Explore Long Island’s contribution to the American Revolution
Long Island played a key strategic role in our nation’s fight for independence from Britain. Its location- New York City and the Hudson at one end and New England at the other- made it especially desirable for the British. According to battlefields.org, “New York played a pivotal role throughout the American Revolution, particularly early on. Its central position in the American Colonies and its port made it vital to commerce and a key strategic location. After compelling the British evacuation of Boston in the early months of 1776, General George Washington accurately guessed that the Redcoats’ next target would be New York City. Washington transferred his Continental Army to the city in April and May, hoping to turn back or at least severely cripple the next wave of British invaders.”
Unfortunately for Washington, his hopes to fortify New York and drive Britain out of New York were dashed. New York played host to the first battle after independence was declared, the Battle of Long Island or the Battle of Brooklyn. Crucial errors, such as splitting his forces between Brooklyn and Manhattan and failing to secure Jamaica Pass, as well as mistakenly thinking the attack on Brooklyn was a diversion from a main attack on Manhattan, proved fatal. Loyalists tipped off the British to the fault at Jamaica and they moved an advance force there. The rest of the Brits marched on the Americans directly. The patriots were pushed back to Brooklyn Heights with the East River to their backs. The British prepared for a siege, but Washington and his soldiers were able to escape via the river overnight without losing a single life.
After the Battle of Brooklyn, Long Island was occupied by Britain for the remainder of the war. “The British ravaged the countryside, destroyed the forest for firewood, stole livestock, controlled all movement over roads, and seized all public buildings including the Old Quaker Meeting House which was used as a prison, a hospital and a storehouse,” according to PBS. Citizens were forced to put up soldiers in their homes and impressed into service. The town of Huntington served as the British headquarters. Much like the rest of the former colonies, there were patriots and loyalists mixed throughout Long Island’s communities. Those who were not loyal to England often found ways to disrupt and subvert British authority.
Long Island’s other most famous contribution is the Culper Spy Ring, a group that is commemorated every year with a festival in Setauket. Named for the small Virginia community where Washington had worked as a young man, the espionage ring gathered intelligence throughout New York City and Long Island. The knowledge of the British plans, their unit’s strengths and weaknesses and where they had set their defenses, helped Washington keep the enemy contained in New York. Several members were arrested during the war, but none were ever exposed as spies. The spy ring was virtually unknown publically before 1929, when letters revealing its existence were found. Some of the Culper’s most notable achievements were thwarting a British conterfeiting ring aimed at devaluing the infant nation’s currency, foiling the ambush of arriving French soldiers as they landed in Rhode Island, and obtaining the British Naval codes, allowing the French to defeat the British fleet at the Battle of Chesapeake. The group used coded messages and invisible ink to protect their correspondence.
There are many places that commemorate the Revolutionary War across Long Island, Brooklyn and Queens. While not exhaustive, this list is a great start:
Brooklyn
Prospect Park
This park includes the Dongan Oak Monument, which honors the tree cut down by American forces to stall the British advance and the Lefferts Historic House, an old Dutch farmhouse where visitors of all ages can experience daily life in the 18th century.
The Old Stone House
The site where the Maryland 400 attacked the British position to cover Washington’s retreat, at great cost to themselves.
Fort Greene Park
The site of the Prison Ship Martyr’s Monument, set up in memory of the thousands of men and women held and left to languish aboard British prison ships. Those who died aboard these ships are perhaps the single largest collection of casualties from the entire war.
Nassau
Raynham Hall Museum
Historic home in Oyster Bay that was the home of the Townsend family, one of the founding families of Oyster Bay. The Townsends were members of the the Culper Spy Ring.
Rock Hall Museum
Historic home in Hempstead that was the home of the Martin family, who were loyalists. The home was occupied by American soldiers during the revolution, and their eldest son Samuel was imprisoned in Philadelphia for his assocations with loyalists.
Suffolk
Sagtikos Manor
Located in Bay Shore, the manor was built in 1697. British forces occupied the Manor briefly during the Revolutionary War. President George Washington stayed here during his tour of Long Island in 1790.
Brewster House
The Brewster House of Setauket has a history which dates back to 1665. The house was home to six generations of Brewsters. During the Revolutionary War, Joseph Brewster served on the Committee of Safety and also entertained British troops who were stationed in the area at a tavern he opened in the house.
The Washington Spy Trail extends along Route 25A through Nassau and Suffolk counties. There are multiple historical sights along this trail. To view an interactive map, visit washingtonspytrail.com. Additionally, many local libraries have historical collections that can be viewed by appointment. Contact them to see what connections your community has to this pivotal time from our nation’s history.