Battlefield Preservation at Saratoga, New York

From the October 2022 American Battlefield Trust calendar.

SARATOGA, NEW YORK

26 acres saved

The American game-changing victory at Saratoga, New York, on October 7 (today), 1777, marked the end of British General John Burgoyne's efforts to control the Hudson River Valley and the beginning of a Franco-American alliance, which brought the American Revolution to a global stage.

The American Battlefield Trust, along with the Saratoga National Historical Park, has saved 26 acres at the upstate New York battlefield and continues to work with American Veteran Archaeology Recovery to coordinate archaeological endeavors in the storied terrain.

As I said before, I am very glad that the former Civil War Trust has expanded its efforts to include the two other wars fought on American soil, the American Revolution and the War of 1812.

--Cooter

 

Twelve More Revolution Cannons Found in Savannah River-- Part 3:

The HMS Rose was a brig that carried 160 men and twenty 9-pounder cannons.  Earlier, it had worked to control smuggling in Rhode Island and fought and patrolled waters off New York City and up the Hudson River.  Later, it switched operations to the south as the British were hoping they could get the support of many Loyalists there and the ship ended up in Savannah, Georgia, after the British captured it.

But with French ships closing in on the city, the Rose was scuttled on September  19, 1779, to block the Savannah River.

It is possible that the cannons also may have belonged to the  HMS Venus or HMS Savannah which were also scuttled.  The French did not capture the city and kept control of it until almost the war's end.  (I could not find any records on these two ships as British Navy ones, but likely were troopships.  I have seen a couple places where it was mentioned that ships by these names were sunk in the river.)

The cannons appear to date from about the mid 1700s, which would put them  closely aligned to the Rose's history.

The ones found last February were about five feet long.

An interesting story.

--DaCootRose

Five Things You May Not Know About the Pilgrims-- Part 1: Religion and the Wrong Place

From the History site by Beth Dunn.

1.  NOT ALL THE MAYFLOWER PASSENGERS WERE MOTIVATED BY RELIGION.

The ship actually carried three distinct groups.    About half were Separatists (Pilgrims)  Others were friendly to the Pilgrims, but not hard core members.  Still others were  laborers, soldiers,  and craftsmen of various skills needed for a new settlement.

2.  THE MAYFLOWER DIDN'T LAND IN PLYMOUTH FIRST.

They first landed on the tip of Cape Cod, in what is now known as Provincetown.  They were actually supposed to land at the mouth of the Hudson River, but had missed it.  Intention was to continue on to the Hudson, but winter changed their minds and they decided to settle at what became Plymouth.

--Cooter

Fort Washington (NY)-- Part 2: Washington Escapes and the Fort Falls

General Washington realized he would have to defend New York from the British, but didn't think he could hold it.  An escape route was very necessary.  When it became necessary to abandon the city, this is exactly what he did, crossing the Hudson between Fort Washington and Fort Lee (which was commanded by General Charles Lee, hence the name).

Fort Washington was commanded by Colonel Robert Magaw, who refused to surrender and notified the British that he would fight to the last extremity.  British General Howe ordered Hessians and other British troops, numbering 8,000 against the badly outnumbered Americans.

The fort fell on November 16, 1777, and the British captured 2,818 prisoners and large amounts of supplies.  They renamed the fortification Fort Knyphausen (after the commander of the Hessian troops).

--Cooter

Fort Washington (NY)-- Part 1: On Manhattan Island

I have been writing about James McHenry in my Not So Forgotten War of 1812 blog.  Fort McHenry was named after him.

He was a surgeon in the Continental Army in the American Revolution and was captured at Fort Washington in New York by British forces.

I'd never heard of this battle or fort before so did some research.

From  Military.wikia.com.

Fort Washington was a fortified position near the north end of Manhattan Island) now part of New York City).  The fort was located on the highest part of the island.

During the American Revolution, it was part of George Washington's defense of New York.  Fort Washington and Fort Lee (on the New Jersey side of the Hudson River were built to prevent the British from going up the river and to provide a secure escape route for the American Army is needed.

--DAcOOT

Henry Hudson's Half Moon at Albany, New York

From the September 20, 2013, USA Today.

Accompanied by a picture of the Half Moon firing a cannon at the end of a pier.

Caption "A replica of Henry Hudson's Half Moon fires a cannon as it arrives Thursday on the Hudson River in Albany, N.Y., to mark Hudson's 1609 sailing into Albany."

This full-sized replica is actually the second one of the famous ship. The first one was made in the Netherlands in 1909 and given to the U.S. to mark the 300th anniversary of the ship's arrival at Albany in 1609. This was the first European ship to document its exploration of the Hudson River. It was destroyed by fire in 1934.

This replica was made in 1989.

The SUNY System Adminstration Building in Albany has a ten-foot high and ten-foot long weathervane of it which is the biggest working one in the Americas.

--DaCoot