The British Are Coming: The War for America, Lexington to Princeton, 1775-1777

In June 1776, “pretty little” (364) New York City was a growing yet vulnerable urban center located at the southern tip of Manhattan Island. It contained about 4,000 buildings, primarily wooden or brick, and had a population of around 25,000. Dutch and English architectural influences coexisted, and its commercial economy was vibrant, with distilleries, breweries, mills, and a high density of liquor vendors. The city’s water was foul, but improvements like a reservoir and pump system were underway. Wealthy citizens summered in the countryside while others enjoyed public spectacles and holidays.

The Revolutionary War drastically “defaced” (367) New York’s character. Military curfews were imposed and as many as half the residents fled in anticipation of British attack. By summer, over 12,000 Continental troops camped around the city, many of them poorly equipped and dressed. Only a fraction were properly armed. Washington’s forces, supported by civilians and enslaved laborers, fortified the city, with defenses extending to Brooklyn, Governors Island, and parts of New Jersey.

Washington returned to New York from Philadelphia on June 6, greeted by parading troops. In Philadelphia, he had worked with Congress to secure reinforcements and approve a grand strategy to defend New York in preparation for American independence. The army’s numbers were to be boosted to 25,000 in New York, with additional militia support forming a mobile reserve called the Flying Camp.