The FReeper Foxhole Remembers The Battle of Harlem Heights (9/16/1776) - May 13th, 2004

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[SAMWolf]

Lord,

Keep our Troops forever in Your care

Give them victory over the enemy...

Grant them a safe and swift return...

Bless those who mourn the lost.
.

FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer
for all those serving their country at this time.

...................................................................................... ...........................................

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The Battle of Harlem Heights
Background

In June 1775, even before the Battle of Bunker Hill only a month after his return to America and assuming the role of military governor of Massachusetts, Lt. General Thomas Gage was already considering occupying New York City. In August 1775, he was making preparations. When Maj. General William Howe replaced Gage in October 1775, he continued to make preparations for such an occupation of New York after quartering in Boston for the winter and the arrival of reinforcements from England.

However, when General George Washington occupied Dorchester Heights in March 1776, General Howe could no longer remain in Boston while making preparations for New York. The British evacuated Boston on March 17. After remaining off the coast for ten days, they set sail for Halifax, Nova Scotia where they would remain until June 1776. Meanwhile, almost immediately after the British evacuation, Washington left for New York.

In January, General Washington had sent Maj. General Charles Lee to New York to make fortifications to the city for defense against the British. Lee was also to raise volunteers from Connecticut to help man those defenses. Lee saw almost immediately how difficult it would be to defend the city from bombardment from the British Navy. On April 13, 1776, Washington arrived in New York, set up his headquarters and even went so far as to issue a circular warning the citizens of New York City of the probability of a British attack on the city.



By June 25, 1776, when General Howe arrived off Sandy Hook, General Washington had 19,000 troops, though 28,500 was his authorized strength. Many of the men were inexperienced Continentals and untried militia. They were ill-equipped and Washington had little artillery, no cavalry and no naval support in the numerous waters around the city.

By July 2, General Howe had 130 ships in the lower waters of New York with 9,300 men from Halifax. His brother, Admiral Richard Howe arrived on July 12 with 150 more ships and reinforcements. On August 12, Maj. General Henry Clinton returned from the failed Charleston Expedition. Howe now had 31,625 men. On August 27, Howe had 24,464 men fit for duty supported by 10,000 sailors under his brother.

British Occupation Begins


General William Howe
(U.S.Naval Institute)

Maj. General William Howe made his first step toward taking control of New York City when he began to move from Staten Island to Long Island on August 22, 1776. On August 27, Howe defeated some of General George Washington's forces with his victory at the Battle of Long Island. However, Washington was able to evacuate many of his forces. Howe then paused in his campaign for more than two weeks while Washington attempted to shore up defenses.

On September 15, 1776, General Howe landed at Kip's Bay. General Washington's troops were spread so thinly here that he had to retreat and again saved many troops from being captured. Meanwhile, Howe entered the city of New York virtually unopposed. On September 16, he failed to drive Washington from Harlem Heights just north of the city. Howe again paused his campaign, this time for a month. During Howe's first week in possession of New York, much of it burned on the evening of September 20 and Nathan Hale was captured on September 21 and later hanged as a spy.


A plaque at the Water Club near 30th Street and the East River marks Kip's Bay, the point where the British invaded Manhattan.

On October 12, General Howe resumed his campaign and by October 18, had outmaneuvered General Washington. Washington was forced to abandon Harlem Heights, which left Fort Washington isolated. Brig. General Nathanael Greene convinced Washington that the fort could be held. After a British assault failed on October 27, Howe moved against Washington at the Battle of White Plains on October 28. Washington was again forced to withdraw. Washington left some forces at Forts Washington and Lee, which overlooked opposite sides of the Hudson River.

General Greene had convinced General Washington that Fort Washington could be held, but Hessians easily overran it on November 16 resulting in the lost of important provisions and munitions including cannon. Maj. General Charles Lee had to hastily abandon Fort Lee only days later on November 18. He had already removed supplies and equipment, so the Continentals did not suffer another critical loss of equipments and supplies. After a brief respite, Howe then pursued General Washington across New Jersey in the closing month of 1776 before Washington secured a surprise victory at Trenton, New Jersey on December 26, 1776.



The Battle of Harlem Heights, though a minor engagement, showed the American troops they could win in battle after the loss on Long Island and the embarrassment of Kip's Bay.

On Sept. 16, 1776, the Americans still controlled northern Manhattan after the British had captured the sourthern portion of the Island.

American skirmishers met British troops near 106th Street and Broadway. The Americans held their position under fire, but began to retreat northward toward the main American lines as the number of British troops involved began to rise.

The fighting ranged north to about 125th Street before Washington decided to send troops forward in two flanking maneuvers, one under Major Leitch and the other under Colonel Knowlton.


Steel Engraving of the Battle of Harlem Heights, September 16, 1776. The print is engraved by J.C. Armytage from an original painting by Chappel.

A third force of Americans made a feint to attack the British in their front. Although the Americans attacked before the British were surrounded and Leitch and Knowlton were both mortally wounded, the British found themselves attacked on three sides and began their retreat.

The number of troops grew to nearly 5,000 on each side as the British were pushed back to what is now 106th Street. Washington called off the attack after six hours because the Americans were not ready for a general engagement with the full British army.

Much of the battle took place near 120th Street between Broadway and Riverside Drive, just west of Columbia University. "This little advantage has inspired our troops prodigiously," wrote Washington. "They find it only requires resolution and good officers to make an enemy give way." Some historians see Harlem Heights as a turning point in the American efforts to create an effective army.

[SAMWolf]

Americans Found Manhattan Difficult To Hold

The British first launched an assault on Manhattan by bombarding the coast at a place called Kip's Bay, at 30th Street and the East River. The American defenders, overwhelmed by the heavy guns and the numerical superiority of the British, soon retreated in a panic. Washington, who had made his headquarters in the Morris Mansion in northern Manhattan, watched the battle developing. The house had a fine view to the south.

Washington rode down from his headquarters to attempt to get his men to fight at the Battle of Kip's Bay. When Washington saw that they had run away without firing a shot, according to camp gossip, he cane-whipped privates, colonels and brigadier generals "with democratic indiscrimination." He is also reported to have thrown his hat on the ground and cried, "Good god, have I got such troops as these?" or "Are these the men with which I am to defend America?" He had to be led away by his aides to avoid capture.

A large force of Americans was in the city of New York, which then occupied only the southern tip of Manhattan. The British landing near 30th Street nearly cut them off from the remainder of Washington's army which was to the north. Fortunately, the Americans in the city marched north along the western side of the island while the British tarried in the Murray Hill area.

Harlem Heights


Washington at the Battle of Harlem Heights, Sept. 15, 1776, John Ward Dunsmore.

The Battle of Harlem Heights, though a minor engagement, showed the American troops they could win in battle after the loss on Long Island and the embarrassment of Kip's Bay.

On Sept. 16, 1776, the Americans still controlled northern Manhattan after the British had captured the sourthern portion of the Island.

General Charles Lee
(New York Public Library)
American skirmishers met British troops near 106th Street and Broadway. The Americans held their position under fire, but began to retreat northward toward the main American lines as the number of British troops involved began to rise.

Washington's second-in-command, Lee was born in England and fought for the Americans during the Revolution; he was particularly valued for his previous experience in the British army.

The fighting ranged north to about 125th Street before Washington decided to send troops forward in two flanking maneuvers, one under Major Leitch and the other under Colonel Knowlton.

The Death of Knowlton at Harlem Heights

A third force of Americans made a feint to attack the British in their front. Although the Americans attacked before the British were surrounded and Leitch and Knowlton were both mortally wounded, the British found themselves attacked on three sides and began their retreat.

The number of troops grew to nearly 5,000 on each side as the British were pushed back to what is now 106th Street. Washington called off the attack after six hours because the Americans were not ready for a general engagement with the full British army.

Much of the battle took place near 120th Street between Broadway and Riverside Drive, just west of Columbia University. "This little advantage has inspired our troops prodigiously," wrote Washington. "They find it only requires resolution and good officers to make an enemy give way." Some historians see Harlem Heights as a turning point in the American efforts to create an effective army.

The Fire

On Sept. 21, 1776, fire broke out near the southern tip of Manhattan Island and quickly moved north, burning a wide swath up to Wall Street and consuming all of the buildings between Broadway and the Hudson River.

The blaze claimed about 500 houses in what was a fairly small city. The cause will probably never be known.

Because some witnesses reported seeing separate fires break out further uptown after the first blaze was discovered, arson has been suspected.

Print of New York burning in the fire of 1776.

Washington had just surrendered the city to the British. Military doctrine of the 18th century would have required the Americans to burn the town rather than leave it to the British with winter coming on. Congress had specifically forbidden Washington from burning New York. Most certainly, Washington didn't.

But it is not impossible that sympathizers to the American cause were involved. In addition to purely military motives, arsonists could have had less pure purposes. Hostility to Tories could have been the impetus for helping to spread the fire, and a good disturbance in New York even then was probably an occasion for some elements of society to practice a little looting.

The British reported several summary executions, either by hanging or throwing suspects into the flames. Since there were no trials or formal inquiries, the political sympathies, motives and guilt of the suspects will never be known.

The British press was hot to blame the Americans. One account said a man who was hung by his heels had cut leather fire buckets and stabbed a woman fire fighter. Another account of the same incident said he sliced off the woman's arm.

English claims of American responsibility were so extensive and so overblown, that they show a certain desperation in the propaganda war. Perhaps the British were fearful that they would be held accountable for occupying the town and then failing to prevent it from burning down.

Circumstances favored the fire. A wooden city was at serious risk when the wind blew. Many of the people who would ordinarily watch for and fight fires had left with the Americans. The British were so recently arrived that they had little opportunity to take over the responsibilities of local government. Because they needed iron and lead to make weapons and bullets, Americans had taken all of the church bells, leaving no way for the remaining inhabitants of the city to spread the alarm.

"Gen. George Washington, New York Campaign 1776"

The British were so eager to blame the Americans that press accounts even inferred that Nathan Hale, executed for spying shortly after the fire, had been an arsonist. These reports were certainly false, casting doubt on the other British claims.

Whatever its cause, the fire denied the British the use of a good part of the city and also denied posterity many of the city's early buildings. St. Paul's survived the fire, but the original Trinity Church did not.

In watching the blaze from Harlem Heights, Washington said, "Providence, or some good honest fellow, has done more for us than we were disposed to do for ourselves."

With British landings in the Bronx, Washington soon evacuated most of his troops from Manhattan, leaving only a garrison at Fort Washington.

Fort Washington

Fort Washington was supposed to be something of an American Gibraltar, a rock commending a narrow waterway that could be held by a small force against an overwhelming enemy assault.

The British captured Fort Washington on Northern Manhattan Island on November 16, 1776, without much difficulty. Washington proceeded into New Jersey. He was pursued by Howe all the way south until he successfully crossed the Delaware River.

George Washington never felt very comfortable about the prospects for his namesake citadel on rocky slopes 230 feed above the Hudson River. As the rest of Manhattan was taken over by the British, Washington several times asked that the fort be evacuated. The commanders in the fort and Washington's subordinates always felt the fort could be held, and if not, the defenders could easily be evacuated across the Hudson River.

Washington's misgivings were well founded. On Nov. 16, 1776, the British attacked with 8,000 troops against the American force of approximately 2,800. While the Americans were too few to hold the extensive outer works of the fort, they were too many to crowd into the central portion and fight effectively. Col. Robert Magaw surrendered. The Americans lost 53 killed, 96 wounded and 2,722 captured. Many of those who surrendered were to die in the British prison ships in the harbor.

Margaret Cochran Corbin was wounded in action while helping to fire one of the fort's cannons after she took up the responsibilities of her wounded husband.

[SAMWolf]

The Battle of Harlem Heights
Adjutant General Joseph Reed to his wife.

Heights near Kingsbridge, September 17, 1776

Just after I had sealed my letter and sent it away, an account came that the enemy were advancing upon us in three large columns. We have so made false reports that I desired the General to permit me to go and discover what truth there was in the account. I accordingly went down to our most advanced guard and while I was talking with the officer, the enemy's advanced guard fired upon us at a small distance. Our men behaved well, stood and returned the fire till, overpowered by numbers, they were obliged to retreat The enemy advanced upon us very fast. I had not quitted a house 5 minutes before they were in possession of it.


Knowlton Statue in Hartford, Conn.

Finding how things were going I went over to the General to get some support for the brave fellows who had behaved so well. By the time I got to him the enemy appeared in open view and in the most insulting manner sounded their bugle horns as is usual after a fox chase. I never felt such a sensation before; it seemed to crown our disgrace.

The General was prevailed on to order over a party to attack them, and as I had been upon the ground which no one else had, it fell to me to condl ct I them. An unhappy movement was made by a regiment of ours which had been ordered to amuse them while those I was with expected to take them in the rear. But being diverted by this the Virginia regiment, with which I was, went another course; finding there was no stopping them, I went with them the new way—and in a few minutes our brave fellows mounted up the rocks and attacked them; then they ran in turn. Each party sent in more succours so that at last it became a very considerable engagement and men fell on every side.



However, our troops still pressed on, drove the enemy above a mile and a half till the General ordered them to give over the pursuit, fearing the whole of the enemy's army would advance upon them; they retreated in very good order and I assure you it has given another face of things in our army. The men have recovered their spirits and feel a confidence which before they had quite lost. We have several prisoners and have buried a considerable number of their dead. Our own loss is also considerable. The Virginia major (Leech) `who went up first with me was wounded with 3 shots in less than 3 minutes. But our greatest loss was a brave officer from Connecticut whose name and spirit ought to be immortalized, one Col Knowlton. I assisted him off and when gasping in the agonies of death all his inquiry was if we had drove the enemy.

Be not alarmed, my dear creature, when I tell you the horse I rode received a shot just behind his fore shoulder. It happened to be [one] taken from a number on the hill. Tho' [many fell] round me, thank God I was not struck [by] a single ball, and I have the greae happiness [to know] that I have by getting the General to [direct a] reinforcement to go over contributed in [some way] to the benefit which may result from this [action]. When I speak of its importance I do not mean that I thihk the enemy have suffered a loss which will affect their operations—but it has given spirits to our men that I hope they will now look the enemy in the face with confidence. But alas our situation here must soon be a very distressing one if we do not receive much relief in the articles of stores, provision, forage, etc. The demands of a large army are very great and we are in a very doubtful condition on this head.

Additional Sources:

www.britishbattles.com
www.rootsweb.com/~nycoloni
www.multied.com/Revolt/battleaccounts/NewYork
bizbb.com/WorldArtMedalsandPrints
www.frauncestavernmuseum.org
www.nyfreedom.com
www.ctssar.org/articles
www.thebattlefornewyork.com
theamericanrevolution.org
www.ngb.army.mil
www.pbs.org
www.allenscreations.com
www.americanpresident.org
pd.ilt.columbia.edu
www.militaryshop.co.uk
www.antiquemapsandprints.com

[SAMWolf]

Uniforms, arms and equipment:
The British wore red coats and headgear of bearskin caps, leather caps or tricorne hats depending on whether the troops were grenadiers, light infantry or battalion company men. The two regiments of light dragoons serving in America, the 16th and 17th, wore red coats and leather crested helmets.
The German infantry wore blue coats and retained the Prussian style grenadier mitre with brass front plate.
The Americans dressed as best they could. Increasingly as the war progressed regular infantry regiments of the Continental Army wore blue uniform coats but the militia continued in rough clothing.
Both sides were armed with muskets and guns. The Pennsylvania regiments carried long, small calibre, rifled weapons.

Winner:
An inconclusive fight which revived American morale but had no particular benefit for either side.

The importance of this action for the Americans was that it was the Virginia militia who had fled the British the day before who fought steadily and effectively alongside the Northern Rangers, going a long way to restoring the confidence of the American army in itself.

[SAMWolf]

Veterans for Constitution Restoration is a non-profit, non-partisan educational and grassroots activist organization. The primary area of concern to all VetsCoR members is that our national and local educational systems fall short in teaching students and all American citizens the history and underlying principles on which our Constitutional republic-based system of self-government was founded. VetsCoR members are also very concerned that the Federal government long ago over-stepped its limited authority as clearly specified in the United States Constitution, as well as the Founding Fathers' supporting letters, essays, and other public documents.

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Tribute to a Generation - The memorial will be dedicated on Saturday, May 29, 2004.

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Iraq Homecoming Tips

~ Thanks to our Veterans still serving, at home and abroad. ~ Freepmail to Ragtime Cowgirl | 2/09/04 | FRiend in the USAF

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PDN members and fans. We hope you will consider this simple act of patriotism worth passing on or taking up as a project in your own back yard. In summary:

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Ideas to start a local project:

Obtain enough Red, White and Blue material (cloth) for a 12.5 x 12.5 quilt square.
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Locate an elementary school with an after school program in your neighborhood or locate an after school program in your neighborhood not attached to a school and ask if you could volunteer one or two afternoons and create some squares with the kids.

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[snippy_about_it]

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Good Thursday Morning Everyone.


If you would like added to our ping list let us know.

[SAMWolf]

All caught up, finally. Good Night Snippy.

[snippy_about_it]

Good night Sam.

[Aeronaut]

Good morning Snippy.

[radu]

Good morning to all at the Foxhole!

To all our military men and women, past and present, and to our allies who stand with us,
THANK YOU!

Glub...glub...we're drownin' 'round these parts! LOL! I've been trying to get posts in for quite a while tonight but the rains kept knocking our signal out. I hope none of y'all are dealing with this kind of mess.
Things have been a bit hectic around here lately and I sure miss getting a little computer time. My thoughts are here, even when I can't be here myself.
Have a fabulous day everyone, and....

[E.G.C.]

Good morning, Snippy and everyone at the Foxhole.

[Soaring Feather]

Good morning everyone.

[Soaring Feather]

Good morning radu. Good to see you for a few moments. Keep your feet dry.

[The Mayor]

You shall not . . . bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself. —Leviticus 19:18

A grudge is one thing that does not get better when it is nursed.

[SAMWolf]

Morning Aeronaut. Nice paint job!

[SAMWolf]

Morning Radu. I hear California can use some of your rain. Send it back west.

[SAMWolf]

Morning E.G.C.

[SAMWolf]

Morning Feather

[SAMWolf]

AHHHHHHHH Coffee!!!! Morning Mayor.

[Soaring Feather]

The Electric Poet! LOL A new age for an ancient art.

Thank You Sam.

[Colonel_Flagg]

Good morning!

A very interesting read today .. this is an area of history I'd like to learn more about so expanding horizons is a good thing :)