even most die-hard new yorker would be pressed to remember the anniversary of evacuation day - the day 225 years ago, when the last british troops left new york city, following the end of the revolutionary war! the final evacuation of british troop took place almost 2 years after the "battle of yorktown" - the last military engagement of the war.
to celebrate, general washington rode triumphantly back into new york city. his return was a fitting tribute since it was the british victory at the battle of brooklyn (august, 1776), followed by washington's strategic retreat to manhattan and, the eventual capture of manhattan when washington continued the retreat to new jersey, that set the stage for the british occupation of new york.
evacuation day was celebrated annually in new york until the first world war! the boston evacutation day is still celebrated in parts of massachussetts - and the holiday just happens to coincide with st. patrick's day!
the anniversary will be celebrated today at federal hall.
2 comments:
I knew that. The party should be in Union Square, at the Statue of George Washington. 225 years ago that was the northern end of NYC. It is THE SPOT where he was joined by the population of the city and they all marched down to where City Hall is together.
I read about it in the Alexander Hamilton bio, but I sure didn't remember the exact date! We really could use someone with Hamilton's courage and originality these days.
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