With every Continental Army victory in surrounding areas, particularly at Saratoga in October 1777, the city dealt with a massive influx of Loyalist refugees moving behind British lines out of concern for their own safety. Recommendation by Governor William Franklin, February 18, 1779, American Loyalists: Transcript of various Papers relating to the Losses Services and Support of the American Loyalists and to His Majesty’s Provincial Forces during the war of American Independence, preserved amongst the American Manuscripts in the Royal Institution of Great Britain, London, 1777-1783, reel 23, page 45, Manuscripts and Archives Division, New York Public Library, New York, New York. That year, he led his troops at Long Island, Harlem Heights, and White Plains.
535–536.]. Malgré cela, les exigences hospitalières et autres de l’occupation militaire obérèrent de manière significative les constructions disponibles de la ville[15].
At the start of the American Revolutionary War he formed Hitchcock's Regiment of infantry in the Rhode Island Army of Observation. First, they drove Washington off Long Island; then, from lower Harlem. The Battle of Harlem Heights was fought during the New York and New Jersey campaign of the American Revolutionary War. The fire convinced the British to put the city under martial law rather than returning it to civilian authorities.
Historians speculate that the wartime situation likely contributed to New York becoming one of the last northern states to pass emancipation laws. The city and the surrounding area were successfully taken by the British by the end of 1776 — George Washington and the Continental Army forced to escape for the good of the cause — and the port city became the central base for British operations during the conflict. Selon le témoignage visuel d’un prisonnier américain à bord du HMS Pearl, du nom de John Joseph Henry, celui-ci commença près de Whitehall Slip, dans la Taverne dite « des coqs de combat[16] ».
L’arrivée, en février, des troupes de la première Armée continentale avaient incité certaines personnes de la ville à plier bagage et décamper[11], y compris les loyalistes spécifiquement ciblés par l’armée et les patriotes[12]. Our Digital Encyclopedia has all of the answers students and teachers need. Le major général James Robertson confisqua les demeures inhabitées indemnes des New-Yorkais connus pour être patriotes pour les attribuer à des officiers britanniques. Churches, other than the state churches (Church of England) were converted into prisons, infirmaries, or barracks. [12] The capture of Long Island only accelerated the abandonment of the city. The British defeated the Americans and gained control of the strategically important Port of New York, which they held for the rest of the war. 6. Dans une autre lettre adressée à son cousin Lund, il écrivit que « la Providence ou quelque brave honnête homme, a fait plus pour nous que nous n’étions nous-mêmes disposés à le faire[22] ». With two armies to feed in the immediate vicinity, this was a serious problem, serious enough to merit the attention of George Washington. The Siege of Boston was the opening phase of the American Revolutionary War.