Manhattan – Day-By-Day America

Kips Bay and the Disastrous Retreat from New York

Around midday on Sunday, September 15, 1776, British and Hessian troops invaded Manhattan Island and sent the American troops running helter-skelter for safety.

Kips Bay (here spelled “Kep’s”) was the scene of the British-Hessian landing on Manhattan (a.k.a. York Island), which caused a panic-stricken retreat among the defending Americans.

First, several British ships anchored close to the island and fiercely bombarded the American fortifications along the shore of Kips Bay. Soon the American troops abandoned their trenches and made a panic-stricken, disorganized retreat — a rout, to use the military phrase. Then the British and Hessians, who had come over in boats from Long Island, landed without opposition and started marching across the island to cut off the retreating Americans.

Softening up the Rebel Defenses

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.