The British army had Long Island completely in their hands by the end of August. Their next step was to take York Island (that is, Manhattan), where most of the American forces were.
At the northwestern end of Long Island was the channel known as Hell Gate, due to its dangerous currents, eddies, and rocks. Across the channel, on what was known as Horn’s Hook, the rebels had built a fort, with artillery to guard the passage. On September 8, 1776, the British opened up two batteries — artillery emplacements, that is — and started firing at the fort, which answered in kind.
British army captain Frederick MacKenzie speculated that the purpose of this bombardment was to divert the rebels’ attention from the place where the British would actually cross:
Everything indicates that we shall soon attempt something decisive against the Rebels, but considering the nature of the shore at Hellgate, and rapidity of the tides and variety of eddies there, I do not suppose the landing will be made in that place. It appears probable that the erecting batteries against the enemy’s works at Hellgate, and making so much demonstration there, is intended to draw their attention from some other point, for owing to the situation and construction of their principal work, it is extremely difficult to destroy it effectually.
MacKenzie may well have been right in his guess; at any rate, when the British did make their attack a few days later, it was at a different place.
Although this bombardment was part of British preparations to attack the island, that’s not what first made me want to write about it; rather, I happened upon these four contemporary images of the fort and its bombardment:
- A detailed map, with the fort just left of center, and the British batteries marked on the right.
- A view from Long Island, showing the two sides firing at each other on September 8, with clouds of smoke billowing up; the fort is on the left, and the British batteries on the right.
- A close-up view of the fort after the Americans had abandoned it.
- A rather idyllic view from a month later, with the fort on the right.
Note that the latter three are watercolors made by Archibald Robertson, a captain of the British army engineers.