The American Revolution in the Hudson River Valley
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
The American Revolution Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area, New York in the Hudson River Valley hudsonrivervalley.com 1774 New York “Tea Party” 1779 Battle of Stony Point he Hudson River Valley played a pivotal role in determining the outcome of the Revolutionary War. Here, Americans stymied British 1775 Americans capture Fort Ticonderoga 1780 Arnold-André treason T attempts in 1776-1783 to control the riverway and sever New England from and Crown Point the rest of the colonies. Here, Patriots boycotted British teas and other goods, 1776 British invade New York City 1781 Siege of New York City and Battle of Yorktown accepted the Declaration of Independence, created the State of New York, and kept a sharp eye—or a heavy hand—on their Loyalist neighbors. 1777 Saratoga Campaign—the turning point 1782 New Windsor Cantonment Here along the Hudson, Americans stood fast and, after the turning point battles 1778 Fortress West Point begun 1783 British evacuate New York City at Saratoga, set the stage for their ultimate victory at Yorktown and the British evacuation of North America south of Canada. Hudson River and Constitution Island, Portrait of General Washington at Yorktown looking east from West Point by Charles Wilson Peale, 1782. This painting was purchased by General Rochambeau, the commander of the French forces, after the victory at Yorktown and was owned by his descendants until 2002. Collection of Hirschl & Adler Galleries, New York City. Photographs by Ted Spiegel, unless otherwise noted The British Invasion The British invaded the valley from River Valley, the British tangled with The Americans effectively delayed George Clinton served three directions. the Americans in October 1776 at Pell’s the three British advances. Engineer as the first governor Lake of New York and was From the beginning of the war, Champlain Point and White Plains. Then, in 1777, Colonel Tadeusz Kosciuszko brought reelected five times. Crown Point both the British high command G %G the British devised a three-pronged Burgoyne’s forces to a crawl by drop- Portrait by John Trumbull, and General George Washington Fort Ticonderoga invasion of the valley. The main force, ping trees across his route south of Courtesy of the Art Commission Lake George G of the City of New York. realized the strategic importance of GEN. BURGOYNE under Lt. Gen. John Burgoyne, would controlling the Hudson River Valley. Saratoga Battlefield H George Washington made a series head south from Canada via Lakes LT. COL. ST. LEGER 1 U D of key military assignments and Lake Champlain. With RIVER Bennington Champlain and George. Lt. Col. Barry K S 1 M AW O H O Battlefield strategic decisions to maintain In December 1775 and January 1776 AlbanyG the help of the Green Mountain Boys, N control of the Hudson River. St. Leger would push east along the Colonel Henry Knox first highlighted Mohawk Valley to Albany. Sir William General John Stark whipped Lt. Col. the great resources of New York R Frederich Baum’s raiders in the battle I Howe would head north from Kingston G V when he dragged 59 cannons from E of Bennington on the Walloomsac R New York City to assist Crown Point and Fort Ticonderoga to Bourgoyne’s operation. River in New York. Still, Burgoyne Dorchester Heights overlooking pressed on toward Albany but was Boston Harbor. That effort helped GEN. CLINTON His troops exhausted and out- stopped at the battle of Freeman’s Farm force the British evacuation of Boston. %GConstitution Is. numbered, John Burgoyne finally on September 19. After the battle he Fort Montgomery%G LONG ISLAND SOUND %G surrendered at Saratoga. British ships make their way up the Hudson in After driving the Continental Army this painting by William Joy. fortified and awaited reinforcements. Fort Clinton Portrait by Sir Joshua Reynolds out of New York City into the Hudson © The Frick Collection, New York © Collection of The New-York Historical Society They never arrived. ATLANTICOCEAN Map art by Don Foley A ten-stop auto tour interprets the battles between the Americans and Reenactments are staged periodically at Rondout Creek and Kingston (above) and other Like many other Loyalists, the Philipse family of At his mansion in Albany, Maj. Gen. Philip J. Schulyer entertained the British at Saratoga. sites along the Hudson. Tarrytown lost their lands and Philipsburg Manor. captured British general, “Gentleman Johnny” Burgoyne. Comte de Rochambeau New York, but Brig. Gen. Anthony Washington’s pistols are on display at the Turning Point in the War and 5,500 French West Point Museum. troops passed Wayne, in a daring midnight bayonet After winning at the battle of Oriskany through the state attack on July 15 and 16, captured on August 6, the British under St. on their way to their fortification at Stony Point. The Leger lost valuable time besieging Fort help the Americans at Yorktown. British returned briefly but never again Stanwix and retreated to Canada. The threatened the Hudson Highlands. supporting British contingent from Portrait of General Rochambeau, artist unknown. In August 1781, Washington’s and the headquarters in the Musée de Vendôme, France. New York City, commanded by Lt. French Comte de Rochambeau’s Hasbrouck farmhouse Gen. Sir Henry Clinton, got a late start armies linked up at Philipsburgh, New in Newburgh, from which he but succeeded in capturing Forts taken over Maj. Gen. Philip Schuyler’s York, before proceeding to Virginia issued his order on April 19, 1783, for a Montgomery and Clinton in a fierce command—defeated Burgoyne in the for the decisive battle of Yorktown. “cessation of hostilities.” The troops day of fighting on October 6 near second battle of Saratoga near Bemis After their victory there, Washington stayed until June. Washington oversaw West Point. They cut through a massive Heights. The British capitulation returned to the Hudson River Valley, the British evacuation of New York iron chain the Americans had installed convinced the French to join the and General Rochambeau marched City on November 25, 1783. The entire across the Hudson, moved upriver to American cause and proved to be the his army to Boston for service in Hudson River was now in U.S. hands, the capital at Kingston, and set fire to Chief Joseph Brant and the Mohawk turning point in the war. the Caribbean. Washington brought and New York was on its way the town. But they were too late to help Indians joined Loyalists in several raids over 7,000 soldiers, some with their to becoming the Empire Burgoyne. On October 7, American and battles against the patriots. Washington’s troops built nearly 600 wooden In 1779 the British tried to lure General families, to New Windsor for their final huts at their encampment in New Windsor. State in the new nation. Maj. Gen. Horatio Gates—who had Portrait by Ezra Ames, 1806. Fenimore Art Museum, Washington into a decisive battle in winter encampment and set up his Cooperstown, N.Y. Photo by Richard Walker Clinton Adams Continental soldiers attack British fieldworks during the 225th anniversary Washington’s fortifications at Redoubt 7 on Constitution Island Revolutionary War equipment is displayed at Knox’s Headquarters, Period furnishings and exhibits interpret life at the Jonathan Hasbrouck House, reenactment of the battles of Saratoga. HRV Institute/Marist College helped him hold the Hudson Highlands. Vails Gate. New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. Washington’s Headquarters in Newburgh. Hudson River Valley Hudson River Valley Revolutionary War Sites National Heritage Area, New York Upper Hudson 4 Henry Knox Cannon Trail begins to the north at Crown Point and Fort Ticonderoga. Bennington Battlefield commemorates stopped here after his defeat at Saratoga. See inset map. the battle on August 16, 1777, in which 32 Catherine Street, Albany Adirondack Park 32 ajor Hudson River Valley sites associated with the American General John Stark and Colonel Seth Revolution are shown on this map of the National Heritage 9 Warner and their troops defeated M Lt. Col. Fredrich Baum’s Brunswickers Area. Brief descriptions of the sites are listed to the right from north to south. 87 and allies preventing them from gaining Schuylerville 29 For more information about these American Revolutionary sites, itineraries to 29 The Schuyler supplies and horses. Hessian Hill offers SARATOGA House 22 visit them, other heritage sites, and facilities in the valley, use this web site: SPRINGS picturesque views and exhibits about 4 the battle. www.hudsonrivervalley.com 32 Route 67, Hoosick Falls Cambridge The heritage sites shown on this map are operated by federal, state, Saratoga local, and private not-for-profit organizations. The federal site, National The fighting that took place at Saratoga Historical Ensign House Saratoga National Historical Park, is open daily except for Thanksgiving, Ballston Park Spa Battlefield in the fall of 1777 turned the Bennington tide of the war for independence and Gross December 25, and January 1. Many of the others are closed Mondays or Bemis Heights Battlefield Tuesdays and are likely to be closed January through March. helped to secure international support for 4 the American cause. Highlights include Geoffrey Stillwater 67 Round visitor center exhibits and an interpretive Bronck Museum, Coxsackie Henry Knox Cannon Trail—Northern Portion Lake nine-mile battlefield auto tour. 17 MechanicvilleH New Yorkers signed the Coxsackie e Route 32, Stillwater 9 n r Declaration of Independence in 1775 in Port Henry y 9 Middlebury K y n what is now called the Bronck Museum. a o Schuyler Mansion, home of Maj. Gen. 125 w x h t During the early years of the war, the 7 C r Philip Schuyler, served as a base of opera- o 7 Crown Point a N 90 n Coxsackie Committee of Correspondence 87 n tions during the war.