The Battle of Brooklyn

I think it's time I gave Brooklyn some love. Partially because I have to talk about it a lot, partially because I know very little about it, and partially because it's just really interesting!

So - the Battle of Brooklyn.  It happened on August 27th, 1776.  It was not a great victory for George Washington.  It was not a victory at all for George Washington.  It was however, the largest battle of the Civil War and the first that the "army of the United States" was involved in - since the U.S. had just declared itself a nation a little over a month earlier.

George Washinton knew that New York's port would prove a valuable resource to whichever army controlled it.  In March, after a victory at the "Siege of Boston," Washington marched his army up to New York to defend this strategic port.  Understandably, Washington thought that the English would attack Manhattan first, so he moved most of his forces there.  The English commander, William Howe, landed on Staten Island in July and began rebuilding his force - which had recently been defeated in the Siege of Boston.  On August 22, 1776, the British started their attack.  Much to the Americans surprise, they did not start with Manhattan!  They snuck up from behind by attacking Long Island first and making their way all the way to Brooklyn Heights a week later!

Surrounded, Washington knew the odds were against him so he opted for a sneaky strategic retreat!  In the middle of the night he began to evacuate troops across the East River to Manhattan.  He muffled wagon wheels, forbid his men to talk, and he even wrapped burlap around the oars of boats taking them across the river to muffle the sounds.  A rear was guard was left to tend the campfires of the American camp until the last minute, to deceive the English into thinking nothing was amiss.  Aided by a thick fog, Washington and his men were able to escape to Manhattan by 7 .m.  (Washington himself was the last man to get on a boat to cross - he was a good general.) 9,000 men were evacuated and not a single life was lost.

Eventually Washington and his men were forced to retreat to New Jersey and then Pennsylvania, but the retreat saved Washington and gave him time to re-examine his approach to the army and the war.  While the English were celebrating a great victory in London, ringing bells and giving their general accolades for winning the battle, Washington was re-training his army preparing to win the war.

This escape happened right where the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory is today.  So as you enjoy your delectable deliciousness sitting in Brooklyn Bridge Park, give a few thoughts to the courageous young general, just starting out his career, who made a daring escape that might just have given you your freedom.