Harlem and the Revolutionary War: 1776

The Battle of Harlem Heights

The American position on the high ground overlooking the fields of the Harlem plain found General George Washington’s headquarters at present-day 161st Street. The Amer- ican camp extended to the Manhattanville depression called the “Hollow Way” valley, extending diagonally from 121st Street and Eighth Avenue to the Hudson River at 130th Street. The American Army numbered 9,000 men. General William Heath held Kings- bridge with a force of 5,000 American troops. The troops occupying Harlem Heights were divided into three divisions under the command of Nathaniel Greene, Israel Putnam, and Joseph Spencer. Amongst the troops was Colonel Thomas Knowlton. He was some 37 years old and six feet tall, leading his Rangers who numbered 120 men. Washington ordered Knowlton’s Rangers to launch a reconnaissance which would explore the Eng- lish position at west 104th Street and skirmish with the British picket line to determine the enemy’s position and strength.

Initially the British were encamped along the Bloomingdale Road (approximately at west 96th Street) with the left wing placed near the Hudson River and the line extended east beyond Central Park. Outposts were placed along what is now 104th Street with the British picket line at 106th Street. Lord William Howe’s headquarters were located at the Beekman House on the East River near Turtle Bay. The picket line and outposts were held by the light infantry. Behind the light infantry near 96th Street holding the left flank were the Hessians, while the 42nd Highland regiment (The Black Watch), 33rd foot and the Grenadiers were held in reserve under the command of Lord Charles Cornwallis. The overall field commander was Howe’s second-in-command, Sir Henry Clinton.

First Phase of the Battle

The Rangers left their position near Riverside Drive and 131st Street on September 16, 1776, and moved south until they encountered the British picket line, and exchanged fire. Three British companies of light infantry rushed out and joined the picket line as they engaged in a fire fight with the Rangers who stood their ground and traded shot for shot for more than half an hour. The British were then reinforced by the 2nd and 3rd Battalions of light infantry. By this point the British outnumbered the 120 Rangers with more than 400 men.

Colonel Knowlton decided to break off the action and retreat after his men had fired eight rounds per man (nearly 1,000 rounds) into the enemy. The British light infantry pursued the retreating Americans sharply. The Rangers seem to have retreated back to their lines by the road which is now Claremont Avenue with the British giving full chase until they climbed the hill on what is now Riverside Drive at Grant’s Tomb, at which time the British bugler blew out the haughty and contempt-filled notes of the “fox-chase.”

Second Phase of the Battle

As the Rangers reached the safety of their lines, Adjutant-General Joseph Reed who had observed the firefight briefed Washington and recommended that the Americans reinforce the Rangers and counterattack. Washington elaborated on the idea and made plans to counterattack and trap the British in the Hollow Way. Washington’s plan was to deploy one force as a feint and draw the British into the Hollow Way while a second force encircled the British on their left from the banks of the Hudson River. Then 150 Rhode Island men from Nathaniel Greene’s Brigade were deployed under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Archibald Crary who advanced into the Hollow Way. The British light infantry took the bait and came down from the high ground into the Hollow Way leading to another sharp fire-fight with the Americans pouring lead on the British from positions of cover but also drawing the British further into the Hollow Way. Thus began the second phase of the battle.

The British light infantry took a position where 129th Street and Broadway are found today. Washington’s flanking force attacked. The American force consisted of Rangers and three companies of riflemen from the Third Virginia Regiment with Captain William Washington and Lieutenant James Monroe. Colonel Knowlton appears to have set out for the ledge of rocks near where 124th Street between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue are found today, but they moved too quickly. They hit the British in the left flank rather than the rear. In their firefight with the Rhode Islanders, the British had adjusted their line and so prevented encirclement. The Virginians and Rangers spread fire and the British stood their ground returning fire. In the exchange of fire they killed the Virginia commander Major Andrew Leitch and Colonel Knowlton. Undaunted, the Rangers and Virginians pressed their assault. The Rhode Islanders also attacked the British along their front. This time the British light infantry gave ground retreating to the modern lo- cation of Barnard College.

Third Phase of the Battle

Now the American foxes were nipping at the tails of the British hounds as the Americans pursued the British to their position near the current location of Barnard College. The light infantry called for reinforcements. Sir Henry Clinton quickly reacted, dispatching Cornwallis and all of the reserves. The 33rd foot, the 42nd Highland regiment, the Hessian and English Grenadiers and the German Jäger (a company of riflemen) were all more light infantry and two pieces of field artillery, totaling nearly 2,000 men. Washington also committed reinforcements including several companies of troops from Maryland, six additional companies from Greene’s command, Douglas’ Connecticut State Regiment and the mi- litia who had fled at Kips Bay. The American strength totaled 1,800 men. Nearly 4,000 fought under the hot sun on a hill in a cornfield.

Both sides exchanged a furious storm of musket, rifle, and cannon shot. Although the British held their lines, the American fire was so fierce that the British regiments were unable to sustain their favorite tactic—the bayonet charge. The American militia who fled the British and their bayonets days before now stood their ground and fired. The fighting continued for two hours while the two sides maintained the firefight on the hilltop, which is marked today by a commemorative plaque on the wall of present-day Columbia University on Broadway between 120th and 116th streets. The Americans led by Israel Putnam, Joseph Reed and Nathaniel Greene pressed the British, and the British finally began to give way and fall back against the American attack. The Highlanders and Jägers were the last to retreat. The English retired to their original positions be- tween 96th street and 104th street. Washington, fearing that Howe would order more reserves into action and launch his own counterattack, recalled his men to their original positions to prepare for Howe’s attack on their fortified positions the next day.

The long day of combat was over. The British lost 171 officers and enlisted men killed and wounded. The German Jägers had lost one officer and eight men wounded (some of whom did not recover from their wounds), or nearly ten percent of the forces committed. The Americans lost 130 officers and enlisted men killed and wounded, some- what less than ten percent of forces committed (in modern warfare a casualty ratio of ten percent of committed forces is considered high).