Get Out of Town!
The tension in New York was building. With a huge British fleet in the harbor, it was only a matter of time before the Americans would be attacked, so the American commander-in-chief issued a proclamation on August 17, encouraging “Women, Children, and infirm Persons” to evacuate — not only for their own safety, but so that the army wouldn’t have to worry about them in the event of an attack:
Whereas a Bombardment and Attack upon the City of New-York, by our cruel, and inveterate Enemy, may be hourly expected: And as there are great Numbers of Women, Children, and infirm Persons, yet remaining in the City, whose Continuance will rather be prejudicial than advantageous to the Army, and their Persons exposed to great Danger and Hazard: I Do therefore recommend it to all such Persons, as they value their own Safety and Preservation, to remove with all Expedition, out of the said Town, at this critical Period,—trusting, that with the Blessing of Heaven, upon the American Arms, they may soon return to it in perfect Security. And I do enjoin and require, all the Officers and Soldiers in the Army, under my Command, to forward and assist such Persons in their Compliance with this Recommendation. Given, under my Hand, at Head-Quarters, New-York, August 17, 1776.
GEORGE WASHINGTON.
Some of them did leave, but some stayed — perhaps because they had no place to go, or because they were confident that the American forces would succeed in defending the city, or because they were still loyal to the king and hoped that the British would take over the city.
Sources
- “Proclamation for the Evacuation of New York, 17 August 1776,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-06-02-0041. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 6, 13 August 1776 – 20 October 1776, ed. Philander D. Chase and Frank E. Grizzard, Jr. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1994, pp. 45–46.]