Historians are fond of saying that the Revolutionary War in the city of New York began and ended in the same place. On July 9, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was read to George Washington’s troops at City Hall. Within minutes, a mob of fired-up patriots stormed nearby Bowling Green where they pulled down its statue of King George III and sawed off the royal crown finials on the uprights of the surrounding fence. (The original fence still stands, you can see the saw marks.) [Read more…] about The British Occupation of New York City, 1776-1783
Evacuation Day
Remembering New York City’s Evacuation Day
This week on The Historians Podcast, attorney and historian Jim Kaplan discusses the significance of Evacuation Day and how the day has been commemorated through the years. A print version of this story previously appeared in New York Almanack.
Evacuation Day was November 25th, 1783, the day British troops left New York City after the American Revolution. [Read more…] about Remembering New York City’s Evacuation Day
A Short History of New York City’s ‘Evacuation Day’
At noon on November 25, 2014 about 25 people gathered at the flag poles at the north end of Manhattan’s Bowling Green to raise a specially designed flag with 13 stars and stripes.
It was a replica of the flag which was raised at the same spot on November 25, 1783 (Evacuation Day) when George Washington’s Continental army had marched into New York City officially ending the American Revolutionary War. [Read more…] about A Short History of New York City’s ‘Evacuation Day’
NYC: Evacuation Day Events Planned for Friday
The Lower Manhattan Historical Society and the Veteran Corps of Artillery of the State of New York have announced the third annual celebatory commemoration of Evacuation Day, on Friday, November 25th, 2016.
On November 25, 1783, the British occupying garrison evacuated New York City at the conclusion of the Revolutionary war. On this day general George Washington, Commander-in-chief of the continental army, marched his troops into Lower Manhattan, thereby liberating New York City from British occupation. [Read more…] about NYC: Evacuation Day Events Planned for Friday
The Fight To Make Evacuation Day A NYC Holiday
On November 25, 1783, George Washington marched down Broadway in New York City retaking the last British stronghold in the United States. By prearrangement, the British and their many Tory supporters were to leave the City by 12 pm. The American flag was to be raised at the flagpole at the north end of what is today Bowling Green park, officially ending the American Revolution. There was, however, one minor snag. When the American advance guard sought to put up the 13-star American flag, they discovered the British had greased the pole, so that the British flag could not be brought down. Washington said he would not enter the lower part of the City until the American flag was flying. A young sailor John Van Arsdale then bought cleats from a local hardware store and shimmied up the flagpole to raise the American flag, and Washington’s triumphant march to Lower Manhattan continued. [Read more…] about The Fight To Make Evacuation Day A NYC Holiday
New York City’s ‘Evacuation Day’ Planned
On November 25, 1783 George Washington’s Continental army marched into New York City officially ending the Revolutionary War. Like much else about the war, the ceremonies that day were marked by controversy, but also triumph.
More than two and a half years after the joint French/American victory at Yorktown in 1781, after much wrangling over issues such as the status of New York’s numerous Tories and runaway slaves fighting for the British, Washington and British Governor Guy Carleton had agreed on arrangements for the British to turn over New York City, their last enclave in North America to the Continental army. By prearrangement, on the morning of November 25, 1783, Washington was to march down Broadway and take control of the City, just after the British and their supporters completed their withdrawal. [Read more…] about New York City’s ‘Evacuation Day’ Planned
Hoisting the Flag: An Evacuation Day Tradition
On November 26, 1883, a large statue of George Washington by the American Sculptor John Quincy Adams Ward was erected in front of New York City’s Federal Hall at 26 Wall Street, which statue remains there to this day.
This more than life size statute of George Washington was erected as part of a huge celebration of the hundredth anniversary of Evacuation Day, the day that the British finally left New York City on November 25, 1783 and Washington entered the City to claim it for the new American government. [Read more…] about Hoisting the Flag: An Evacuation Day Tradition
NYC ‘Evacuation Day’ Celebration Planned
The Lower Manhattan Historical Society, the Sons of the Revolution of the State of New York, and the Manhattan Borough President have announced a number of events to celebrate Evacuation Day — November 25, 1783 – the day the British left New York City finally ending the American Revolution.
On that day George Washington’s troops marched down Broadway to Bowling Green Park, and the American flag was raised over the City for the first time since the City had fallen to the English in 1776. There was an elaborate dinner with Governor George Clinton and Washington and many of his officers at Fraunces Tavern where there were thirteen toasts to the new government. [Read more…] about NYC ‘Evacuation Day’ Celebration Planned