(Editor’s Note: As part of the ongoing series featured in The Recorder provided by the Alta Mira Chapter of the Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, The Recorder will also periodically feature patriots who are ancestors of local residents).
The British Fleet set sail from Nova Scotia on June 28, 1776. Just as Washington had thought, the ships that evacuated Loyalists and English Army and Navy were returning heavily armed with troops.
On June 29, 1776, American soldiers stationed on Staten Island saw 45 British ships dropping anchor in Lower New York Bay. They signaled Washington and panicked soldiers rushed to their posts.
On July 2, 1776, British troops began landing on Staten Island. Continental troops shot at them as they fled. The citizen militia switched to the British side.
Within the week 130 British ships were stationed off Staten Island, under the command of Richard Howe, William Howe’s brother.
On July 6, 1776, news of the signing of the Declaration of Independence reached New York where it was read to troops and citizens at Bowling Green.
With great joy and a show of disdain for King George III, troops toppled his gilded statue, Cut off his head and severed his nose, placed the head on a spike to a tavern. The remaining pieces were dragged to Connecticut where they were melted into musket balls. The citizen militia switched to the British side. Within the week 130 British ships anchored off Staten Island under the command of Richard Howe, brother of William Howe who had evacuated British troops and Loyalists from Boston with the help of Richard’s fleet months earlier.
On July 12, 1776, British ships Phoenix and Rose sailed up the harbor opening fire on harbor defenses at Fort George, Fort Defiance, and Governors Island while American forces fired back at them. Other British ships continued up the New Jersey shore, sailed past Fort Washington up the Hudson River to its widest part, arriving at night near Tarrytown. The goal was to cut off supplies from New England and farther north plus to encourage Loyalist support.
Meanwhile 6 Americans died when their canon exploded.
On July 13, 1776, Howe tried to open negotiations by sending Lt. Philip Brown with a letter addressed to George Washington, Esq. under a flag of truce. John Reed, Henry Knox, and Samuel Webb met him and denied to accept the letter saying no such person was there. Indeed, the address was an insult to General Washington which was his recognized title.
On July 16, 1776, Howe tried again asking Washington to meet with his adjutant James Patterson face to face on July 20, claiming Howe had the authority to pardon Washington. General Washington answered, “Those who have committed no fault want no pardon.” He was later highly praised for his wording.
More British continued to arrive.
By August 1, 1776, Generals Henry Clinton and Charles Cornwallis arrived with 3,000 troops. By August 12, 1776, another 3,000 British and 5,000 Hessians arrived. The fleet numbered 400 ships, including 73 warships and 32,000 troops that had camped on Staten Island.
Washington pondered where they would attack. Reed and Greene thought it would be Long Island, but Washington thought that may be just a diversion. He, therefore, divided his troops, half to Long Island and the other to Manhattan.
Greene was in charge of Long Island, but he fell ill by August 20, and was forced to recover in Manhattan. John Sullivan took command. On August 22, Long Island was invaded with an advance guard of 4,000 British troops under Clinton and Cornwallis who had left Staten Island for Long Island.