Where the Battle of Harlem Heights Began

W 106th St & Riverside Dr

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Location:

W 106th St & Riverside Drive

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2 listed

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The Battle of Harlem Heights took place on September 16, 1776. The battle started here on 106th Street along Riverside Drive. How did we get to this point?

George Washington was retreating from the Battle of Long Island on August 27th; he was always concerned about the British turnout.

Congress told Washington on September 3, 1776 to hold on to the city. On September 10th, Washington had some more meetings. Congress basically told the general to leave when he thinks the British would surround Manhattan. People in the town realized there's no way they can control the town. On September 12th, they started evacuating New York City and headed northward because others already started, four to five hours earlier, to about a mile north of this spot so they could keep an eye on where the British were going. Then on September 15th, the British would invade Manhattan Island around 34th Street, where they would rest at Shelby Island for a few hours and then bring over about 10,000 troops from Queens. Some of these troops would be in lower Manhattan, some headed north and others would start heading west across the island. This was a tactical error by William Howe; he only needed one regiment to get across the island to cut off General Putin's retreat to the Northern end of the island. There is a major retreat by Washington, another failed tactical move by William Howe, and two regiments that would come up this direction to fortify this area. The British turned right around West 106th Street, with two regiments of the first and second light infantry commanded by General Leslie at West 106th Street. Washington really didn't know where the British were located and that's why this battle will start at this location. Colonel Thomas Knowlton was given the task to come up on September 16, 1776. He comes up to this location and has the first engagement with the British light infantry. The engagement would move on to about West 115th Street and that's where we're heading next.