diff options
| -rw-r--r-- | .gitattributes | 3 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 78798-0.txt | 623 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 78798-h/78798-h.htm | 792 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 78798-h/images/cover.jpg | bin | 0 -> 235341 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 78798-h/images/image014.jpg | bin | 0 -> 251927 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 78798-h/images/titlepage.jpg | bin | 0 -> 19340 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | LICENSE.txt | 11 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | README.md | 2 |
8 files changed, 1431 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/78798-0.txt b/78798-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f96a878 --- /dev/null +++ b/78798-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,623 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 78798 *** + Transcriber notes + + + Some minor changes to the text are noted at the end of the book. + Italic text is denoted by _underscores_ + Bold text is denoted by =equals= + + + + + THE BATTLE OF + HARLEM HEIGHTS + + BY + THOMAS ADDIS EMMET, M.D. + + [Illustration] + + REPRINTED FROM + THE MAGAZINE OF HISTORY + WITH NOTES AND QUERIES + _September, 1906_ + + + + +THE BATTLE OF HARLEM HEIGHTS + + [Dr. Emmet’s article was written in reply to the following article + which appeared some time ago in the New York _Evening Post_. The + whereabouts of the Richards letter, quoted from, we have been unable + to ascertain.—ED]. + + +Since the publication of Prof. H. P. Johnston’s monograph on the battle +of Harlem Heights, not more than one or two letters or documents have +come to light to be added to the very complete list of authorities +given in the appendix. One of these which has recently been brought +to notice is interesting and important as confirming certain views +advanced by Professor Johnston respecting the location of the +battlefield and other particulars of the action. It is in the form of +an extract from the diary of a Revolutionary officer, Lieut. Samuel +Richards of a Connecticut regiment, who, after describing the retreat +from Long Island in August, 1776, continues his narrative as follows: + + We then marched and took possession of the heights of Harlem and + immediately flung up lines for our defence.... We were employed + the succeeding night (September 15, 1776) in throwing up a slight + entrenchment on the brow of the hill at Harlem Heights in full + expectation of being attacked by the enemy in the morning. When the + sun arose I saw the enemy in the plain below us, at the distance of + about a mile, forming in a line. By accounts afterwards, their number + was said to exceed twenty thousand, and they indeed made a brilliant + display by the reflection of the sun’s rays on their arms. + + The sharp action which took place that day under Col. Knowlton is + so well detailed by the historian, I need not repeat it. The enemy + sent a detachment of about five thousand along the bank of the North + River, which our people attacked with spirit and about an equal + number, and drove them back to their main body. The loss on our side + was about thirty killed and sixty or seventy wounded. The loss to the + enemy must have been more than that, as we repulsed them after a warm + fire of three-quarters of an hour. Here I first saw Lieut. Munro; he + had volunteered to go to the attack on our right under the command of + Col. Knowlton. + + The next day I had a mournful duty assigned to me—the command of a + covering party over the fatigue men who buried the dead which had + fallen in the action the previous day. I placed myself and party + on a small eminence so as to see the men at their work, and to + discover the enemy should they approach to interrupt them. There + were thirty-three bodies found on the field; they were drawn to a + large hole which was prepared for the purpose and buried together. + One body of a fine-limbed young man had been brought into the camp + with a bullet hole in the breast near the heart. I was struck with + reflections on the force of habit to see those fatigue men performing + this duty with as little apparent concern as they would have + performed any duty. + +The diary, though written some years after the close of the war, +furnishes a narrative which is apparently based upon an accurate +recollection of the events described. Lieut. Richards supports +Professor Johnston’s assertion, already corroborated by a mass of +evidence, that the battle was fought on the western side and slope of +Morningside Heights. These authorities, and the maps published in the +history, trace the advance of the British from what is now One Hundred +and Seventh Street along the bank of the North River to the “buckwheat +field” lying between Broadway and Riverside Drive, One Hundred and +Sixteenth Street and One Hundred and Twentieth Street, as they now +exist, where they were met by Col. Knowlton’s Rangers and where the +battle occurred. + +The statement of Lieut. Richards that the American loss was about +thirty killed confirms the estimate made by Professor Johnston, +while the third statement as to the burial of those killed furnishes +a new item to be added to the account of the battle, and lends +increased interest to an historic site. The plan of the battle and +Lieut. Richards’s description when studied in connection with the +natural topography of the Heights leave no doubt that either upon or +immediately to the west of the Columbia University grounds lies the +burial place of the men who fell “in the first battle of the Revolution +in which the American troops faced and routed the British.” + + + DR. EMMET’S REPLY. + +In the _Post_ of Feb. 10th, an editorial on the battle of Harlem +Heights interested me extremely, as the locality is there described +as though there existed no longer a doubt as to the exact place where +the battle was fought. I am aware that this view is held by many, but +beyond the fact that the present site of Columbia University must +necessarily be nearer the locality where the battle was fought, it has +no greater claim, I believe, to that honor than has Union Square, or +any other locality. I have given no thought to the subject for many +years and I am writing away from home, without a book of reference, but +fortunately I have retained a recollection of the details. I am not +actuated by a spirit of controversy in raising this issue, nor do I +intend to take any further part in discussion. I simply wish to offer a +protest, in consequence of my knowledge that the history of our country +is being constantly perverted and misstated. + +There exists no question that the battle of Harlem was fought, either +to the north or the south of the western portion of Harlem flats; that +the Americans occupied certain heights; and that the assault of the +English was made by one body and that the larger portion, from the +plain below along these heights; at the same time a smaller body gained +the top of these heights by ascending a ravine from the Hudson river +bank at some distance from the main line of attack. The whole question +then relates to the locality of Harlem Heights, and at this late date, +in the absence of positive proof, the locality must either continue to +remain in doubt, or must be decided by circumstantial evidence, which +is often the most reliable. Before presenting the evidence on which I +propose to base my argument it will be necessary to make a digression. + +Grant’s tomb occupies the site of Mt. Alto, the country place of my +uncle, the late Mr. Bache McEvers, with whom for many years I spent +a portion of every summer. As a boy I became as familiar with every +foot of this neighborhood as I am now with the sidewalk in front +of my Madison Avenue city residence, where I have lived for nearly +fifty years. I generally accompanied my uncle when he took his Sunday +afternoon walks and through his knowledge I became familiar with the +history and traditions of this neighborhood, and of Westchester. On one +occasion, during the summer, I think of 1838, I had pointed out to me +the site of the battle of Harlem Heights, with the ravine on the North +river, or west side, where a portion of the British troops came up to +make the attack, and beyond that the road on Breakneck Hill, to the +east side, down which the English were driven after being routed. The +surrounding country was then under cultivation and divided up in small +fields with scarcely any trees standing, but along the river bank and +on the brow of the heights to the eastward. This locality and ravine +was near the site and possibly forms a portion of the present Trinity +Cemetery. I was also told that the main part of the battle was fought +below, to the south, and I went over the ground about the locality of +the present Convent of the Sacred Heart, which neighborhood was too +hilly to be termed “a rolling country.” From my earliest knowledge in +connection with this battle until recent years, no doubt seems to have +existed as to where the battle was fought and the accepted belief +was the fight took place on the ground I have described. The fact +that the attack was made at distant points and covered quite an area +would explain, I should think, the difficulty and the vague manner +in which the battle is described or located by those who possessed a +contemporaneous knowledge of the locality of the Harlem Heights. + +Along the south side of Harlem Commons or Flats, there extended a +precipitous ridge of rock and débris, from the Hudson river at Grant’s +tomb to the East river at Hell gate. At the time of the Revolution +the chief exit from the city of New York to the north, was by way of +McGowan’s Pass, and in addition there were several footpaths to reach +the plain below. I have always heard that the Bloomingdale road was not +extended along the hill by Grant’s tomb and Claremount to the valley +below until many years after the Revolution, and there was only a +private road in addition to the one by McGowan’s Pass, which crossed +this line about the course of the present Third Avenue. When I was a +boy there were two or three footpaths to the west of McGowan’s Pass, +and at no other place was the descent possible save to a goat, or an +active boy. Across the Bloomingdale road in front of my uncle’s gate +and along the top of the hill, there was at that time the remains of +the British line of earthworks, which originally extended along the +crest of this ridge across the island to the East river. The trench +was about two feet deep at that time and I have frequently followed +without difficulty the line well on to McGowan’s Pass. In the war of +1812 this line was fortified for the protection of the city by a series +of blockhouses, one of which still stands. I believe the remains of +the British line of earthworks was undisturbed until the opening of +the streets. McGowan’s Pass was formerly considered as forming part +of the Yorkville Heights, and no part of this line, to the south of +the Harlem Commons, was ever termed Harlem Heights until within recent +years. If the portion of these heights nearest Harlem was always called +the Yorkville Heights, it is inexplicable why the most distant portion +of the line should be in any way associated by name with Harlem. On +the other hand I have often heard the heights on the south side of +the Harlem river termed Harlem Heights, and these extend westward to +the Hudson river bank. The settlement at Harlem with its Commons, or +land in common, and the one at Yorkville represented two distinct +interests, and for one familiar with the circumstances it is difficult +to understand how any confusion, from accident, should exist between +Harlem and Yorkville Heights. + +That section of the island to the north of the Harlem Commons, between +the Hudson river and the Boston road, which passed from McGowan’s Pass +to King’s Bridge, and from the northern end of the island to the Point +of Rocks to the south, then situated below the present site of the +convent, included the fortress of Fort Washington and its outworks. + +I had at one time in my possession the draft of a letter written by +Mr. George Pollock, a linen merchant of New York, and the father of +the child whose grave is near the Grant tomb. In this letter Pollock +states he purchased after the Revolution a tract of land and cleared +off the primitive forest which still covered this portion of Manhattan +Island, and it is not likely therefore that the buckwheat field existed +in this neighborhood in which it is claimed a part of the battle of +Harlem was fought. Mr. Pollock built here a house, where he lived for +a number of years, until the death of his wife and the loss of his +child from drowning. He then sold the place to Gulian Verplanck, of +Verplanck’s Point. My uncle leased for many years this place from his +cousin, Gulian C. Verplanck, the Shakespearean scholar, and the son of +him who purchased it from Pollock. All this portion of the island, west +of McGowan’s Pass along the river bank to about 65th or 70th street, +was heavily timbered until after the Revolution. To the existence of +this timbered section the portion of the American army left in New York +after the battle and evacuation of Long Island, owed its escape, for +the retreat was made in disorder and the troops were in a demoralized +condition. The sudden flight of the army from the city was rendered +necessary by the English landing in force at Kipp’s Bay, just above the +present Bellevue Hospital, where they met with little resistance from +the portion of the Connecticut troops, and some other colony, I do not +recollect, which were placed there to oppose the landing. + +This occasion is adduced as one of the few instances where Washington +lost his temper and swore as an expert in his effort to avert the +flight of his troops, who were demoralized from fatigue, loss of sleep, +with probably insufficient food and discouraged after the defeat at +Long Island. The day was an excessively hot one, and Mrs. Robert +Murray, of Murray Hill, whose husband was a Tory, but she in sympathy +with the American cause, invited the British officers to rest during +the heat of the day in her house. She exerted herself to such an extent +to make them comfortable, that just time enough, and no more, was +gained for the retreat of the American army past this point, along the +wooded banks of the Hudson river. The English were so close in pursuit +that Washington, in the rear with a portion of his staff, passed in the +neighborhood of 70th street, through the hall of the old Apthorp House +to the woods in the rear, under the guidance of Col. Aaron Burr, as +those in pursuit entered the front gate. From a military standpoint it +is clear that these troops must necessarily have made their way in the +most expeditious manner to McGowan’s Pass and across the Harlem flats +to gain protection within their own lines below Fort Washington, and +that no halt was likely made unless to hold McGowan’s Pass for a short +time to protect the rear end stragglers. And yet a memorial tablet, +I am informed, has been placed on one of the buildings of Columbia +University to commemorate the halt of these troops along the brow of +a continuous declivity, from fifty to one hundred feet in height, as +it was at that time; there to await the attack of a victorious and +superior force, after all possibility of retreat as a body was cut off, +and with a certainty that these troops were without a commissariat! If +it were possible to assign any rational reason or purpose, under the +circumstances why the American troops should hold any portion of this +untenable line, it is certain that no body of troops, under the most +perfect state of discipline, would have risked the fortune of a battle +in this place, without artillery and with a precipice in their rear. +There is no evidence that additional troops were landed on Harlem flats +from either the Hudson or the East river, and it would be absurd to +suppose that the English deserted an advantageous position in front +of the American forces, in order to go by McGowan’s Pass to the plain +below with the purpose of making an attack by attempting to scale an +almost inaccessible height! An attack by the ravine near this point as +claimed, I know from my own knowledge of the locality would have been +impossible, unless the troops to make the attack were landed at the +ravine from boats. They could not have passed, before the railroad was +built, along this shore for any distance on either side of the ravine. +When I was a boy this point was a noted place for fishing, as the water +was deep, with a steep bank, so that it was difficult for anyone to +pass except at low tide and the passage was then further obstructed by +a number of boulders or rocks. + +I have never seen the diary of Lieut. Sam. Richards, of a Connecticut +regiment, from which you quote, but the Point of Rocks in front of the +convent was then held by a Connecticut brigade, under Gen. Parsons, +if my memory serves me, and a portion of this brigade we have stated +was at Kipp’s Bay, where the English landed. It would then seem that +this portion of the army from New York had followed the course which, +I claim, the whole army must have followed by retreating within their +own lines, to the north of Harlem Commons. + +The following portion of Lieut. Richards’s diary, as quoted by you, +will I think show that the attack on the American line of entrenchments +was to the north of the Harlem flats, and by the ravine near Trinity +Cemetery, as stated:—“We then marched [from what point?] and took +possession of the Heights of Harlem and immediately flung up lines for +our defence.... We were employed the succeeding night in throwing up a +slight entrenchment on the brow of the hill at Harlem Heights in full +expectation of being attacked by the enemy in the morning. When the sun +arose I saw the enemy in the plain below us, at the distance of about a +mile, forming in a line. By account afterwards, their number was said +to exceed twenty thousand, and they indeed made a brilliant display +by the reflection of the sun’s rays on their arms. The sharp action +which took place that day under Col. Knowlton is so well detailed by +the historian I need not repeat it. The enemy sent a detachment of +about five thousand along the bank of the North river, which our people +attacked with spirit and about in equal numbers and drove them back +to their main body.... The next day I had a mournful duty assigned to +me—the command of a covering party over the fatigue men who buried the +dead which had fallen in the action the previous day. I placed myself +and party on a small eminence so as to see the men at their work, and +to discover the enemy should they approach to interrupt them.” If the +battle was fought above on the “University Heights,” it might be asked +on what _small eminence_ did Lieut. Richards take his position, and by +what route did his men reach the plain below to bury the dead? + +To the south and southeast of the high land on which Fort Washington +was situated, there were a number of step-like hills, with more or less +of a level or plateau space between them, and these extended around +towards the Harlem river. I recollect distinctly seeing the remains of +old earthworks at different points, and the line was to the north and +somewhat above the Point of Rocks. In connection with the defense of +the Point of Rocks, the Connecticut troops were entrenched on one of +these eminences, and if Lieut. Richards was with his command he must +first have seen the advance of the enemy in line directly across the +plain at the distance he states and at the foot of McGowan’s Pass. From +the same side as McGowan’s Pass, the view would have been a limited one +with all the timber removed about the foot of the Pass and there is no +portion along the heights, in the neighborhood of the University, from +which the front of the line of the British troops could have been seen +while forming, moreover the distance would have been much less than +that stated by Lieut. Richards. + +The main attack was an extended one along the line of entrenchments, +including the Point of Rocks, on what I believe was termed the Harlem +Heights at the time the battle was fought. In consequence of the +extended line and the varied fortune of the day, it has never been +known at what spot Col. Knowlton lost his life. The British troops were +very severely handled and failed to gain a foothold on any of these +eminences, from which they could not have been dislodged and everything +south of the ravine would then have been captured. There exists no +authority for supposing that any portion of the battle was fought on +the plain below, but from Lieut. Richards’s diary, as quoted by you, it +would seem the dead were buried there under his supervision, but the +spot is unknown. + +To the north of Manhattanville and for some distance beyond the ravine +at Trinity Cemetery, the water was shallow with a shelving beach, along +which the British troops could have passed at any state of the tide. +It is however doubtful that five thousand men ascended the ravine, +because, before a foothold could have been gained, it is said that a +bugle call was sounded as though for a fox hunt, which at once brought +upon the enemy an overpowering number of Americans. While it lasted +this fight at the top of the ravine was doubtless the best contested +hand-to-hand struggle of the Revolution. It is probable that before the +whole number of the English reached the top they were divided so that +those ascending were driven back to the west, and the portion already +on top who were not killed, were driven down on the east side. As I +have understood the plan of the battle, the object of those attacking +by the ravine was a flank movement to finally get in the rear of +the earthworks towards the southeast where the Americans were being +assaulted from the plain below, and but for the arrogance of the enemy +in giving timely notice of their presence in this quarter, which would +have been unexpected, the result would have been a brilliant one for +the English. + +When I first heard of the battle of Harlem and talked to the old +people I met, relics of the battle were to be found in almost every +small farmer’s house in the neighborhood. From my recollection more +particularly of some sword hilts and portions of sword blades which +were found on this spot I am led to believe that the clubbed musket of +the American soldier at close quarters, played an important part in the +struggle. + +In conclusion let me state that nowhere on Manhattan Island, to my +knowledge, beyond the limit of the city, have there been found the +remains of so many English and Hessian soldiers, as shown by buttons, +cross-belt buckles, bayonets and portions of other arms, as have +been excavated from time to time in the neighborhood of the Trinity +Cemetery. There could have been no fight at this point unless it was at +the battle of Harlem, while the neighborhood about Columbia University, +where it is claimed the battle was fought, has been particularly free +from all such evidence. + + THOS. ADDIS EMMET, M. D. + + NEW YORK CITY. + + + POSTSCRIPT, 4 + +In looking through the _Journals of Congress_, edited by Mr. +Worthington C. Ford, I found by accident the following (Vol. 6, p. 851): + + “Monday, Oct. 7, 1776— + + “Resolved, That Gen’l Lee be directed to repair to the camp on the + heights of Harlem, with leave, if he thinks it proper, to visit the + posts in New Jersey.” + +This proves that I am correct in saying that all north of Harlem +Flats was called Harlem Heights at the time and after the Revolution. +When the change was made I do not know, but at some time it became +desirable to locate the “Buckwheat Field” for the battle of Harlem +Heights somewhere in the neighborhood of Columbia University; +which region, at the time of the encounter was, I believe, heavily +timbered, not-withstanding the alleged existence of the buckwheat +field. It was not until after the battle of White Plains, and early +in November, that any portion of the outworks of Fort Washington was +abandoned by the Americans. These works were near King’s Bridge, +and were at once taken possession of by Knyphausen with his German +battalions, which crossed the Flats from McGowan’s Pass, and for the +first time the English got a foothold on Harlem Heights. We are all +thankful to the Sons of the Revolution for their well-meaning efforts +through the erection of these various tablets to establish for the +people a knowledge of the truth. But in this instance at least, +I think the tablet will have to be moved, and replaced somewhere +between the “Point of Rocks” and Trinity Cemetery. And while this is +doing, the propriety may be considered of moving the statue of Nathan +Hale to the neighborhood of 56th or 57th Street, between Second and +Third Avenues; if its present position is meant to mark the place +of his execution. Hale was taken across Long Island Sound to the +headquarters of Howe, then at the Beekman House, near 61st street +and the East river. He was likely confined over night at old Cato’s +house, which was on the Boston Post Road, (where Howe’s bodyguard was +stationed), and hung early next morning from one of the apple trees +of the orchard just across the road, where I, as a boy, often looked +upon the one nearest the road and decided as to the very limb from +which he was most likely hung. + +There was no necessity for taking him to the “Old Provost” for the +night, nor have I found any evidence that he was ever within five or +six miles of where his statue now stands, in City Hall Park. + + T. A. E. + + + + + DR. EMMET’S REJOINDER. + +REPRINTED FROM THE MAGAZINE OF HISTORY, JANUARY, 1907. + + [I thank the editor of the Magazine of History for giving me the + opportunity of reading the article of Messrs. Hall and Bolton before + publication.—T. A. E.] + + +The object in writing my paper was to call attention to the uncertainty +existing with many as to the exact locality of Harlem Heights, on and +in the neighborhood of which the battle of September 16, 1776, was +fought. I hope the subject will be investigated by those in doubt +at greater length than these gentlemen seem to have done. I cannot +undertake to do more than may be covered by this letter. I have neither +the strength, the authorities at hand for investigation, nor the time, +as within a few days I go South for the winter. + +Messrs. Hall and Bolton may have quoted correctly the authorities cited +by them, but they have not represented correctly my views, and from +their paper it is evident they did not read mine with sufficient care +to ascertain what I did write. + +In the first instance, I did not misstate the relative position of the +English and American lines, for I was correct, and we agree fully. +I did not hold that the Battle of Harlem was fought in the vicinity +of 155th Street, but that a flank movement was attempted in the +neighborhood of what I suppose is the present site of Trinity Cemetery. +I was explicit in showing that the battle was, in my judgment, fought +below the site of the present Convent of the Sacred Heart, at the Point +of Rocks and along the irregular line of high ground to the north of +the plain to the east of Manhattanville. + +In this connection, I will state my belief that after all the +excavating nothing can be judged at the present time with accuracy as +to where this line extended at the time of the battle. When I was a +boy the Point of Rocks extended so far to the south that it must have +almost reached the line of the street now extending eastward from the +foot of Claremont Heights. I recollect at one point on the road from +Manhattanville to Harlem, this Point of Rocks seemed to almost shut out +the valley and view of Manhattanville. + +Again, I did not state I remembered seeing some entrenchments in the +vicinity of Trinity Cemetery, but I described the line of earthworks I +saw as being in connection with those on the Point of Rocks. + +I did not state that the Americans were encamped on Morningside +Heights, nor on any portion of the high land to the south of the plain. +On the contrary, I labored to show they could have been nowhere else +but to the north of the extremity of the Point of Rocks, and all I +wrote was in relation to the article published in the _Evening Post_. +If in this connection there be anything in Lieut. Richards’ account as +quoted in the _Post_ which “fits in exactly” from the standpoint of +these gentlemen, as to the fight being on the Morningside Heights, it +is certainly a _mis_-fit. I agree with them that the English troops, +described by Richards as forming in line at sunrise at the foot of +McGowan’s Pass, were not likely to have attempted to scale Morningside +Heights. The fact of this force being at the foot of McGowan’s Pass +goes to prove that they were there to cross the plain and make an +attack on the American line, within which Richards’ Connecticut +regiment was stationed; and as he was with his regiment, which took +part in the fight, it becomes evident that the battle was fought about +the Point of Rocks. + +If Morningside Heights to Claremont, then held by the British, formed a +part of Harlem Heights, and the American forces also held a portion of +Harlem Heights to the north, it seems evident that the order to General +Lee (referred to in my first article) would have been more explicit. +The resolution of Congress, passed October 17, 1776, was: “Resolved, +That General Lee be directed to repair to the camp on _the_ Heights +of Harlem, with leave,” etc. The wording can only be construed from a +logical point, as showing that the heights below Fort Washington were +the Harlem Heights, and there could have been no other Harlem Heights +but those occupied by the American forces. + +The only foundation for any fighting on the heights to the south rests +on an encounter lasting but a few moments. Knowlton, before daylight, +was sent by Washington, with a single company of his command, to get on +the flank of the British troops encamped on Vandewater Heights, and to +reach that position by ascending the Hudson River bank at some distance +to the south of the present grounds of Columbia University. Washington +had received information that the enemy was forming in force at +McGowan’s Pass for an attack, and Knowlton was, by this means, to cause +a diversion, if possible, with the object of retarding the general +movement. Unfortunately, Knowlton’s presence was discovered as soon as +he reached the brow of the ascent, and he was forced to make a hasty +retreat. Knowlton’s party was followed down to the water by a body of +the enemy, which crossed the valley to the north, and later in the day +attempted a flank movement by ascending a ravine, and was repulsed as +described in my paper. This encounter of Knowlton’s at daylight on +Vandewater Heights, I assert, can scarcely be termed a skirmish nor +be considered as part of the Battle of Harlem Heights, as the battle +did not begin until late in the day, and lasted three or four hours. +Moreover, the place of Knowlton’s encounter was so far to the south +of the Harlem line (possibly as far south as 94th Street) as to render +it impossible to show any connection with Harlem Heights, the grounds +of Columbia University, or Morningside Heights. I do not propose, nor +is it necessary, to enter into any further detail of the battle, my +only purpose, as already stated, being to locate the Harlem Heights, on +which and about which the Battle of Harlem was fought. + +To show the confusion which exists as to this locality, even in the +minds of Messrs. Hall and Bolton, I will quote a statement made in +their paper: “The hill on which the most desperate fighting took place +is identified by Major Lewis Morris, Jr., who wrote to his father +on September 28: ‘Monday morning an advanced party, Col. Knowlton’s +regiment, was attacked upon a height a little to the southwest of Day’s +tavern.’ Day’s tavern was on the line of the present 126th Street, +two hundred feet west of Eighth Avenue. _This locates the fight on +Morningside Heights_,” etc. I do not know what relation the site of +Day’s tavern may bear to Eighth Avenue, but I do know that it had no +relation whatever with the noted buckwheat field near the Columbia +grounds, nor with Morningside Heights. My recollection is quite clear +in recalling the facts of the site of Day’s tavern on the east side of +the road, extending from McGowan’s Pass, along the foot of the present +Morningside Heights to King’s Bridge. It was situated some distance +to the _northeast_ of the Point of Rocks, and Morris’ statement was +correct. The Point of Rocks and other entrenchments on the different +hills, forming the American line in this neighborhood, were “_a little +to the southwest of Days tavern_.” I believe the tavern was a mile to +the north of any portion of Morningside Heights, and at this advanced +point Knowlton with the Connecticut troops were stationed, in the most +direct line for the enemy from McGowan’s Pass. + +Having reached this point in my task, which proved a fatiguing one, +I was prompted to consult Mrs. Lamb’s _History of New York City_, it +being the only work in my present library from which I could obtain +any information relating to the Battle of Harlem Heights. To my +satisfaction I found a tracing of Colton’s map, which confirms the +accuracy of my recollection in relation to the site of Day’s tavern. +In addition, I found that in all essentials as to the wooded country, +roads, etc., I had been accurate; a remarkable circumstance, as I have +had to trust to the impressions made by my observation and historical +studies at a period which would doubtless antedate the birth of either +of these gentlemen. Colton’s map shows, as I stated, that there was +no road at this time from these heights to the valley, and that only +a pathway existed from the Claremont Heights along the course of the +Bloomingdale road, which was not open in this neighborhood until after +the Revolution. It does give, however, what was probably a farm road +from Hoagland’s house down into the King’s Bridge road, at about 110th +Street. After the Bloomingdale road was extended to Manhattanville, +this one was probably closed, as it did not exist within my +recollection. + +[Illustration: =Sketch of Battle-Field, Harlem Heights=. + +Showing the relative position of the two hostile armies of Great +Britain and America, September 16, 1776. + +From Lamb’s History of the City of New York, Vol. II, p. 129.] + +Mrs. Lamb gives a confused account in relation to Major Morris’ letter, +but this is evidently an oversight, if taken in connection with her +full account of the battle. So fully does she consider every authority +in locating the site of Harlem Heights, and her deductions are so in +accord with my position, that it is unnecessary for me to take further +exceptions to other inaccurate statements made by these gentlemen. In +conclusion, I will state that under the circumstances I feel that their +prologue written as a warning to the public, as to the accuracy of my +statement, is, to say the least, uncalled for. + + THOS. ADDIS EMMET, M. D. + + (I omitted to correct a misstatement at the beginning of the paper by + these gentlemen: My article was written for the _Evening Post_ last + winter, while I was South, and in answer to an editorial which had + appeared shortly before, but that paper declined to publish it. The + editor probably labored under the impression that Messrs. Hall and + Bolton knew all about it; and that the buckwheat field could not have + been anywhere else but in the grounds of Columbia University, while + in fact the _real_ buckwheat field was situated far to the north, + near the real Day’s tavern.) + + + + + Transcriber notes + + + Obvious typographical errors and punctuation errors have been corrected + after careful comparison with other occurrences within the text and + consultation of external sources. + + Except for those changes noted below, all misspellings in the text, and + inconsistent or archaic usage, have been retained. + + Pg 4 “Pass was fomerly considered” changed to “Pass was formerly + considered”. + Pg 6 “English deserted an advantagous position” to “English + deserted an advantageous position”. +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 78798 *** diff --git a/78798-h/78798-h.htm b/78798-h/78798-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..64dd213 --- /dev/null +++ b/78798-h/78798-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,792 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html> +<html lang="en"> +<head> + <meta charset="UTF-8"> + <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"> + <meta name="format-detection" content="telephone=no,date=no,address=no,email=no,url=no"> + <title> + The Battle of Harlem Heights | Project Gutenberg + </title> + <link rel="icon" href="images/cover.jpg" type="image/x-cover"> +<style> +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; +} +/* Transcriber's notes */ + .transnote {background-color: #E6E6FA; + color: black; + font-size:small; + padding:0.5em; + margin-bottom:2em; + font-family:sans-serif, serif; + } + + + + + + +/* Font styles */ + h2 { + text-align: center; + clear: both; + font-weight: normal; + } + + h3 {text-align: center; + clear: both; + font-weight: normal; + } + + h1 { + text-align: center; + clear: both; + font-weight: normal; + font-size: 4em; + margin: 3em 0em 1em 0em; + } + + p { + text-indent: 1em; + margin-top: .51em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .49em; + } + .bold {font-weight: bold;} + + .fs150 {font-size: 150%;} + .fs90 {font-size: 90%;} + .fs80 {font-size: 80%;} + .spacedLetters {letter-spacing: 1px;} + .center {text-align: center; text-indent: 0;} + .right {text-align: right;} + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + .dropCap { + float: left; + font-size: 400%; + line-height: 80%; + } + + .paraWithDropCap {text-indent:0em;} + +.x-ebookmaker-2 .dropCap { float: left; + font-size: 100%;} + +.x-ebookmaker-2 .paraWithDropCap {text-indent:1em;} + + .signature {margin-right: 3em;} + figcaption {font-size: 85%; padding-bottom: 1em; padding-left: 1em; padding-right: 1em;} +/* Transcriber's notes */ + .transnote {background-color: #E6E6FA; + color: black; + font-size:small; + padding:0.5em; + margin-bottom:5em; + font-family:sans-serif, serif; + } + +/* Line styles */ + hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: 33.5%; + margin-right: 33.5%; + clear: both; + } + + hr.chap {width: 65%; margin-left: 17.5%; margin-right: 17.5%;} + @media print { hr.chap {display: none; visibility: hidden;} } + + div.chapter {page-break-before: always;} + h2.nobreak {page-break-before: avoid;} + +/* Misc */ + .pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: small; + text-align: right; + font-style: normal; + font-weight: normal; + font-variant: normal; + text-indent: 0; + color: #A9A9A9; + } /* page numbers */ + +/* Images */ + + img { + max-width: 100%; + height: auto; + } + img.w100 {width: 100%;} + .figcenter { + margin: auto; + text-align: center; + page-break-inside: avoid; + max-width: 100%; + } + + + + + + + + +/* Illustration classes */ +.illowp100 {width: 100%;} +.illowp10 {width: 10%;} + + + +.ornateDecoration {margin: 6em auto 6em auto; + } +</style> +</head> + + +<body> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 78798 ***</div> + +<div class="transnote"> +Transcriber notes<br> +Some minor changes to the text are noted at the end of the book. +New original cover art included with this eBook is granted to the public domain. +</div> + + +<h1> +THE BATTLE OF<br> +HARLEM HEIGHTS +</h1> + +<p class="center fs150"> +BY<br> +THOMAS ADDIS EMMET, M.D. +</p> +<figure class="figcenter illowp10 ornateDecoration" id="titlepage" style="max-width: 9.4375em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/titlepage.jpg" alt="Ornate decoration"> +</figure> +<p class="center fs80 spacedLetters">REPRINTED FROM</p> +<p class="center spacedLetters">THE MAGAZINE OF HISTORY</p> +<p class="center fs80 spacedLetters">WITH NOTES AND QUERIES</p> +<p class="center fs80"><i>September, 1906</i></p> + + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_1">[Pg 1]</span></p> + + + <h2 class="nobreak" id="THE_BATTLE_OF_HARLEM_HEIGHTS"> + THE BATTLE OF HARLEM HEIGHTS + </h2> +</div> + +<blockquote class="fs90"> +<p>[Dr. Emmet’s article was written in reply to the following article which appeared some +time ago in the New York <cite>Evening Post</cite>. The whereabouts of the Richards letter, quoted +from, we have been unable to ascertain.—<span class="smcap">Ed</span>].</p> +</blockquote> + + +<p class="paraWithDropCap"><span class="dropCap">S</span>ince the publication of Prof. H. P. Johnston’s monograph on the +battle of Harlem Heights, not more than one or two letters or +documents have come to light to be added to the very complete list +of authorities given in the appendix. One of these which has recently +been brought to notice is interesting and important as confirming certain +views advanced by Professor Johnston respecting the location of the +battlefield and other particulars of the action. It is in the form of an +extract from the diary of a Revolutionary officer, Lieut. Samuel Richards +of a Connecticut regiment, who, after describing the retreat from Long +Island in August, 1776, continues his narrative as follows:</p> + +<blockquote class="fs90"> +<p>We then marched and took possession of the heights of Harlem and immediately +flung up lines for our defence.... We were employed the succeeding +night (September 15, 1776) in throwing up a slight entrenchment on the brow of +the hill at Harlem Heights in full expectation of being attacked by the enemy in +the morning. When the sun arose I saw the enemy in the plain below us, at the +distance of about a mile, forming in a line. By accounts afterwards, their number +was said to exceed twenty thousand, and they indeed made a brilliant display by +the reflection of the sun’s rays on their arms.</p> + +<p>The sharp action which took place that day under Col. Knowlton is so well +detailed by the historian, I need not repeat it. The enemy sent a detachment of +about five thousand along the bank of the North River, which our people attacked +with spirit and about an equal number, and drove them back to their main body. +The loss on our side was about thirty killed and sixty or seventy wounded. The +loss to the enemy must have been more than that, as we repulsed them after a warm +fire of three-quarters of an hour. Here I first saw Lieut. Munro; he had volunteered +to go to the attack on our right under the command of Col. Knowlton.</p> + +<p>The next day I had a mournful duty assigned to me—the command of a +covering party over the fatigue men who buried the dead which had fallen in the +action the previous day. I placed myself and party on a small eminence so as to +see the men at their work, and to discover the enemy should they approach to +interrupt them. There were thirty-three bodies found on the field; they were drawn +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_2">[Pg 2]</span>to a large hole which was prepared for the purpose and buried together. One body +of a fine-limbed young man had been brought into the camp with a bullet hole in +the breast near the heart. I was struck with reflections on the force of habit to +see those fatigue men performing this duty with as little apparent concern as they +would have performed any duty.</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>The diary, though written some years after the close of the war, +furnishes a narrative which is apparently based upon an accurate recollection +of the events described. Lieut. Richards supports Professor Johnston’s +assertion, already corroborated by a mass of evidence, that the battle +was fought on the western side and slope of Morningside Heights. +These authorities, and the maps published in the history, trace the advance +of the British from what is now One Hundred and Seventh Street along +the bank of the North River to the “buckwheat field” lying between +Broadway and Riverside Drive, One Hundred and Sixteenth Street and +One Hundred and Twentieth Street, as they now exist, where they were +met by Col. Knowlton’s Rangers and where the battle occurred.</p> + +<p>The statement of Lieut. Richards that the American loss was about +thirty killed confirms the estimate made by Professor Johnston, while the +third statement as to the burial of those killed furnishes a new item to be +added to the account of the battle, and lends increased interest to an +historic site. The plan of the battle and Lieut. Richards’s description +when studied in connection with the natural topography of the Heights +leave no doubt that either upon or immediately to the west of the Columbia +University grounds lies the burial place of the men who fell “in the first +battle of the Revolution in which the American troops faced and routed +the British.”</p> + + +<h3>DR. EMMET’S REPLY.</h3> + +<p>In the <cite>Post</cite> of Feb. 10th, an editorial on the battle of Harlem +Heights interested me extremely, as the locality is there described as +though there existed no longer a doubt as to the exact place where the +battle was fought. I am aware that this view is held by many, but beyond +the fact that the present site of Columbia University must necessarily be +nearer the locality where the battle was fought, it has no greater claim, +I believe, to that honor than has Union Square, or any other locality. I +have given no thought to the subject for many years and I am writing +away from home, without a book of reference, but fortunately I have +retained a recollection of the details. I am not actuated by a spirit of +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_3">[Pg 3]</span>controversy in raising this issue, nor do I intend to take any further part +in discussion. I simply wish to offer a protest, in consequence of my +knowledge that the history of our country is being constantly perverted +and misstated.</p> + +<p>There exists no question that the battle of Harlem was fought, either +to the north or the south of the western portion of Harlem flats; that the +Americans occupied certain heights; and that the assault of the English +was made by one body and that the larger portion, from the plain below +along these heights; at the same time a smaller body gained the top of +these heights by ascending a ravine from the Hudson river bank at some +distance from the main line of attack. The whole question then relates +to the locality of Harlem Heights, and at this late date, in the absence of +positive proof, the locality must either continue to remain in doubt, or +must be decided by circumstantial evidence, which is often the most +reliable. Before presenting the evidence on which I propose to base my +argument it will be necessary to make a digression.</p> + +<p>Grant’s tomb occupies the site of Mt. Alto, the country place of my +uncle, the late Mr. Bache McEvers, with whom for many years I spent +a portion of every summer. As a boy I became as familiar with every +foot of this neighborhood as I am now with the sidewalk in front of my +Madison Avenue city residence, where I have lived for nearly fifty years. +I generally accompanied my uncle when he took his Sunday afternoon +walks and through his knowledge I became familiar with the history and +traditions of this neighborhood, and of Westchester. On one occasion, +during the summer, I think of 1838, I had pointed out to me the site of +the battle of Harlem Heights, with the ravine on the North river, or +west side, where a portion of the British troops came up to make the +attack, and beyond that the road on Breakneck Hill, to the east side, down +which the English were driven after being routed. The surrounding +country was then under cultivation and divided up in small fields with +scarcely any trees standing, but along the river bank and on the brow of +the heights to the eastward. This locality and ravine was near the site +and possibly forms a portion of the present Trinity Cemetery. I was +also told that the main part of the battle was fought below, to the south, +and I went over the ground about the locality of the present Convent of +the Sacred Heart, which neighborhood was too hilly to be termed “a +rolling country.” From my earliest knowledge in connection with this +battle until recent years, no doubt seems to have existed as to where +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_4">[Pg 4]</span>the battle was fought and the accepted belief was the fight took place +on the ground I have described. The fact that the attack was made at +distant points and covered quite an area would explain, I should think, +the difficulty and the vague manner in which the battle is described or +located by those who possessed a contemporaneous knowledge of the +locality of the Harlem Heights.</p> + +<p>Along the south side of Harlem Commons or Flats, there extended +a precipitous ridge of rock and débris, from the Hudson river at Grant’s +tomb to the East river at Hell gate. At the time of the Revolution the +chief exit from the city of New York to the north, was by way of +McGowan’s Pass, and in addition there were several footpaths to reach +the plain below. I have always heard that the Bloomingdale road was +not extended along the hill by Grant’s tomb and Claremount to the +valley below until many years after the Revolution, and there was only +a private road in addition to the one by McGowan’s Pass, which crossed +this line about the course of the present Third Avenue. When I was a +boy there were two or three footpaths to the west of McGowan’s Pass, +and at no other place was the descent possible save to a goat, or an active +boy. Across the Bloomingdale road in front of my uncle’s gate and +along the top of the hill, there was at that time the remains of the British +line of earthworks, which originally extended along the crest of this +ridge across the island to the East river. The trench was about two feet +deep at that time and I have frequently followed without difficulty the +line well on to McGowan’s Pass. In the war of 1812 this line was +fortified for the protection of the city by a series of blockhouses, one of +which still stands. I believe the remains of the British line of earthworks +was undisturbed until the opening of the streets. McGowan’s +<span id="fomerly">Pass was formerly considered</span> as forming part of the Yorkville Heights, +and no part of this line, to the south of the Harlem Commons, was ever +termed Harlem Heights until within recent years. If the portion of these +heights nearest Harlem was always called the Yorkville Heights, it is +inexplicable why the most distant portion of the line should be in any +way associated by name with Harlem. On the other hand I have often +heard the heights on the south side of the Harlem river termed Harlem +Heights, and these extend westward to the Hudson river bank. The +settlement at Harlem with its Commons, or land in common, and the one +at Yorkville represented two distinct interests, and for one familiar with +the circumstances it is difficult to understand how any confusion, from +accident, should exist between Harlem and Yorkville Heights.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</span></p> + +<p>That section of the island to the north of the Harlem Commons, +between the Hudson river and the Boston road, which passed from McGowan’s +Pass to King’s Bridge, and from the northern end of the island to +the Point of Rocks to the south, then situated below the present site of +the convent, included the fortress of Fort Washington and its outworks.</p> + +<p>I had at one time in my possession the draft of a letter written by +Mr. George Pollock, a linen merchant of New York, and the father of +the child whose grave is near the Grant tomb. In this letter Pollock states +he purchased after the Revolution a tract of land and cleared off the +primitive forest which still covered this portion of Manhattan Island, and +it is not likely therefore that the buckwheat field existed in this neighborhood +in which it is claimed a part of the battle of Harlem was fought. +Mr. Pollock built here a house, where he lived for a number of years, +until the death of his wife and the loss of his child from drowning. He +then sold the place to Gulian Verplanck, of Verplanck’s Point. My uncle +leased for many years this place from his cousin, Gulian C. Verplanck, +the Shakespearean scholar, and the son of him who purchased it from +Pollock. All this portion of the island, west of McGowan’s Pass along +the river bank to about 65th or 70th street, was heavily timbered until +after the Revolution. To the existence of this timbered section the portion +of the American army left in New York after the battle and evacuation +of Long Island, owed its escape, for the retreat was made in disorder +and the troops were in a demoralized condition. The sudden flight of +the army from the city was rendered necessary by the English landing in +force at Kipp’s Bay, just above the present Bellevue Hospital, where they +met with little resistance from the portion of the Connecticut troops, and +some other colony, I do not recollect, which were placed there to oppose +the landing.</p> + +<p>This occasion is adduced as one of the few instances where Washington +lost his temper and swore as an expert in his effort to avert the +flight of his troops, who were demoralized from fatigue, loss of sleep, +with probably insufficient food and discouraged after the defeat at Long +Island. The day was an excessively hot one, and Mrs. Robert Murray, +of Murray Hill, whose husband was a Tory, but she in sympathy with +the American cause, invited the British officers to rest during the heat of +the day in her house. She exerted herself to such an extent to make them +comfortable, that just time enough, and no more, was gained for the +retreat of the American army past this point, along the wooded banks of +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</span>the Hudson river. The English were so close in pursuit that Washington, +in the rear with a portion of his staff, passed in the neighborhood of 70th +street, through the hall of the old Apthorp House to the woods in the +rear, under the guidance of Col. Aaron Burr, as those in pursuit entered +the front gate. From a military standpoint it is clear that these troops +must necessarily have made their way in the most expeditious manner to +McGowan’s Pass and across the Harlem flats to gain protection within +their own lines below Fort Washington, and that no halt was likely made +unless to hold McGowan’s Pass for a short time to protect the rear end +stragglers. And yet a memorial tablet, I am informed, has been placed +on one of the buildings of Columbia University to commemorate the halt +of these troops along the brow of a continuous declivity, from fifty to one +hundred feet in height, as it was at that time; there to await the attack of +a victorious and superior force, after all possibility of retreat as a body +was cut off, and with a certainty that these troops were without a commissariat! +If it were possible to assign any rational reason or purpose, +under the circumstances why the American troops should hold any portion +of this untenable line, it is certain that no body of troops, under the +most perfect state of discipline, would have risked the fortune of a battle +in this place, without artillery and with a precipice in their rear. There is +no evidence that additional troops were landed on Harlem flats from either +the Hudson or the East river, and it would be absurd to suppose that the +<span id="advantagous">English deserted an advantageous position</span> in front of the American forces, +in order to go by McGowan’s Pass to the plain below with the purpose +of making an attack by attempting to scale an almost inaccessible height! +An attack by the ravine near this point as claimed, I know from my own +knowledge of the locality would have been impossible, unless the troops +to make the attack were landed at the ravine from boats. They could +not have passed, before the railroad was built, along this shore for +any distance on either side of the ravine. When I was a boy this point +was a noted place for fishing, as the water was deep, with a steep bank, +so that it was difficult for anyone to pass except at low tide and the +passage was then further obstructed by a number of boulders or rocks.</p> + +<p>I have never seen the diary of Lieut. Sam. Richards, of a Connecticut +regiment, from which you quote, but the Point of Rocks in front of the +convent was then held by a Connecticut brigade, under Gen. Parsons, if +my memory serves me, and a portion of this brigade we have stated was at +Kipp’s Bay, where the English landed. It would then seem that this +portion of the army from New York had followed the course which, I +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</span>claim, the whole army must have followed by retreating within their own +lines, to the north of Harlem Commons.</p> + +<p>The following portion of Lieut. Richards’s diary, as quoted by you, +will I think show that the attack on the American line of entrenchments +was to the north of the Harlem flats, and by the ravine near Trinity +Cemetery, as stated:—“We then marched [from what point?] and took +possession of the Heights of Harlem and immediately flung up lines for +our defence.... We were employed the succeeding night in throwing +up a slight entrenchment on the brow of the hill at Harlem Heights in +full expectation of being attacked by the enemy in the morning. When +the sun arose I saw the enemy in the plain below us, at the distance of +about a mile, forming in a line. By account afterwards, their number +was said to exceed twenty thousand, and they indeed made a brilliant display +by the reflection of the sun’s rays on their arms. The sharp action +which took place that day under Col. Knowlton is so well detailed by the +historian I need not repeat it. The enemy sent a detachment of about +five thousand along the bank of the North river, which our people attacked +with spirit and about in equal numbers and drove them back to their main +body.... The next day I had a mournful duty assigned to me—the +command of a covering party over the fatigue men who buried the +dead which had fallen in the action the previous day. I placed myself +and party on a small eminence so as to see the men at their work, and to +discover the enemy should they approach to interrupt them.” If the +battle was fought above on the “University Heights,” it might be asked +on what <em>small eminence</em> did Lieut. Richards take his position, and by +what route did his men reach the plain below to bury the dead?</p> + +<p>To the south and southeast of the high land on which Fort Washington +was situated, there were a number of step-like hills, with more or +less of a level or plateau space between them, and these extended around +towards the Harlem river. I recollect distinctly seeing the remains of old +earthworks at different points, and the line was to the north and somewhat +above the Point of Rocks. In connection with the defense of the +Point of Rocks, the Connecticut troops were entrenched on one of these +eminences, and if Lieut. Richards was with his command he must first +have seen the advance of the enemy in line directly across the plain at +the distance he states and at the foot of McGowan’s Pass. From the +same side as McGowan’s Pass, the view would have been a limited +one with all the timber removed about the foot of the Pass and there is +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</span>no portion along the heights, in the neighborhood of the University, from +which the front of the line of the British troops could have been seen +while forming, moreover the distance would have been much less than +that stated by Lieut. Richards.</p> + +<p>The main attack was an extended one along the line of entrenchments, +including the Point of Rocks, on what I believe was termed the +Harlem Heights at the time the battle was fought. In consequence of +the extended line and the varied fortune of the day, it has never been +known at what spot Col. Knowlton lost his life. The British troops were +very severely handled and failed to gain a foothold on any of these +eminences, from which they could not have been dislodged and everything +south of the ravine would then have been captured. There exists no +authority for supposing that any portion of the battle was fought on the +plain below, but from Lieut. Richards’s diary, as quoted by you, it would +seem the dead were buried there under his supervision, but the spot is +unknown.</p> + +<p>To the north of Manhattanville and for some distance beyond the +ravine at Trinity Cemetery, the water was shallow with a shelving beach, +along which the British troops could have passed at any state of the tide. +It is however doubtful that five thousand men ascended the ravine, because, +before a foothold could have been gained, it is said that a bugle call was +sounded as though for a fox hunt, which at once brought upon the enemy +an overpowering number of Americans. While it lasted this fight at the +top of the ravine was doubtless the best contested hand-to-hand struggle +of the Revolution. It is probable that before the whole number of the +English reached the top they were divided so that those ascending were +driven back to the west, and the portion already on top who were not +killed, were driven down on the east side. As I have understood the plan +of the battle, the object of those attacking by the ravine was a flank +movement to finally get in the rear of the earthworks towards the southeast +where the Americans were being assaulted from the plain below, and +but for the arrogance of the enemy in giving timely notice of their presence +in this quarter, which would have been unexpected, the result would have +been a brilliant one for the English.</p> + +<p>When I first heard of the battle of Harlem and talked to the old +people I met, relics of the battle were to be found in almost every small +farmer’s house in the neighborhood. From my recollection more particularly +of some sword hilts and portions of sword blades which were +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</span>found on this spot I am led to believe that the clubbed musket of the +American soldier at close quarters, played an important part in the +struggle.</p> + +<p>In conclusion let me state that nowhere on Manhattan Island, to my +knowledge, beyond the limit of the city, have there been found the +remains of so many English and Hessian soldiers, as shown by buttons, +cross-belt buckles, bayonets and portions of other arms, as have been +excavated from time to time in the neighborhood of the Trinity Cemetery. +There could have been no fight at this point unless it was at the battle of +Harlem, while the neighborhood about Columbia University, where it is +claimed the battle was fought, has been particularly free from all such +evidence.</p> + +<p class="right signature"> + <span class="smcap">Thos. Addis Emmet</span>, M. D. +</p> + +<blockquote> +<p><span class="smcap fs90">New York City.</span></p> +</blockquote> + + +<h3>POSTSCRIPT, 4</h3> + +<p>In looking through the <cite>Journals of Congress</cite>, edited by Mr. Worthington +C. Ford, I found by accident the following (Vol. 6, p. 851):</p> + +<p>“Monday, Oct. 7, 1776—</p> + + +<p>“Resolved, That Gen’l Lee be directed to repair to the camp on the +heights of Harlem, with leave, if he thinks it proper, to visit the posts in +New Jersey.”</p> + +<p>This proves that I am correct in saying that all north of Harlem +Flats was called Harlem Heights at the time and after the Revolution. +When the change was made I do not know, but at some time it became +desirable to locate the “Buckwheat Field” for the battle of Harlem +Heights somewhere in the neighborhood of Columbia University; which +region, at the time of the encounter was, I believe, heavily timbered, not-withstanding +the alleged existence of the buckwheat field. It was not +until after the battle of White Plains, and early in November, that any +portion of the outworks of Fort Washington was abandoned by the +Americans. These works were near King’s Bridge, and were at once +taken possession of by Knyphausen with his German battalions, which +crossed the Flats from McGowan’s Pass, and for the first time the +English got a foothold on Harlem Heights. We are all thankful to the +Sons of the Revolution for their well-meaning efforts through the erection +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</span>of these various tablets to establish for the people a knowledge of the +truth. But in this instance at least, I think the tablet will have to be +moved, and replaced somewhere between the “Point of Rocks” and +Trinity Cemetery. And while this is doing, the propriety may be considered +of moving the statue of Nathan Hale to the neighborhood of 56th +or 57th Street, between Second and Third Avenues; if its present position +is meant to mark the place of his execution. Hale was taken across Long +Island Sound to the headquarters of Howe, then at the Beekman House, +near 61st street and the East river. He was likely confined over night at +old Cato’s house, which was on the Boston Post Road, (where Howe’s +bodyguard was stationed), and hung early next morning from one of +the apple trees of the orchard just across the road, where I, as a boy, +often looked upon the one nearest the road and decided as to the very +limb from which he was most likely hung.</p> + +<p>There was no necessity for taking him to the “Old Provost” for the +night, nor have I found any evidence that he was ever within five or six +miles of where his statue now stands, in City Hall Park.</p> + +<p class="right signature"> + T. A. E. +</p> + + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</span></p> + + + <h2 class="nobreak" id="DR_EMMETS_REJOINDER">DR. EMMET’S REJOINDER.</h2> + <p class="center fs90">REPRINTED FROM THE MAGAZINE OF HISTORY, JANUARY, 1907.</p> +</div> + +<blockquote class="fs90"> +<p>[I thank the editor of the Magazine of History for giving me the opportunity of +reading the article of Messrs. Hall and Bolton before publication.—T. A. E.]</p> +</blockquote> + + +<p>The object in writing my paper was to call attention to the uncertainty +existing with many as to the exact locality of Harlem Heights, +on and in the neighborhood of which the battle of September 16, 1776, +was fought. I hope the subject will be investigated by those in doubt +at greater length than these gentlemen seem to have done. I cannot +undertake to do more than may be covered by this letter. I have +neither the strength, the authorities at hand for investigation, nor the +time, as within a few days I go South for the winter.</p> + +<p>Messrs. Hall and Bolton may have quoted correctly the authorities +cited by them, but they have not represented correctly my views, and +from their paper it is evident they did not read mine with sufficient +care to ascertain what I did write.</p> + +<p>In the first instance, I did not misstate the relative position of the +English and American lines, for I was correct, and we agree fully. I +did not hold that the Battle of Harlem was fought in the vicinity of 155th +Street, but that a flank movement was attempted in the neighborhood of +what I suppose is the present site of Trinity Cemetery. I was explicit +in showing that the battle was, in my judgment, fought below the site +of the present Convent of the Sacred Heart, at the Point of Rocks and +along the irregular line of high ground to the north of the plain to the +east of Manhattanville.</p> + +<p>In this connection, I will state my belief that after all the excavating +nothing can be judged at the present time with accuracy as to where this +line extended at the time of the battle. When I was a boy the Point of +Rocks extended so far to the south that it must have almost reached the +line of the street now extending eastward from the foot of Claremont +Heights. I recollect at one point on the road from Manhattanville to +Harlem, this Point of Rocks seemed to almost shut out the valley and +view of Manhattanville.</p> + +<p>Again, I did not state I remembered seeing some entrenchments in +the vicinity of Trinity Cemetery, but I described the line of earthworks +I saw as being in connection with those on the Point of Rocks.</p> + +<p>I did not state that the Americans were encamped on Morningside +Heights, nor on any portion of the high land to the south of the plain. +On the contrary, I labored to show they could have been nowhere else +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</span>but to the north of the extremity of the Point of Rocks, and all I wrote +was in relation to the article published in the <cite>Evening Post</cite>. If in this +connection there be anything in Lieut. Richards’ account as quoted in the +<cite>Post</cite> which “fits in exactly” from the standpoint of these gentlemen, as +to the fight being on the Morningside Heights, it is certainly a <em>mis</em>-fit. +I agree with them that the English troops, described by Richards as +forming in line at sunrise at the foot of McGowan’s Pass, were not likely +to have attempted to scale Morningside Heights. The fact of this force +being at the foot of McGowan’s Pass goes to prove that they were there +to cross the plain and make an attack on the American line, within +which Richards’ Connecticut regiment was stationed; and as he was with +his regiment, which took part in the fight, it becomes evident that the +battle was fought about the Point of Rocks.</p> + +<p>If Morningside Heights to Claremont, then held by the British, +formed a part of Harlem Heights, and the American forces also held a +portion of Harlem Heights to the north, it seems evident that the order +to General Lee (referred to in my first article) would have been more +explicit. The resolution of Congress, passed October 17, 1776, was: +“Resolved, That General Lee be directed to repair to the camp on <em>the</em> +Heights of Harlem, with leave,” etc. The wording can only be construed +from a logical point, as showing that the heights below Fort +Washington were the Harlem Heights, and there could have been no +other Harlem Heights but those occupied by the American forces.</p> + +<p>The only foundation for any fighting on the heights to the south +rests on an encounter lasting but a few moments. Knowlton, before daylight, +was sent by Washington, with a single company of his command, +to get on the flank of the British troops encamped on Vandewater +Heights, and to reach that position by ascending the Hudson River +bank at some distance to the south of the present grounds of Columbia +University. Washington had received information that the enemy was +forming in force at McGowan’s Pass for an attack, and Knowlton was, by +this means, to cause a diversion, if possible, with the object of retarding the +general movement. Unfortunately, Knowlton’s presence was discovered +as soon as he reached the brow of the ascent, and he was forced to make +a hasty retreat. Knowlton’s party was followed down to the water by a +body of the enemy, which crossed the valley to the north, and later in the +day attempted a flank movement by ascending a ravine, and was repulsed +as described in my paper. This encounter of Knowlton’s at daylight +on Vandewater Heights, I assert, can scarcely be termed a skirmish nor +be considered as part of the Battle of Harlem Heights, as the battle did +not begin until late in the day, and lasted three or four hours. Moreover, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</span>the place of Knowlton’s encounter was so far to the south of the +Harlem line (possibly as far south as 94th Street) as to render it impossible +to show any connection with Harlem Heights, the grounds of +Columbia University, or Morningside Heights. I do not propose, nor +is it necessary, to enter into any further detail of the battle, my only +purpose, as already stated, being to locate the Harlem Heights, on +which and about which the Battle of Harlem was fought.</p> + +<p>To show the confusion which exists as to this locality, even in the +minds of Messrs. Hall and Bolton, I will quote a statement made in +their paper: “The hill on which the most desperate fighting took place +is identified by Major Lewis Morris, Jr., who wrote to his father on +September 28: ‘Monday morning an advanced party, Col. Knowlton’s +regiment, was attacked upon a height a little to the southwest of Day’s +tavern.’ Day’s tavern was on the line of the present 126th Street, two +hundred feet west of Eighth Avenue. <i>This locates the fight on Morningside +Heights</i>,” etc. I do not know what relation the site of Day’s tavern +may bear to Eighth Avenue, but I do know that it had no relation whatever +with the noted buckwheat field near the Columbia grounds, nor +with Morningside Heights. My recollection is quite clear in recalling +the facts of the site of Day’s tavern on the east side of the road, extending +from McGowan’s Pass, along the foot of the present Morningside +Heights to King’s Bridge. It was situated some distance to the <em>northeast</em> +of the Point of Rocks, and Morris’ statement was correct. The Point +of Rocks and other entrenchments on the different hills, forming the +American line in this neighborhood, were “<i>a little to the southwest of +Days tavern</i>.” I believe the tavern was a mile to the north of any portion +of Morningside Heights, and at this advanced point Knowlton +with the Connecticut troops were stationed, in the most direct line for +the enemy from McGowan’s Pass.</p> + +<p>Having reached this point in my task, which proved a fatiguing one, +I was prompted to consult Mrs. Lamb’s <cite>History of New York City</cite>, it +being the only work in my present library from which I could obtain any +information relating to the Battle of Harlem Heights. To my satisfaction +I found a tracing of Colton’s map, which confirms the accuracy of +my recollection in relation to the site of Day’s tavern. In addition, I +found that in all essentials as to the wooded country, roads, etc., I had +been accurate; a remarkable circumstance, as I have had to trust to the +impressions made by my observation and historical studies at a period +which would doubtless antedate the birth of either of these gentlemen. +Colton’s map shows, as I stated, that there was no road at this time from +these heights to the valley, and that only a pathway existed from the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</span>Claremont Heights along the course of the Bloomingdale road, which +was not open in this neighborhood until after the Revolution. It does +give, however, what was probably a farm road from Hoagland’s house +down into the King’s Bridge road, at about 110th Street. After the +Bloomingdale road was extended to Manhattanville, this one was probably +closed, as it did not exist within my recollection.</p> + +<figure class="figcenter illowp100" id="image014" style="max-width: 50.0em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/image014.jpg" alt=""> + <figcaption> + <p class="center bold">Sketch of Battle-Field, Harlem Heights.</p> + <p class="center">Showing the relative position of the two hostile armies of Great Britain and America, September 16, 1776.<br> + From Lamb’s History of the City of New York, Vol. II, p. 129.</p> + </figcaption> +</figure> + +<p>Mrs. Lamb gives a confused account in relation to Major Morris’ +letter, but this is evidently an oversight, if taken in connection with her +full account of the battle. So fully does she consider every authority in +locating the site of Harlem Heights, and her deductions are so in accord +with my position, that it is unnecessary for me to take further exceptions +to other inaccurate statements made by these gentlemen. In conclusion, +I will state that under the circumstances I feel that their prologue +written as a warning to the public, as to the accuracy of my statement, +is, to say the least, uncalled for.</p> + +<p class="right"> + <span class="smcap">Thos. Addis Emmet</span>, M. D. +</p> + +<blockquote> +<p>(I omitted to correct a misstatement at the beginning of the paper by these gentlemen: +My article was written for the <cite>Evening Post</cite> last winter, while I was South, and in +answer to an editorial which had appeared shortly before, but that paper declined to publish +it. The editor probably labored under the impression that Messrs. Hall and Bolton +knew all about it; and that the buckwheat field could not have been anywhere else but in +the grounds of Columbia University, while in fact the <em>real</em> buckwheat field was situated +far to the north, near the real Day’s tavern.)</p> +</blockquote> + + +<div class="transnote"> +<h2>Transcriber notes</h2> +Obvious typographical errors and punctuation errors have been corrected +after careful comparison with other occurrences within the text and +consultation of external sources. +<br> +Except for those changes noted below, all misspellings in the text, and<br> +inconsistent or archaic usage, have been retained.<br> +<br> +<a href="#fomerly">Pg 4</a> “Pass was fomerly considered” changed to “Pass was formerly considered”.<br> +<a href="#advantagous">Pg 6</a> “English deserted an advantagous position” to “English deserted an advantageous position”. +</div> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 78798 ***</div> +</body> +</html> diff --git a/78798-h/images/cover.jpg b/78798-h/images/cover.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..44a827f --- /dev/null +++ b/78798-h/images/cover.jpg diff --git a/78798-h/images/image014.jpg b/78798-h/images/image014.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..cdd3365 --- /dev/null +++ b/78798-h/images/image014.jpg diff --git a/78798-h/images/titlepage.jpg b/78798-h/images/titlepage.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..ef3fa7c --- /dev/null +++ b/78798-h/images/titlepage.jpg diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6c72794 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This book, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ff87812 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for eBook #78798 +(https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/78798) |
