New York Almanack

History, Natural History & the Arts

Brian Barrett

Camp Chelsea, 1776: Manhattan’s Lost Revolutionary Garrison

by Leave a Comment

Revolutionary War Encampment courtesy frontierfolk.orgWho knew that a military encampment once existed in today’s busy eclectic Chelsea in Manhattan?

The inquisitive tourist will not see or hear anything about a Revolutionary War camp there. Nor will they hear about General John Fellows or his headquarters at a glass works factory. Additionally, there were long forgotten tent encampments near the glassworks where 1500 Massachusetts Provincials slept.

These ghosts with muskets and white canvas tents were members of the Fellows’ Massachusetts Brigade. History recorded little about their activities and no known permanent monuments or markers were ever established to give us a clue about soldiers actual location or activities. [Read more…] about Camp Chelsea, 1776: Manhattan’s Lost Revolutionary Garrison

Colonial Canandaigua In War And Peace

by 1 Comment

typical Native American villageNew York’s Finger Lakes Region was well known to many Revolutionary War veterans as a place of both strife and potential. Strife because of conflict with Indigenous people, and great potential for lush productive farmland.

Soldiers witnessed both ends of the spectrum first-hand. [Read more…] about Colonial Canandaigua In War And Peace

Hudson River Chain, Anthony’s Nose, and the American Revolution

by 12 Comments

Location of Anthonys Nose courtesy Google MapsGeneral George Washington, Governor George Clinton and Lord Stirling all knew about Anthony’s Nose. Not because it was part of someone’s anatomy, but because it was a prominent feature along the Hudson River, the highest place in Westchester County. Anthony’s Nose resembles a person’s nose when viewed in profile from the Hudson River, and so was a well known landmark.

Anthony’s Nose was also strategically important. [Read more…] about Hudson River Chain, Anthony’s Nose, and the American Revolution

Half Moon As A Revolutionary War Camp

by 2 Comments

Map of present site of waterford During the American Revolution Half Moon was a small hamlet situated near a Mohawk River ford on the Great Road from Albany to Fort George. It was strategically located near the confluence of the Mohawk and Hudson Rivers about nine miles north of Albany.

It was originally one of many small hunting camps established by Mohican people, who eventually sold or traded their land to settlers, though it remained a popular stopping place and river port during the time of the American Revolution. It was said that there was a fort there but it was more likely a small colonial blockhouse. [Read more…] about Half Moon As A Revolutionary War Camp

Tis’ Death to Counterfeit: New England Counterfeiters in NY

by 6 Comments

Albany County District Lines courtesy earlyamericancrime.comWhile an ongoing border dispute took place between the governments of New York and Massachusetts, Ichabod Miller eked out a living on his farm in West Stockbridge, Mass. On December 20, 1772, his pastoral life was turned upside down.

Miller was awoken to the commotion of an angry mob at his door. In a moment they had broken in the door and he faced the business end of a loaded musket. He was accused of counterfeiting. This crime could be heart stopping. If proven, the sentence was death.

Counterfeiting was fairly prevalent in the colonies at this time. It was relatively easy to do, it was extremely profitable, hard to discover, and even harder to prosecute. [Read more…] about Tis’ Death to Counterfeit: New England Counterfeiters in NY

Wooster’s Bowery Hangout During Summer of 1775

by 1 Comment

HMS Asia in Halifax Harbour, 1797Bowery in Dutch means a colonial plantation or farm. In late June 1775 – Connecticut Provincials made farm fields on Bowery Lane in New York their temporary home while British soldiers made a hasty retreat to ships in the East River.

The presence of General David Wooster and 1500 to 2000 of his men made the occupants of the King’s garrison near Battery Park uncomfortable. Connecticut men were there at the request of the New York Provincial Convention and their mission was to protect city residents from British and Tory aggression. [Read more…] about Wooster’s Bowery Hangout During Summer of 1775

American Revolution: Trouble at Poughkeepsie and Peekskill

by 4 Comments

American Revolution ShipsA loyalist is a man with his head in England, his body in America, and a neck that needs to be stretched.  – an anonymous patriot.

Late in June of 1776, the New York Provincial Convention (NYPC) received a troubling report from the Dutchess County Committee of Safety. It said that Poughkeepsie officials and patriot warships were being threatened by loyalists, so-called Tories. [Read more…] about American Revolution: Trouble at Poughkeepsie and Peekskill

The Misnamed Columbia County ‘Battle of Egremont’

by 31 Comments

MilitiamenA small, but important part of the American Revolutionary War took place during 1777 at Livingston Manor, Albany County (now Columbia County), New York. The few historical references about this event identify the event as the Battle of Egremont, implying that it happened in Massachusetts.

While it was customary to name a battle after its location, participants or some other feature, these conventions were overlooked in this case and the involvement of Egremont, Massachusetts militiamen seems to be the primary reason for the naming of the battle. However, many participants were from New York militia units, and the battle actually took place in New York. The battle was actually a series of four skirmishes that occurred over two-days. [Read more…] about The Misnamed Columbia County ‘Battle of Egremont’

Schaghticoke: An American Revolution Militia Rendezvous

by 15 Comments

sgtkesauthierAt the juncture of well worn roads and trails, Schaghticoke became a hub of activity during September and October 1777. Schaghticoke is located east of the Hudson River in what was at the time Albany (now Rensselaer) County, opposite the hamlet of Stillwater. It was a stopping place for hundreds of militiamen who came and went to battle stations in the area.

Like other nearby communities, Schaghticoke was all but abandoned during late summer and fall of 1777. An 8,000 man British Army, invading the Hudson River Valley, was reason enough for most residents to flee to safer places. Many of these refugees went to Albany to escape the threats of war. This article describes the activities of New England militiamen in and around Schaghticoke during the Saratoga Campaign. [Read more…] about Schaghticoke: An American Revolution Militia Rendezvous