In our continuing series in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the Historical Society of the New York Courts is highlighting New York’s role in the creation of our nation and its legacy through its annual calendar. In August, we are spotlighting major American Revolution battles in New York.
August: Division, Defeat, and Retreat
While the colonists were victorious in the American Revolution, they did suffer defeats, including in late August 1776, in the Battle of Long Island. George Washington was able to save the Continental Army by retreating to Manhattan, but he eventually lost New York City. On August 6, 1777, British troops, with Mohawks and Senecas, ambushed the Continental Army and Oneidas in Oriskany, New York. The Battle of Oriskany exemplified how the American Revolution divided the Native American Nations, and how it led to significant losses of their lives and homes.
Image Captions
Battle of Oriskany, state of New York, engraving by Charles F. Damoreau, 1857. Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, LC-USZC4-12376.
Washington’s retreat at Long Island, engraving by James Charles Armytage and painting by Michael Angelo Wageman, 1860. The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Picture Collection, The New York Public Library.