nd Street and 5th Avenue) kept the British from advancing westward. As in the Battle of Brooklyn, the Marylanders held the line against superior forces, securing the American retreat. The British Army wisely built a small fortification over the pass to control the flow of troops in and out of the city. Seven years later, at the war’s successful conclusion, colonial soldiers under the command of General Henry Knox (1750-1806) marched back through the pass and down Manhattan Island to liberate the city.

During the War of 1812 (1812-1814), McGown’s Pass was a lookout point for the Americans who anticipated a British invasion. When the British bombarded Stonington, Connecticut in August 1814, the American command began to fear that the British might attack from the north, and a massive mobilization attempt by civilians contributed to the building of a chain of fortifications on the high bluffs of Upper Manhattan and Central Park. Several structures were built. Connecting all of these fortifications were four-foot high defensive walls (breastworks) made of earth, but the British never invaded.

Although the original plan for Central Park terminated at 106th Street, the northernmost section was purchased in 1863, and remnants of these earthwork fortifications remained. The designers of the park, Calvert Vaux (1824-1895) and Frederick Law Olmsted (1822-1903), decided to leave the structures and earthworks as they stood. In 1990, the Central Park Conservancy, while preserving the north end of the park, worked with archaeologists to identify the breastworks that had eroded over time. The remains of McGowan’s Pass stand as a reminder of the role that New York City played in the early history of the American Republic.

http://www.nycgovparks.org/sub_your_park/historical_signs/hs_historical_sign.php?id=12377

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Pharmboy.

[aculeus]

Thanks!

[Pharmboy]

Once again, thank you for your quality additions to these RevWar threads. I knew about McGowan’s Pass, but was unaware that some breastworks remain. I remember traveling to the northern reaches of Central Park looking for it, but never found it. I shall return.

[ETL]

They have a free guided tour, titled “A Road Once Traveled”, at the Dana Discovery Center. One of the highlights is McGowan’s Pass.

A Road Once Traveled:

“Holding the Park’s northern highlands was key in the American Revolution and the War of 1812 because armies could see their enemies approach as they sailed down the East River. History buffs will love this tour of the Harlem Meer and its strategic environs. Meet at the Charles A. Dana Discovery Center inside the Park at 110th Street. Call 212-860-1370 for directions. Children under 16 must be accompanied by parent(s) or guardian. Event dates and times are subject to change without notice.

Accessibility Level: ***

Tour accessibility is rated as follows:

* Easy to negotiate; paths and few stairs - mostly accessible for people with disabilities

** Moderate inclines and stairs, paths clear and negotiable - only parts accessible for people with disabilities

*** Hilly, stairs, and a few Park-related obstacles to negotiate - not recommended for people with disabilities

http://www.centralparknyc.org/visit/tours/guided-tours/a-road-once-traveled.html
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Meets: at the Charles A. Dana Discovery Center inside the Park at 110th Street between Fifth and Lenox Avenues.

When: Year-round, check website for schedule.

Length: Last about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Price: Free

http://walkingnewyork.com/walkingtours.htm#CentralParkHistory

_______________________________________

Schedule here:

http://www.centralparknyc.org/calendar/

[Pharmboy]

Thanks again. And as far as the Brooklyn tour, I grew up near Gravesend Bay so I know the borough. There are certain parts of Brooklyn that are now as dangerous as they were when the Redcoats and Hessians invaded.