Southwest Bombproof

A room much like this is where Mrs. McCarty gave birth to her daughter in the middle of the Siege.

One of four in the original fort, today only this one has been rebuilt. Intended as a storage area for supplies, this particular bombproof became the emergency hospital during the British siege. Despite regular British artillery and small arms fire, casualties were light; out of a garrison of nearly 800, only 7 people were killed and 21 wounded. Notably, a soldier’s wife, Mrs. McCarthy, gave birth in the makeshift hospital after being injured by a British mortar fragment. 

From the 1777 Journal of Leiutenant William Colbrath of the 3rd NY Regiment:
Augt 21th “…a heavy and continual firing was kept up for near two Hours during which their Cannon & Mortars were playing on us very briskly, in which interim we had a man of the Artillery wounded & a Woman big with Child wounded in the Thigh.”

Augt 22d “…the woman that was wounded with a Shell last Night was brought to bed in our S.W. Bomb proof of a Daughter. She and the child are like to do well with the Blessing of God.”