New York – Day-By-Day America

A Revolutionary General’s Plan for Crushing the Revolution

Sketch of Major General Charles Lee by American artist John Trumbull.

General Charles Lee, who fought on the American side during the Revolution, is a rather problematical figure, in my view. Among other things, a few months after he had been captured by the British, he submitted to the British commanders a “scheme for putting an end to the war” — by defeating the Americans. He said that although America might be able to draw out the war for a while, she (people generally referred to nations as “she” back then) had “no chance” of winning the war and gaining independence. So, to prevent America from inevitably suffering “great desolation havock and slaughter,” and to spare Britain the “serious expence both in blood and money” that would be required to finally defeat America, he gave his suggestions on how the British could “unhinge or dissolve…the whole system or machine of resistance, or in other terms, Congress Government”.

The “Philadelphia”: Relic of the Battle of Valcour Island

This gunboat, named the “Philadelphia”, is the oldest intact American warship. She is now on display at the Smithsonian, along with the British cannonball that sent her to the bottom of Lake Champlain during the Battle of Valcour Island in October 1776.

In the Smithsonian is a remarkably intact gunboat from the Revolutionary War, named the Philadelphia. The museum has an online 3D tour that tells some of her history and lets you see more of what she was like. She was recovered from the bottom of Lake Champlain in 1935, where she had lain for over 150 years after being sunk by a British fleet during an important — though mostly forgotten — battle.

The Darkest Time is Just before Day

Joseph and Sarah Hodgkins wrote frequently and affectionately to each other while Joseph served in the Revolutionary War. He served for four years, while Sarah with difficulty took care of their family and farm back in Ipswich, Massachusetts. Joseph experienced the Battle of Long Island and other events that were discouraging to the American cause, but although he shared these experiences and his thoughts with his wife, they both encouraged each other and reiterated that they trusted in God that things would work out for the best. For example, she wrote to him on September 16, 1776:

my heart akes for you to think of the dificultys & fateagues you have to undergo but all that I can doo for you is to commit you to God who has hitherto preserved you and beg of him to be with you & preserve you still; dont be discoraged My Dear, God is as able to preserve us as ever and he will doo it if we trust in him aright tho as you say I think things Look very dark on our side but it has been observed that mans extremity was Gods oppertunity and I think it Seems to be a time of grate exstremity Now and I hope God will apear for us & send Salvation and deliverance to us in due time and if you Should be called to Battle again may he be with you & cover your heads & Strenthen your hands & encorage your hearts and give you all that fortitude and resilution that is left for you and in his own time return you home in Safty … for my part I am not wholy discoraged; many times the darkest time is jest before day

It was indeed a dark time, but although the day was still a good way off, it was coming.

Note: Sarah’s and Joseph’s letters have absolutely no punctuation, so I added a little bit in this quotation for clarity’s sake.

Nathan Hale: Duty, Honor, and the Gallows

Nowadays, spying is considered dangerous, but it’s acknowledged worldwide as being not only necessary, but legitimate. Captured spies are sometimes killed, but they also might merely be jailed, or even exchanged.

Not so at the time of the American Revolution. In European (and, therefore, American) society, spies were used, but spying was considered dishonorable by many, and captured spies were generally hanged.

Nathan Hale was a young captain in the Continental Army. Above is his commission dated January 1, 1776, and signed by John Hancock. A friend wrote, “There was no young man who gave fairer promise of an enlightened and devoted service to his country”.

The Great Fire of New York

The British occupied New York City just after the American army abandoned it on September 15, 1776, but they lost a good deal of it just a few days later.

Late at night on the 20th, the alarm spread that New York was on fire. It was soon burning in multiple places, and the wind was spreading it fast. Many British and Hessian soldiers and sailors were sent to fight the fire, but although they worked frantically, it was not until late the next morning that they were able to stop the fire, and a large part of the city was destroyed. Some of them reported that, while fighting the fire, they had seen — and, in the fury of the moment, killed — people who were sabotaging the firefighting efforts or even setting fire to houses intentionally. One citizen of New York — a Loyalist who had just returned to his home in the city — wrote in a letter:

Harlem Heights: A Small But Important Victory

Colonel Thomas Knowlton, shown here wielding a musket at the Battle of Bunker Hill, was among the handful of Americans killed in a series of skirmishes at Harlem Heights. He was “a brave & good Officer”, and some who knew him thought that his death alone was a significant loss to the army.

Harlem Heights was where the American army pulled together and dug in after their disgraceful retreat from New York. The position was strong enough that George Washington hoped they would be able to hold it against the enemy,

If the Generality of our Troops would behave with tolerable bravery, but experience to my extreme affliction has convinced me that this is rather to be wished for than expected; However I trust, that there are many who will act like men, and shew themselves worthy of the blessings of Freedom.

On September 16, the day after the retreat, British and Hessian troops began approaching the American fortifications at Harlem Heights. One American soldier described the action the next day:

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.

Peace Talk on Staten Island: Howe and the Committee

Richard Howe, though commander of the British fleet sent to stop the rebellion, was not personally hostile toward America.

On the shore at Perth Amboy, New Jersey, a British officer stepped out of his boat to meet three American civilians. They were members of the Continental Congress, sent as a committee to talk with the British admiral — at his invitation — about the possibility of peace. The officer who met them was a sort of hostage: while the three crossed over to Staten Island to meet with Admiral Howe, he would stay behind as security for their safe-conduct. It was understandable for Admiral Howe to send the officer, but the three Americans considered a hostage unnecessary, and they insisted that the officer accompany them to meet the admiral on Staten Island.

Admiral Lord Richard Howe and his brother, General Sir William Howe, in addition to being the commanders of the British navy and army in America, were “peace commissioners”: that is, they had been given a mission to try to talk the Americans into ending the war, and had been authorized to grant pardons to those who had rebelled. But since the time when they were given that mission, the Americans had declared independence, which made the situation much more difficult: even before the declaration of independence, the British couldn’t negotiate with the Continental Congress, because that would be acknowledging the Congress as a legal body; and after the declaration, negotiating with them would be acknowledging the United States as independent — which the British could not do without giving up the war. As a result, the meeting was somewhat unofficial.

Voyage of the Turtle

This replica of the “Turtle” submarine was built in 2003, using the tools and technology that would have been available to David Bushnell in 1775-1776. It was tested and proven seaworthy in open water.

How would you like to go underwater in a hand-powered wooden submarine, big enough to hold only one person, to try and blow up an enemy ship? That’s what Sergeant Ezra Lee did near New York City in September 1776, when he tried out an American invention that later became known as the Turtle.