Stony Point Battlefield & Lighthouse

Today in History: In 1775, the Battle of Great Bridge broke out in present Chesapeake, Virginia between Patriot and Loyalist militias over a crossing of the Elizabeth River. The Patriot forces, far outnumbering the Loyalists, pushed them back across Great Bridge and into Fort Murray with over 100 casualties compared to less than 5 on the Patriot side. The map below is orientated with North at the bottom. The Cape Henry Lighthouse is just north of Virginia Beach today.

Stony Point Battlefield will begin winter hours on November 1st, 2020. Winter Hours are as follows: Grounds: Open Monday-Friday, 10am-4pm, CLOSED WEEKENDS... Museum: Closed until mid-April 2021 Restrooms: Closed until mid-April 2021 Site closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day

Today in History: In 1918, the Allies and Central Powers agreed to a cease-fire that would take effect at 11:00 a.m., on the eleventh day of the eleventh month. Known as Armistice Day, in the United States, it was re-designated as Veterans Day in 1954.

Today in History: 1775: The United States Marine Corps was formed at Tun Tavern in Philadelphia. 1776: General Lord Stirling wrote Washington from Grassy Point about the poor quality and difficulty of the western landing of the King's Ferry. Having done a survey of the lower part of the Hudson in July 1776, Stirling suggested the shift the ferry to the north:... "I got to the landing place yesterday Afternoon with Haslets, Miles’s, & part of Wiedens with our Artillery, the remainder arrived in the Night and are now landing; the landing place is very inconvenient as at half-tide the Vessels are obliged to lay at the distance of 5 or 600 yards from the Shore which makes tedious work, with the few boats that are here; besides it is open to any Insult the Enemy is pleased to Commit. About half a Mile farther North, and on the North Side of Stoney point is a Good landing place in deep Water and Easily Secured by placing two pieces of Cannon on the End of the point, it will require about half a Mile of New Road and a Short Cause way and a Small Bridge" So, even though General Greene had noted the difficulty of the ferry landing the week before, it was Lord Stirling who specifically recommended Stony Point. Research is still pending as to who, how, and when the ferry dock was built at Stony Point, although we know by late 1777, and probably much earlier, the ferry was operating at that location. Read his whole letter at the link below, which features a lot of well known Rockland County locations! Source: https://founders.archives.gov/docu/Washington/03-07-02-0098

Saturday in History: Oops! A little late, but did you know in December 1778, the Convention Army (the British captured at Saratoga) crossed King's Ferry going south to Virginia, and that the British under Sir Henry Clinton actually landed on Stony Point to try and rescue them? Read all about it here: https://allthingsliberty.com//sir-henry-clinton-attempts-/

Today in History: In 1783, General Washington bid farewell to his officers during an emotional dinner at Fraunces Tavern in Manhattan. From here on, Washington would travel to Annapolis, Maryland (where Congress was at the time sitting) and surrender his commission as Commander-in-Chief, and briefly return to private life at Mount Vernon.

Today in History: In the wake of the Battle of White Plains (28 October, 1776), the Continental Army had been crossing the Hudson River from Peekskill and Verplank, using the King's Ferry. At the time, however, Stony Point was not the western landing of the ferry, and it was somewhere in the vicinity of Grassy Point a mile and a half south of Stony Point, which as it is today, was nearly surrounded by the swampy bends of Cedar Pond Brook. General Greene wrote the first of two... letters to Washington complaining about the landing. "Shou’d this ferry be wanted through the Winter the landing must be alterdI can by altering the Road, shorten the distance two Milesone by land the other by Waterwhere it now is, it freezes up very soon, where I propose itit is open all Winter" It isn't exactly clear as to what Greene's plans were, as no map accompanied the letter, but as we'll see in a few days, someone else would make an important proposition regarding the future of King's Ferry. Stay tuned on Tuesday for the second letter, but in the meanwhile, enjoy our Today in History posts! Source: https://founders.archives.gov/docu/Washington/03-07-02-0060

Today in History: In 1791, a Miami led confederation under Little Turtle, Blue Jacket, and Buckongahelas defeated a 1,100 strong force under General Arthur St. Clair. Fought on the grounds of what would become Fort Recovery, Ohio, this action came to be known as the Battle of the Wabash, or St. Clair's Defeat. Of the 1,100 or so St. Clair had with him, about 909 were killed, wounded, or captured. It is to this day the worst defeat of a U.S. Army. Notably killed in the battle was General Richard Butler, who led the American north column at Stony Point in 1779. Art by Peter Dennis, Osprey Publishing

Today in History: In 1804, First Consul Napoleon Bonaparte was crowned Emperor of the French in a ceremony at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. In 1805, one year to the day from his coronation, Napoleon won a great victory over the Austrians and Russians at Austerlitz.... Image: Consecration of the Emperor Napoleon I and Coronation of the Empress Josephine in the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris on 2 December 1804 by Jacques-Louis David

https://allthingsliberty.com//if-george-washington-had-no/

Today in History: Evacuation Day! In 1783, the British in Manhattan finally departed, having been there since September 1776. Washington and other dignitaries reentered the city, while the British boarded vessels in New York Harbour to wait for a good wind to take them off.

Today in History: In 1735, future President John Adams was born in Braintree, Massachusetts. John would grow up to be a lawyer, farmer, and once the American Revolution broke out, a congressman and diplomat. After the war, John would continue as Minister to Great Britain, in 1789, he became Vice President, before being elected President himself in 1796. Image: John Adams, by Benjamin Blyth, 1766

Today in History: In 1778, General Washington wrote Major General Alexander McDougall that he would have command of the Highlands for the winter. He wrote that "You will have an inclosed redoubt made on each side the river at Kings Ferry, with a guard House in each sufficient to accommodate forty men with their Officers, which you will relieve occasionallyonce a week may be best."... On the Verplank side, this would become Fort Lafayette, a bomb-proof blockhouse. On Stony Point, we know that a blockhouse was constructed (the work progressing faster on Verplank), but we are unsure that it ever had a name. This is the structure that the militia would burn when the British advanced on Stony Point in May 1779. Images: General Alexander McDougall; detail, Faden's Surprise of Stony Point, Library of Congress Read the full letter here: https://founders.archives.gov/docu/Washington/03-18-02-0294

When the British built their second fort at Stony Point in 1779, it was built under the watch of Capt. Patrick Ferguson. Who knew he'd come back to visit us? Photo Credit: David Dalrymple and Lynn Van Orden Schmoyer

Today in History: With the British having evacuated the posts at King's Ferry the week before on October 21, 1779, the vital route of communication was once again open to the Continental Army, although it would be treated with more care than it previously had been. From Peekskill, Major General William Heath issued the following orders: "You will plant two Sentinels on Stony and two on Verplank’s points, either within or without the Works as will best facilitate observation. ...they are to be instructed to keep a Watchfull Eye down the river & Should they perceive any Vessell or Vessells to give notice to you immediately which you will communicate to the nearest Genl officer...a Sentinel is to be posted at each Ferry ways to examine passengers & prevent any unknown persons passing without passports from proper Authority, Civil or Military. Any Suspected person is to be detained & report made without Delay to a General Officer. No stranger is to be suffer’d to enter the works unless known & attended by a Commission’d Officer...As Judgment must be exercised, It may be well for one of your Subalterns to attend on each ferry wharf at the Hours of passing to examine those who desire to pass, before they go on board the Boat." Source: https://founders.archives.gov/docu/Washington/03-23-02-0079

Today in History: In 1776, American and British forces clashed near White Plains in Westchester County, NY. This marked the farthest north the British Army would make it from New York before the campaign season ground to a halt, although there would be a few more actions. The fighting raged on Chatterton's Hill. At one point the musket and artillery fire lit the fields on fire, as the image by artist Graham Turner shows, when the Germans advanced on the American right.

Today in History: In 1777, a detachment of German troops assaulted Fort Mercer, also known as Red Bank, on the New Jersey shore of the Delaware River. Commanded by Col. Christopher Greene of the Rhode Island line, the Americans repulsed the Germans with heavy casualties.

Today in History: In 1797, the USS Constitution was officially launched in Boston Harbor. In 1805, a British fleet under Admiral Lord Nelson defeated a Franco-Spanish fleet under Admiral Villeneuve at the Battle of Trafalgar, off of Spain. Nelson would not survive the battle.

Today in History: In 1775, the British attacked and burned Falmouth (present city of Portsmouth), Maine in retaliation for privateering and anti-British activities. In 1781, four commissioners from the opposing sides at Yorktown met in the Moore House to write the Articles of Capitulation of the Crown forces. The British sent Lt. Col. Thomas Dundas and Maj. Alexander Ross. The Americans sent Col. John Laurens and the French sent the Viscomte de Noailles. The British would formally march out and surrender the next day.

Today in History: In 1777, the British pressed up the Hudson River, to attempt to join with Burgoyne at Saratoga. General Vaughan reached the vicinity of Kingston and as it was the capital of New York State at the time, ordered it burned. Pictured: Senate House State Historic Site, Kingston, NY