1957 Marylander Burial Site National Parks Service Congressional Report by Hall of the Gowanus Digital Library

The "Maryland

400"

at the Corteqou House, Broclcl1n1 The Action and The

路 A Report

Site

to the Coagress

•• The 11 Mar11.ancl 400" at the Corte~ou House, Broo~c The Action and The Burial Site

A Report to the Congress

·-Frank Barnes

.e.

Regional Historian Region Five National Park SC'Vice Mq 20, 19S7

• CONTENTS·

Introduction :

Fi.nd~nga

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Supporting Narrative and Evaluation • , · • APPmiDICFS:

e r-

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Appendix A:

U>oa~ioD

Appendix B:

Hiatorical Exhibits

Appendix C:

.Archeolopoal Report, with Exhibits

Appendix D:

Suggested Plan ot Developnent1 Burial Site

Maps

Appendix E: Architect•s Estimate of Site Preparation Costs Appendix F: Real Estate Appraisal .AppendiX Gt

Letter trom Mayor Wagner, New York City

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D!Tr;.ODUCTION This study was undertaken in fuli'illment of the terms o! Public Law 21~, 84th Congress, approved August

31 1955, which

called

upon the Secretary of the Interior 11 to-make an investigation and !'eport thereon to the Congress within one year following the appropriation ot funds to the Department o! the Interior for the :purpose

ot this Act, with respect to the advisability ot establishing a national monument in Brooklyn, New York, in honor of two hundred and fifty-six Maryland heroes who fell in combat during the Battle

ot Brooklyn on the 27th

da;y of August l!f76.n

gation1 to the amount ot

~10 1 000 1

Funds for the 1Bvest1-

were included. in the regular

Interior Department appropriation bill (Public Law

513 1 84th Coagreas)

for the 1957 fiscal year, approved June 1)1 1956. Historical research to authenticate the burial site included within the scope of the investigation, and to estabUsh the national significance of the military action, ·as performed by Regional Historian Frank Barnes, f•egion Five, National Park Service, Philadelphia,

~a., with

sane auxil1ary aSsistance by Historian Louis

Horris, Statue ot Liberty National Monument. An attempt was made to fill out the historical findings with regard to the site by an archeological investigation conducted by Columbia University UJUler contract with the National Park Service. Graduate Archeologist Robert Suggs performed the 11 dig1" under the immediate supervision ot Professor Richard E. Woodbury ot the Department ot .Anthropology, Colwnbia University. Throughout the course ot the historioal and

archeological investigation, invaluable assistance was rendered by :the Broo~ Borough Historian, Itt. James A. Kel~, a close

. student of the site and action for a number of years 1 and by his assistants, Messrs. James F. Waters and Arthur Konop; additionally, Mr. Joel Guthman, in the Street Plan Records Department, Municipal

BuUding, Brooklyn, rendered great assistance.

Most helpful, too 1

were the librarians at the Long Island Historical Society1 Miss Edna Hunt~on and

Mrs. Rodda, her assistant.

1'o establish tbe "complete cost of the establisbment et such memorial," the services of a pratess1onal a~aiser â&#x20AC;˘ Richard Breen of Woodhaven, Long Island -were utUized for the obtainiDs of property values at the site, and plans and estimates for eost for

mi.niJJial. park developuent were prepared by Park Planner Andrew

FeU and Regional Architect Iawrenee Be Coryell of the NatiODal Park Service, Region ?!ve Staff.

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·.···Findings

··· Hi~t,c;rl.caJ. .ana. .Aicheolosi~ . 1. .-,~~;.

The action of the Maryland troops for which memorialization

. i~~:.sou_lht at the traditional.burial si1ie of

tho~

killed . therein took place

:.. ~ _-.· : in: :~e -vicinity of ~ Co~u B()use (:Fifth Aven~e ne~ Wrd street;, . -· .

'. _.

.. · · ih-ookl)'il)

..,

·-

.,.

...

somet~ ~r ~ o'clock··o~Lthe.mornins

~t ~'

J.776:·

·.Save for ''moppinS up" actiVity~ it' constituted the nnai~hel.d action ...

~·

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,..

...,.

... :fn 'the 'battl.e for 1n'Ookljli Heights' on that date.. . '. 'r ' ~:-~:~ ~ h.''~\',.. ~4'~"> .• .4 ~.f..'~~,~ ... • ""~ 4 "~-~~r:,;~: 4'"'':t~~p. "'~ ·: .. . . ~--······;: : :.'·~ ,:e-. 1 Iri' essencei tbe-Maryla.naers' e.cti¢1 was &_p.e~llS attaCk. , .. , : ••

•

.. ~C!l'' e~d-;-the ~~e -~f the

American troops; on ~·. ~reme ~ght

~~~·oUter line, 65Q.;.750~1Den;::w escape to. th8\nain>Wnean +ine '. '::> .. :,.: ...~~.;;..-~ ......:....,. .~ a.uu. ~""" ;):<1-,.;;;. ~~...:;.,_, ..\.;.~---~-- 4-~ "~·~i is ~suit .bad ~•czoo.s lWI",._._~:·"'4"".. ~-- MIIW.·~. -....JCIA.O~·-· • : -:~-~~5t~£;t·-~~:~:~~f~-,~--~.~· ~~--~~-- - . . . '.;.-__ ·_;<~y~::· .. :\'-'_~---··; . -~ ·->·:·-. -~- ~ ?.-~.~.:-.. - ' ~-,'-._ ... - ;, ..... ;

. ''~ BiSn!fl.Calice.in terms: Of the battle as a whole; '"" . .; . . . . ·-. . ._ , ···'·'~'······-~~··

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,_c: -~tiJDe. of' -tbe Mar;,yJ.anQ.ers . ·attack..

iir.8ady' e;_ defeat at cthe ;·,

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··./:~' .·,~;,, ·~~:3~>~~~·:~~:~~:~··~~J.~ ~~~.~.~~t~~ ~g8J.)1Jnt ·~· ·'l#ia.e~t in ~, be·at, ~uo~ or: American mrut~ ~e:rO!.stiJ ve1;·:pl:obe.bl.y -. . ··~

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<~~ liDst. ~rthy field ~ationJ.Jl .the ',

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¥~~~-~;~::.;.;~~/~~ ~~~:u~~~-;~;:~~~~~-~na ~ ~ .i~ttle act~~Rt:.~ :~\'Ol~tion~ .

~~~-...;~;i;.··.: •... • . · · , -~~-·:Bei~ f'Or its iilfluencie.on the-~ :ot~:the battle 1 nor •. ~ ~<. '~. _-.- ---~--~-. ~ .-~ ._· ._,. ~ . _,~ ~ - .> . ·:.- . - . . -. . "'~· . ~ .,· . . ~ 4 ,;;_,·;l;.>~-:. · .•.. a W'lique:~le of.bel'Oic Jiillltary gal.lant#;:~.-the.:action of' the··· -~~~>~--~~~~If~;~_;"'',_~·.; :~:.7-·. ~~;·\:" ... ··,.; ,-'; . .: _. ! : '~;.~ ;,;-.,.. · -> :~ '• ~ .{· "''~6·~~-!.',' · , . ~~ :.:: •\ . _ ,·~·- . ~ ' , :·.. ·, : . jL/f;~;)"~ ··1~""~:~J. ·..:. ;~.·~·•.Mar)rlAtift··t,OO'•·: ~t1~. ·81Snif1cance .cO!qpara"blit'··~ .·thf! · '!matchi&88••·; ·t · ~~~/ :~_:;L:._::.~.~.· .·

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at IndepeJ:Idence Hall. \·:_,c ... ;.,_,

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secretary of

.i:JlCJ.uding

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•

21, 1:935 -'(49 stat.

666),

to.

pro'Viae

~commend&ti~ns

tbe. ~r:l.or regarding nation&l .Park· !Datters,

~ determination' of sites of' national historidiu. significance, '

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!l'he Advisory l3oard on Ifational

' !

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_:. _·" .

Bistorl~ Sites/ :&~ld1nss1 ~ tfouUments,~q~ated"i,y the Bistoric

to the ..

... ·

_' . ' .·

·sites. ACt 1)f August

•

~coidea llll.ti~ .• recosmtion at ~~-~,··~ .·Yor~

~~it-; 'f!t<~<·.,;~A··:.-: ~'-':~ . -·--~ ~< :- .·· . · ~ . "'! ~.;>,..::';.• ""':.\'" · · , - ,•• J3attl.efielda, and ~~·~:~:[.?;,;:~~,

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â&#x20AC;˘

ho.s found thnt the action of the Marylanders at the Battle of Brooklyn on August Z7 1 17761 and their 'b\mial site are not of national significc::mce 1 and1 therefore, the burial site co.nnot be recommended for establishment as a na.tionc.l monument.

5Âˇ Despite hearsay and tra.ditiono.l evidence 1 the burial site of those Marylanders killed (more may have been captured) in this action cannot be conclusively authentico.ted1 either by historical or archeological means. Administrative 1.

In view of its la.ck of no.tional; significance, the tro.ditiona.l

burial site (bo:bh sides of Third Avenue, between 7th o.nd 8th streets 1 Brooklyn, N. Y.) is not suitable for development as a national historical monument. 2.

The esti.mD.te of the cost of developing the traditional

burial site as o. no.tional monument, including the acquisition of lo.nd and improvements 1 site cleo.ra.nce and preparation, and park development, is approxi.me.tely $7011 624.

Because of the site's lo.ck of national

historical significance and of historical remains, o.nd in view of its congested industrial and urban setting, the FeaSra.l Govemment wouJ.d not be justified in underte.ldng the cqsts involved in esto.blishing the site as a. un1t in the National ]?ark System.

3Âˇ The action of the Marylanders is already commemorated

a monumental memorio.l column in Prospect Park 1 and by n bronze plaque on the side of the restored COrtelyou House in the city recreo.tiono.l park established in its immediate vicinity; the traditional burial -

site is marked by a bronze memorial plaque on a building on the east side of Third Avenue.

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4. No indication of interest ho.s·been received from the sto.te of New York in response to. written inquiry b.s to their Willingness to sho.re the annuo.l cost of operating a.. Federo.l park tho.t might be esto.blished at the buria.l site.

In a letter of April 22 1 1957 1 Mayor

Robert F. Wagner of New York City indico.tes tha.t "If the memorial park

...

is to be open to the public for use o.s o. neigbborhood.sitting pa.rk 1 we will be ho.ppy to bD.ve the New York City Department of PD.rks take cure of ordinary maintenance of the o.reo.."

5· The caamemoro.tion of the traditional. burial site mo.y be of interest to the sta.te of New York a.nd possibly u proper subject for evaluation by the Joint Legislative Committee on Historic Sites ·o.nd 19th Century ConcJ.s, creo.ted by the 1957 session of the New York Stc.te Legislature, which is to develop o. program for the survey, preserva.tion, a.nd developnent of importo.nt New York Sta.te historic sites.

Recommendo.tions

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Thn~ ~e .tro.ditioneJ. burial site of the Marylanders killed

in the action o.t the Cortelyou Bouse ~ be considered for establishment as a. national monument.

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Saae\ime . after. eleven' . 'o'oloOlc on. the 1ll01"DiDg ot August 271 - 17761 the : .. . .

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' . .~ ~ -~ ~" ~. .~'"''.;..: ~·,;;.~ldns ~si~"'iJt~ ~ear· ~t tbe Co:rtel70Q Bouse, ·. . ' ' . ·..... ' .." ·.-- .· .< . •.-.. .. ~

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:Dear tba ·mtera~ ot

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Pli.ae.•.i;:.lliact ·aJz·eaa;r; b!ium . ~qti~IJ: J31'1ti8h · ~ alr8ady fo'esserl ~~• ·tO· the •

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For perhaps five hours the 1000 or more Americans under

~rd

Stir-

ling • s command on the right - Fincipally1 Haslet's Delawares and Smallwood' 8

Marylanders - had stood their ground against an incessant c•monad:l ng bT Grant 1s artillery, always "strained and nerved for the mad xush of calibat,n the "big

attack!' that had not cane. What had

pl'OVed

to be a feint had looked 11ke tbe

real thing at three o'clock that morning when S~ling had been sent out .tran

the American lines 11 with the two repmants nearest at hand.P How1 bis Datural escape route north along the Gowanus Road cut off b7 troops ot the main British force advancing from the rear and wJ. th Grant •8 force strik:lng h18

trant, Stirling decided the ~ chance tor escape was acroas the "impassable" Gowanus Creek and its marshes at his right rear. To "render this the more practicable," Stirling decided to attack the British force at tbe

C~CIIl

HOI18e 1 usins "about halt ot Smallwood•asn the rest ot his oanmand. he ordered

3 . The .usual battle-strength cited ia 9SO (see Christopher Ward, The Delaware Continentals JJf1Jm:lngton1 l9J4/1 161 39)J the evident 11 pa~qtii811 Civen

iii Jobii8ton, P• 129 1 cannot be trusted too tar. However, Ward's estimate ot "actual" Maryland strength ma;r still be low in the light ot a letter .trCD the Maeyland' Council ot Safety appeDd:l.ced in Field, PP• 4o3-04, and Smallwood's

report (P1eld1 386 tt). The American right included at the 011tset1 additional..l1' to the Delawares and Maryl.aJidera, abOut 120 PennsylvaDians UDder Lt. Col, s., J .. Atlee (the torce from which the advance picket had been drawn), par.t ot a Connecticut regiment under Clark, Kacblein•s Permsylvania riflemen, and a two-gun batteey unc1er Capt. Carpenter ot Rhode Isl.aDd. Jobnatem estimated the total at l6oO (Johnston, PP• 163-7) J this seems more nearq coJTect -~ the figure ot 2300 which Douglas Freeman accepts on the strel2gth ot .A.tl.eels journai IO'D.cit., IV, lD!]J (Atlee journal in documents, Field, 3S2-36l). Atlee :LMI'Cate:i! only' one 8dclitioDa.l unit beyond those cited., part ot Iu.tz•s Pennsylvania militia and this is not verified elsewhere. Christopher Ward accepts the figure of l60o for the American right wing streDgth (The War ot the Revolution, P• 219). As Grant extencled his line to the rightTeas'tl',"Stir'Jliii was forced to spread his line to the left, sendiDg Atl.ee1 t~e Cormecti~t troops, and part ot Kachl.ein' s ou.t in this d:lrection, thus leaving under his immediate QCIIIIIIand - to bear the brunt of Grant•s attack the probable DUmber cited in tut. As tbe battle developed on the American right, the action on Stirling's immediate lett (wherein was involved the notEr.fOrtb,y fight tor "Battle ,Hill") was virtually apart from the action on Stirling's immediate front. In tact, when Atlee and Parsons retreated, they were surprised to find StirlJ.Dg•s cCIIIIUUld gone without giving notice,

pp.,

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to retreat across the creek •

Stir-ling himsalt at its head, the little asaaul.t force assembled a:'•.,!lg th'3 Gowanus Road in the vici.Dity

Str~c~..

presen~

FUth Avenue and lOth

and marching forward, hurled itself against the British at the

'c6~ely0il House ...

caniSter,

scme 3SO men against perhaps 2000. Halted once by grape and

the col'WDil advanced again, and again and ·again, six times in all.

Stirling »encOill'aged and an:liu.ted our young soldiers," wrote Maj. Gist (the detachment c0J111111Ulder) 1 "with al.must invincible resolution.••

and attar covering part

Stirling bimselt

. ot tbe •• swamp retreat" of Stirling 1 s Maz7laaders and

Delawares, they were forced to tend for themselves (See Ward, The Delaware Continentals,. 30•32 1 37..8; Atlee jau.ma111..cit.; Parsons to 7ci&i Ad8iii8, . 29 Aug. 1176, in documentsJl. Johnston,. PP• ~c. s. Hall, J!!!.!!!!! Letterl - .2£ Samuel Holden Parsons L.tdnghamton, 190 1 PP• S3-4) •

Report, Lord Stirling to General Washington, August 29 1 1776, in documents, Field, 395-7.

Field, P• 200.

The strength of Smallwood's battalion is given at 684 in a dispatch fram the Maryland Council ot Satety to the Maryland Delegate. in Congress, August 161 17761 reprinted in Field, documents, 403-4; this total is acceptecl by Dauglu s. Freeman (IV1 166). SJQallwood, in li:1s report to the Maryland Convezibi.on, Oct. 12, 1776 (Field, documents, )86 ff), speaks of bringing 7SO men to New York from Maryland. This total, however, may well include troops with noncombat duties (as noted by Smallwood) 1D the Caamissary and QuartermasterGeneral. departments, and Hospital; additi~, even troops of other Maryland units. As noted, however, Ward.•s estimate of an actual Mary'land strength ot 4So (Delaware Continentals, p~ 16) may be unduly low - even al.lowiDg for some siCkiieas. An attempt at establishing the roster ot the Maryland troops actually involved in the fiDal assault (usually referred to as 11 The Maryland 4oo'1 ) was Jllade in the Historical Ma~, XIV, llo-120, based largely on a somewhat c ed. !attar bY' a sorer in the Maryland battalion, reprinted in Field, clocuments, S2o-22. This soldier- . participant speaks ot "five comJ8Di.es11 being "left," presumably tor the final assault. It is the roll ot these five COJilpalties which is attempteclin the J.!!rYland Historical~azine, The names total only 307; the roster ot one not be found. · company, however, c

Jft131and

7 Lord Howe (in his report,

.2E•.s.!!•) identified the British units i.nTolnd as 7

....,.......:::

•.

fought like a wolf •11

Just as it seemed they ·weuld .terce their way threugh,

reintorcementa arrived far Cornwallis, and the Marylanders were thrown back far the last time. Stirlirlg himseli' drove on through to surre!Kler himself to the Hessian cCIIU'D8Zlder. Maj. Gist and nine others esoaped across the oraek. Great numbers of the rest were probably oa]Stured when they sought escape in .woodS; perhaps 1II8DY more were killed, though probably not the 2.$9 scmet:tmes

·.·; .. ·

ciaimed. Meanwhile 1 . a gallant saerifioe had been made - the balanoa of Stirling•s· c0J1111181ld was (in the main) safely .'/

•

aoro~s

the_ ereek. StandiDg en the

heights at Brook:lyn1 Washington was heard to exclaim, with reference to Stirling's desperate attaek, 11 Good God, what brave Fellows I DII1Bt this dq

9 J.oaa. 11 StirUng •s troeps had been the last erganizad m:Uitary ebstaole in

• ·.<Ill

part of the 2D4 Grenadivs, supported by the 71st Regiment. Field (p. 198) adds acme Hessians, and there were later British reintoreements (though not, very probably', to the resultant strfmlth ef 201 000 claimed by an unideuW'ied MarylaDd soldier in a rather ecmfuaecl aoe«NDt in Field, documents, .$2o-22); Field (p. 199) says Stirl.ingls "little band11 ef hardly 4oo men assaulted a force 11 five ~es their !UJ!ber.n

6 Available battle acceunts almost unifermly el.aim 2.$9 lcUled aad missimg (or captured) from the Maryland battalion, and this figure has generally bean interpreted to mean ouual.tiu in the rear-guard aotiori. However Douglas s. Freeman certainly seems right when he interprets this (IV, 166~ to mean casualties tbroughau.t the aotion, iDcluding the JllOl'J1iJ2a stand on the heights above the Mii'tense LiDa aDa tlie flight aoroes the swamp. Henry _Johnston takes note (p. 168) of .the 11 siDcular martyrdam" accorded the Marylanders by s0111e aoooants, and offers the opinion that the proportion of aen killed was doubtless amall. Meanwhile, S811111el Ward, in an early acoount, gave as his opinion that "the selt-devoted heroes of this exploit were surrounded and made prisoners of war'1 (Samuel Ward, "The Battle of Long Island" in KnickerbockerJ:'azine, XIII, 292). bot the British were not the. best of marksmen (iii e accepted European m111tary standard ot the time) is borne out by at least one participant-letter (oited in Stiles• diary, in documents, Field, P• 490) who, when olose-upj sqs the British 11 intirely overshot us and ld.lled some men away behind in the rear." OA British lack of marksmanship, see also Ward, Delaware Continentals, 47-8.

Cited in participant-letter reproduced as part of E.zra StUes • diary in Fielcl, documents, 489.

•

10 the British path. Preswnably1 some six hours of good dqlight remained now !Il 11 . which the British army1 overwhelming in strength and flushed with victory1

might c&rcy the American line and gain total victory. But, even as his mtm had surged close to the principal .American red011bt (Fort Putnam), Howe had

12 palled back. He would take. the .American l:ine by slow "regular approaches·'' On· the

28th and ·29th a heavy rainstorm reinforced his decision. Washington 1s

line was saved.

On the morning

ot the 30th a providential tog covered a

well-executed retreat across to Manhattan Island, where tbe rest ot Wasbington •s a.rJV waited •

•• 10 Op. Charles Francis Adams, "The Battle of Historical.Review~ ·I, 6S6. .

•

Long Island" in Aaerican

ll There were at least l9a000 British troops involvedJ at the very moat, 101 000 .Americans. Bowa stated (in· The Narrative of Lieut. Gen. Sir Wil.lir.l Howe • • • to llhich Are Added Some li'Dservations [&red., Lo'Mon;-rf8'§/; triir'he iaMid between ,rm,ooo; to thi~ were added reinforcements; notably the 2 1 000 who reinforced Grant on the front ot the American right on the 27th (Field, P• 179) • Douglas S. Freeman (~._cit., IV1 1S7n) estimates 101 000 AlllericansJ Henry Jobllston, a closer stUdent of the battle, estimates 71 000 (p. 154). MaD,T of the American tnops lett behind in tbe line on the morning ·ot the 27th were iU ..

Jpon--alimfit -;-: . ana

l2 Howe, Narrative, PP• The Oommalid

4-S, report to Lord Germain, .2E•cit.J Troyer Anderson,, the Howe Brothers Ilur1ng t.he American h&volution (New York,

~7Vill-lr,"din 11oiii""tncni&'lit tlie cost 0£ an iilliliediate assault outweighed an un advantage. He had conflicting information as to the strength of ·the American fortifications; he was not sure he could take the whole lirie in one assault. Ever since the battle, he has been condemned tor fail~ ng to p!l"sue what seemed to many an obvious battle . advantage.

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Evaluation~

•

Battle Action

the basis of the evidence at hand, it is concluded that the

action of the "Maryland

400" at the Cortel.y'ou House accompl:ished no more 13

than the saving of sane 6So-7SO men of the extreme right of the American outer arm;y in the battle of August 27. With the battle already a defeat, this

saving" was no more than the snatchiilg ot brief glory from the jaws

of" fiuminent disaster.

It did not add appreciable deterrent strength to an

American line already greatly outnumbered; nor is there evidence that the vigor of the 1-Iar,ylanders' attack restrained a British commander 1 cautious by" training, already hesitant in the face of

unknowns11 •

At the most, :the

action diverted tor an hour or so perhaps 31 000 British and Hessians out

ot a total force of sane 191 000 men.

Stirling 'himselt claimed no more for the action than the covering of the retreat of his

lS·

own eammand.

helped by" the supporting tire

Even then, that retreat may have been

part

Atlee•s Pennsylvanians, who,

seeking to rejoin Stirling after sharp fighting on his lett, found that

cCIIIJII&flCler had initiated retreat w1 thout warning.

George Washington claimed

Calculated on the basis of a canpranise estimate of 60o Ma17landers, Soo Delawares, m:l.:mls an estimated 3SO Marylanders engaged at the Cortelyou House, the -tOtal is 7SO. But, see footnotes 3 and 6 above.

Of which, of course, another Sooo (under Gen. Grant) remained on Stirl.ing 1s or1ginal'tront during the time ot the Cortelyou House fight, presumably preoccupied at. least in part with that· part of Stirling's C<l'lllaM retreating across the creek and BWili1P•

!Qrd Stirl.ins to Gen. Washington, August 29, 17761 in Field, documents 39S-7. (See also report of Haslet, canmanding the Delawares, in Field, documents, 391-3.) It is ~estionableJ indeed, how many ot the American

•

left and center remained in flight by" the time Stirl:ing engaged Cornwallis .(see Johnston, for e~ple, P• 186). Even then, there were available for their pursuit many thousands of Brit.ish troops over and above those involved at the Cortelyou House • 16 Extract fran Journal, Col. s. J. Atlee, August 27, 1776, in Field, documents, 3S2-61; see footnote 3 above. 10

-------~

battle, indeed, Was~on wrote tt;le President of Congress that the defeat had "dispiri't".ld too great a p-oportion of our troops and filled. their miDds with

appro!l'l::lSion and. despair •• • ·• Great numbers of some !.nstances almost by 'Whole regiments."

@.lit1i/ have

gone offJ in

Within a little more than a week

. ~ter the Battle, 8,000 men in thirteen Cormecticut mil.1tia regiments had . . 2l dwindled. to 2,000 • . ;;;;;Id.;;;;;en;;;;;:t~ii'=ica~:ti;:.;;on;;; ~ Bc.rial ~

Traditionally, those Mar7laJJders k1lled in the action at tbe Cortelyou House w~e bu'iecl by the local farmers on "a little islaDi of

dr1

gramd then a:nd l.ong after covered with trees and undergrc-.th" which "roe•

the

out of" the sal.t meadow below Denton1s millpcmd on farm owned. at tbe ./ . 22 'time ot the battle by the Staats f~. The tact of bl1r1al.- t.hOQih it may a~uiil.l1' have been carr1ad. ~ a prov.\Biou of a

a11t

by the British troops tbamsalves - is cODf'irm.ed

Brisade JBCJrJd.Ds ord.tlll' of Aupst 291 d1rect1Dg 11 the QMrs

of -()~pa" to ~t.ake Ca.re that the clead. of tbe enem;r ill the viOird.tJ' o.t' thai:'

Corps are p-oper~ buried." Ackl1tion•ll7, a reference in the JII8DUSC'ipt, jomomal. of the.· Pmm8yl.vud.a eol.oDel whOse men helped. covar the ld.tbdrawal of.

Stir]j,ng's rear

el~

across_ the creek, seems to susges:t the probaM11:t.;y

· ord.erJt·decent· inte:niaents tor at least part of the Marylanders. .A.tlee, captured, s~ of n s8'f81'al

Aonths attar'•

21 . John c. Fitzpatrick, ed., The lfritings . washington, 1931-IW), VI, )2.

li';"'s,

beiDg "shewn the Graves.. ot sevl

.1'

.2£ Georae Was9§aton

• • • (39 vola ..

··

22 Field., 202.; H. R. Stiles, H1?f! of the Citr of Brooklyn, New York (3 vola., BrookJ.yn, 1867-70), 1 ~.- -

•

Ms "orderly book kept by an officer of the British Foot Quard." (orderly

Books #13) 1 New York Historical Society collections.

•

24 0£ the Of!ieers11 of his own cOIIIIIIBnd. 'Who fell in the covering action. No ear]¥_ documents or mapa have

been .to\Uld.~ however, which indicate the exact

manner of burial, or pinpoint the exact location. The traditional site was identitied by' tbe Broolc]3n antiquarian.

hi~t.orian ~s W.

Field1 in 1867 (or before) as a tract

or land extend1ni

across Third Avmme between 7th and 8th Street&J though he thQJ.Iht tbat the site was too far a'WI1" b-aa tbe aa8ne of the action (some 1800 feet .tr~ the C~qou

BCIII881 near F1.tth

A~ and

Third Street) for orig:mal

lmriw

be .made db-ectq thereon, he thought it qUite JZ"O'bable that the bones

or the

Mar.rlandars. lftll'e removed there When alcel~ons ware uncOvered b.Y ta:l'llliDI ~ediateq

operations in the 7ears . .

lll8da ·Jd.a

detand.natiozi

011

.toll.ow1ng the battle. Field. apparctll'

the aveasth ot .traditicm in the .tamwn

cnm:1iJc

laDd in

th8 vioitd.t,-1 palotiG~U.ar]T the. Van B:i-unta, who bcught the Staats

Ma Extract fraa the JOID'Ml ot Cal. Atlee, ita 7$8 in collectioaa, Historical Society of PeunqlVBDia1 reproduced in P~lvazd.a .Archives, ~ Serie8, ·J: .(llarl1.aburs, 187b), 512-16. This citaon dOes not a~ iD the :A:tl~ joDrDal extract that appear~ in Field, doC1JJ11811ta, PP• ~~2..6J..

f1rat volu:llle (plbl:S ~~heel 1867) ot ld.a ~at tbe.Jir..l: Brooltcyn., 1867-.70) 1~ 1 Bev York (3 ~jli;Jgi;"Whhae aooCNnt' ~ be .tOUDl) as his first source far the aite-d8siption •. B1a laDpage, 1ndeecl1 cl:O&el¥ reaaabl.ea

Bem7 R. Bttlea in the

::- Br8 '·

vola.,

that in ~ •s awn .acocant, wh1ah -did not, however, appear untU the .toll.Old.Dg· 7-.r ("Narrative ot the Services of the Mar7l.aD! Battalion 1n Brook:lyn on the 27th ot Auauat 1776" 'in Bi8toric aDd BceDea in Br~aJUl Its ViciD:i!f with DJ.uatrattona 01' Some ~ Anti~

An!ieariarl

IC?iF ~ pp.- 83

,IJ'(:lJ, repeated 1D iiicli"'lliesame fcm

1attle of Long Island" c0111F-is1!1& Vol. II of the Memoirs of the 1e!!l Ialard Historical Socie~f ~~ 186f/ PP• 202-j, iiicfia'P;-reFOcluCed as Eiljiblt 21 lppeDd1i ·B • An attarapt was made (at tba Long Ialaad Bistorical Society) to fird -the notes that Field. might wall have made in the course of his studies 1 but w:l.thout success •

• 13

\:J~I,__

:::;:> _ __.

•

pro~rty in

1786" In recent~...c:liscovered Van Brunt correspondence, letters

of 1869-70 by John Van Bru.nt. apparently confirm the site desi&nated by Field, · 1i' o:Uy by !Mirection. ThoUgh Van Brant locates a family burial in the near

vic:.nity ("northerly of 8th Street between Third and Fourth Avenues11 ) of the tr~ticnal

Marylanders• site, and sharply disp1tes Field's claim that the

bones of Stirling's men were. 11JII1Diled with the rema1 ns of the. servile sons ot Africa whoee burial. ground it also was 1 11 still, he does not dtqr the Field

site-clesignation. In a letter ot January 11, 1870 1 to Teunie o. Bergen, he

:ta:i.tes "The tradition

ill

the t~ is in acoordance with wbat you mentioned

as being found in the h1stor;y of battle of lDng Island axceptiy" the slave-

burials. Because of the s1milar11;J' of wording, the book reference must be .

Fiel.ci t a, ;publ.iiahed tht

.. ·~

year prenoos. ..

. ., . umib Field left Do daaar~ption of

· higbest. part of this burial mowd"

. 1Dg ·atreets,,

J•·

the si~e other thaD tbat. "the

vas :"t&%', l;telcw"·

the grade of the surrwnd-

Van 13nmt ·reaalled_ ha'f'iDB ~een (presumably at an earlier

period) on the "meadow isla!P" a DIDIIber of graves 1 some "vith markad headstones - others ~ed aml. JII8J1! mm:-e graves, .evidentJ.r,_ bllt known ~ dist1ngutshed QD]y. by tbe . shape· ot the surface~" ·He ~anfimed that his

rather.

com.neliua, llbo bad ballpt the propil'ty) .

al:ld his

"dead bi-ot.har

·.

Adriance held. t.bat :leJ and ~ed. and. Jl8'ft" .at.fered tbe plough ar the axe, 1101' ~

elae to desec.rate.the grOUDd."

. 26 . · Legatees, Peter am Jobn. Staats to Cornelius Van Brunt, deed recorded Oct. l2 1 17861 in p.Dgs Ccertj CODV!lallces, ..!:'!:2!: 6, P• 360-63, Brooklyn Ball o! l!JotRS. ·

•

Letters Dec. 16, 1869 and Jan. 111 18?01 John Van Brunt to Teunis Ge Bergen, in Van Brunt Ms Collection, Long Island lfis1;orical Society. The investign~ is greatly indebted to Historian IDuis Morris 1 Statue o! Liberty historian, for the trackine dOIIZl ot these JII&DI1&cripta in February ot this year. 1he Van Brunt family lw'ial plot seems suggested in a deed dating from partial sale of the property to Henry" Clark in l83S (Recorded Mq 3, l83S, in Ki.ngs _Qountz Conve;yances, ..!::£l!.: 46, PP• 36o-63).

;.::::>""

~-.:~·-----

Ava~ JAble tWapbi cal evidence w1tb regard to the traditional 28 site .. all-~ b'om the l8So•s- is :t.nconclusive. A general "hUl" ~"11.

•:·

dition seems to· be evidct from a po1n1; r~ hal1' 'WI13' between Seeond a~d

. Thhd Avenues ·rising easter~ to a sUp~ dip just eaSt of Fourth AW:r:~:o an4 ..

risill& rather i.brupt,Jy towird.B~ Streete- Since the ~grade ~~ known are ~~ ~-- ~e atre.'{~, it u __~t· to

ftjia?th' Street eoo.th;

~· .· .· •,"\",

'-: ·· ·

-,~:

•••, . • .

·.7

·-'~

•

.'•

•

'·.)·,~,·

•

laDd within the respeCtive street ~cka •. Bo

~t&i.emn ~ i~h~ above ·the.meadow ~·'tiike. the wirm ~

. .· < ' . ·.-.· -_~.:· . ·_,. .

~~ •~

. . . ., _ , . . . .

estimate :the au.ct lq, ot the _:a. . •, •

~:,·:.;~;· .. : ~jbe~_.

••

lll&P 0t 1767)

-,. ._. ~ · ".· : ·. _-. . ·: ··

~"t~~y~ -~···::, -~' '~'". ~-~~::.:~-~-;r:-~. :-~-

~::;.~..:,~,~-:-.· ...,.,~ %"188' (not~-.

·-

than

...

•

••

•

·-~"'

_;_.

sh•

•

ccmti1'mecl1 thcnlgh' ~Crielld&ht ~ tbiB into the _. ._. ._·: · . ;~- ~:·;;, ~:::f. . -~ ·. ·.. ·::'f.:.:.-~.~:':·~-->-~-~~->.~·· ,j.. _ . a toot). er14811tli'~ ll,t"1~a&t

aMU

...

1dii. >··.::·_

on -

may wall have been that on which the bu.rials were made, as tradition claims

••••

- tbis 11 ris311 may even more· cl.earq have resembled an "1slaDd11 seventy years . pr~C:-::~:.:ro

~ertai.n:cy-1

bei.ni nearest tile swamps both north

~west,

would ha:t·e bgen logical for a last-elitch cluster of men (and Field aqs

. 30 taW- cf t.he survivors ot .the fatal field and the remorseless swamP'' gathered ,.

· here)i, Save for the cutting of Tbird Avenue (laid out in 183S or a little

later,

graded in'l8S4 or a little later) the "traditional" burial site re-

.ma~ned relativeli undisturbecl'untU

t.h"e beg:Jnni.ng af·the present century. . . 32 Apparent1.;y, it attracted tile interest ot no early tl'avellers. Accorc11JJg to .

n~per

account

of~' the gradirlg

ot Third Avenue "obliterated a part

.oe· tihk- ~-· trenches which atill·shoved pl dnl;r in the

...'· _...,: ". " ' ... ~

.·:. . . . . . . . . . ·..

:. . -~ .

.. .

interior ot the lots

. .

·abu.ttiDg u:Pon· the. east line of -the thorcucbtare." . EEaavations in 1891-189S 30 . . Fiald.~ Bati.te . '

~:""::.::::,

;..·~::.~.-:~.·L·:··_

.!!!"lei ISlaM, P• 203~

~·.:,o

··,~-·

31.. .... . . . .. . .Accordir.lg t'o recorda in Street P1aD R8COl'da Section, Municipal Build1Dg1 .-·. ,;·Brook:lp. SMjlrat'iles, i:lbibite. 31 .41 S1 61 Appendix Bt .A.CC01"Ci1q to lfelle:Wih ·CleaveJ.iDd.is -~17' the Van.Brunt tam was stroagq OODSidered ... ,-,·s-.~:iatif:fb'ts u· ., id.te ot the great Brook:cyn Public 0emetal'1 that ...· · beeama~·~Ocl,. bu.t the Varl'l!~·uts. retueect to sell (Hehearlab Cleaveland, Greemmod ..O~d. -~-0!7. !£ the.IDst:J.tutiaD traa to l864,.Nar .t, fg:r:k, :1866).-., .. 1 J1181118Ci1Pts at the f~Cms-,; ii'IiwrlCal Societ, ot the 1Ddtri.daal. llloat active in the Greemlood Cautery project . Reary ~1; .~ Ji81ded .no. ~viclence as to the Van Brunt propertJ' aZid the Mar,rlaDdera• ·sifie. A Pier.repom d.1ary exists, though apparentl:T inacc.,s_~, in F'..idget1el.d1 Ccmneoticut. : ·. .. . :: .. 0

JS8

..:./'

.\~.,; '

32 !

~..

~' ~

·-~~to~.r·: .. ·

. Tbaugh the lack ot eU,r-a.ccesa tbrough streets mq explain tbis, ane might ·well G:pect to tiDd a desaripti011 at tile site in Lossing's Field Book ot the ... ll89'0lution. (2 vols-. 1 law York~ 18S9), and one does not. The-uiie'i'tlia'WrhiS, ·aa:::iifrtedq, ·not made a thorOQgh search of all possible travel accoants, ·but· ·no· V.Oaveller · deacri~cms are lmown to the librarian ot the Long Island . H:Lotoricsl. Society; 1rbO tias been tam1J.:Iar with the story sources :tor years. Sito--wic3_,. the burials. ot the "priBOD-Sbip 1Qal'tyrs11 of WallabOllt Bq, frCR t.."!s.s.:nne time-period, ·attracted tar more attention through the years.

~~.!'.~~Herald (Bro~ Section), July 291

l.6

=:;::>"' I

~~~----

1906. Upon what sources

the

·:·

ft1r the ap:-..:-tment houses still stand:l ng just south of

7th Street on the east

sid'3 af the avenue, reportedq uncovered the bones ot some 30 bodies laid out in:-:-:-...~~-'='~ or r."',,.t&-71 ordere Sim:Uar:cy-1 the ~vations about 1900 fer the b:-ic..tc structure on the opposite side of Third Avenue at the corner of 7th ~..-

~;)

· S'tree"';,.. l·let>~-hile~ thg t:-aditional site was marked in 1897 with a OCiliDlemorative

.Plactu• placed between the sidewalk· and curb in front of 429 .Third Avenue 36 . . (eas1i side).

In ~

19051 a coal dealer1 Heor.r Wlldhaok1 .

\latter location,

~:lng

parohaaed. the vacant lot at

the. lot adjotning (431) to hia hold1q in 1909.

n811Spaper account 1BB baaed cannot now be ascertainedJ no pertinent city records or earl.:lar ~paper deaariptiona have come to lisht in the course ot~this ~st4-ga1;1on. ~

AooCI'diDa.·to Dr•·Niobolas B•. ~, 89,D.~ the co~traotor wbo dug the f01mdat.10!18 (in~ewed b.T 1uvest1gat01', Sept. 2S1 '19S6) J corroborating ev1daDce ( espeaia111' with J:espect 'bo· diB,po81tioJ1 f1! #18 bones) has not been · fOUDd :!D the coaru ot this 8ur'f81• .The JWan rem1niscenee seema cl1sproved 'b.T .arch0o1og:ical: expl.Orattcms a the nte iD. Janu:t7 .at-t.bia 7Hl' (see . report c£ arCheolopat1 ApncUx 0) e . .

.J6.,·. . _:,.. ; .

. ..

!hilhplaqiie (!or plcture, s.ee Ezbibit JO, Appendix B) had ·been tiDancod b)' £mis. left from tll8 subscript;i0!18 for the Jlai71and Momufteilt erected in Prospect ·Park in ·-l8g5. Jud&'ng bCI!l naraP~Per reports at the time, the pl.ap had bee,u sited on the str~ of tb8 site-.Mentification b7 Field and. s-tiles :!D 1B6?. · AccGl'dini to the Brookqn· D~ Eagl.e, Jan. 10~ 1897 .¢'J'e'be 181 ~897 1 this plaque, the.deld.gn -of Col. Locllli8 Lan&don1 was orlginall~ BUPP'~.ld to have been .dedicated on Wasbingt='s Birtbda;r1 1897 1 but- placement W38 postponed Atill tine weather." Actual date ot placement 1ms not :toand in owrse ot n811Spaper investigation, but is assU!Il~d to bs s<neti!lle later 1n the.year. Investigator searched in vain for rcco::-ds cf the c::'l.ti~gns COIIIIIIittee ( Cbairman 1 wn' 1 am Berrl) concerned, . hc¢::8 that .furt::~ light woald be thrown the site; see also ~~ DC.U:t !:;:;!!, April 10, 189S.

further

Doed, Ida v. Higgins to Henry Wildback1 recorded Jan. 27, 190S, in ~.her 52:: !;:'-~!:!! P2E-c.t.Y Convezanoas, P• 27ll, Hall ot Records, Brooklyn; saS5;-

••

According to into:mation he pya the newspapers in 1910 1 burial trenohes were plainly visible on -t;heae lots, and the lots i.mmediatel;r adjacent, extending

a011th· to the apartment house at the corner

ot 8th Street, at the tme o£

~.s

initial purchase; specitical.l7, he rem@mbered 1S trenches, each-100 teet long, extending :!.n a southeasterly d:irectian frCJil Third Avenue toward 8th Street.

WUd&aok repeated .his claim . -

. .

view

to. the Broolcl1n Borough Historian, )8

in an inter-

ju~t pr~. to· his death· some few years ago. Apparent]7 impressed with

the probable i,apartance Br~

ot the site,

Wildback tried to interest the city at

and variOus patriotic organizations in prese:rviJJg the site aa a

."aJirine1 'before goiDg aheacl·with his plaDs. Unsuccesstaltin·=bae ett~,

Wfldback till.ec1 in the ctire area (inolud1ag the iota below

appar811tll' leaaed) to the. street ·. to

.. .

ll311

which~

grade level (some seven or .alsht feet ~'

his recolleoti.cm) ~· 'aDd ~bUah8d the coal-)Vd which operated in this . . .... 39

lOCation down.to 1931. The historic placpe rfi!Pdaed in poaitian, ~b-eicbt, .

Untn ~,· :P8ri0diaall¥ vandal1 zadJ than, ·~~• ' ' . . ho ~eel.- .tb.e

~·~!

its rana:la• were

oouraa .ot etreat 1dJten1ac oparatioDa.

hQ Hem'Y' WUdhack, Jr., 1nterv:1.aw- aDOthar· plaque was placed on the nte .o! a 'bldld:Jag) in 1948, by the AJnerican Legion,

· (en the front wall Kiaga OOtmty.,

zc:::;'!:::I~J____ ;:::>"" I I

••

• . ot 1870i as

to ·aotual.lniriaJ. ~1

....

it seems.veakened on tbe otber

baDi by Thamaa Fielcl's tailare to cl.eacri.be mah r•ud ns

in 1867. If there

vas ~ ,·ab~ ~ to be seen 1n the latter 7ear, it 1laald seem tbat ach an

en..thua1asttc student u

:Van Brunt te~imon;v, it .

. ··. ·&ad the -~,. az1d . :

muSt

1'1el.cl110Uld· ba'Ve described it.

fte

be r&aaberecl, was g1ven1881'• a.tter·the· tact,

atone~ tbat Van ~t·. remembered could. 1oag siDce have

...

becor;.. unrec.olirrzable as hiataric evidence. Meamrhile, in contrad1ct1oli to

hia_brothc'a :·;

Long

...

IsiaDd

~~ ~other Vildback san-~~ vlUdhack

-:baa

Stated tbat all tlie_WUdbacka had "to co on'' waa tbe 111-

f'cmaation. on the :ocmaeararative plaque placecl . . b2 .-~- at

ot Iqnbrook,

~ .tr~

a taw years

pr~

in the

ot the property.

. Ib1d •• latter (with sketch map), Wildback, Jr., to Itel.l71 Feb. 91 19)7; lOtte:- (wt.th sketch·map)_,.W1ldhack1 Jr., to iJmastigator, Feb. 271 19)71 oopi~ in tues, Recton·Ftve Ottice, Haticmal Park Service •

.Ja2 In. telephone conversation vJ.~ investigator, Oct. 17 1 19S6

In the

thirties, the lower half of the Wlldhack coal-yard (the

leased section) came into the bancls

Technical Color and Ch~~ W«lcs,

manutactur9:1' ot Red Devil Paints; the upper halt

Inc~porated,

property was acquired by' tb:1a corporation in

1946-SO, Red Devil "under-b1UJ.t"

the WUdhack

43 19116. In variaus operations,

tbe lower half of the former coal-)'81'Cl

.(deceptivel1' open todq) with storage tanks tor paint ingredients, lacquers,

tMnners ~ the

l.ilc8; each encased.

in concrete, concrete and tank

extend.iDI,

various:q, six to eight feet below the surface. S1gniticant:q, the con-

. tractor who did the excavating for all the tank inetallationa does not recall

tiMing 8"lJT bones or hiatorio relics

of 8ZJT

sort.

EyaluatioD ,2! Evidence .!! Bu.r1al §.!!!

, ~:tbe: ·bu:ilr. ot'lulliarsq and ~t:l.oll, the traditicmal l'1el4 site ~-

both aides

ot• d

~ aa the

JIOII'b· probable ·.plaee ot bv.r1al tor the pllant Mar7lazxlera who

gave their lives on

,··

J.u&Ut 21, 1776. 0111¥

the slightest auapioion (in terms

~ -~:ri.l~ m pade _on t.be.·Ih- or~ street)

cat"the ,,.

~. ThUd. Ave~~~e, between 7th aDd 8th Streets - is

the west .p.de 'ot

Third. A1'811Wt u a site separate . .

8lld &pan traa the J'ial4

ld.te; even..t.~Jc1 ·-because at: tbe onr-J.a.pid.ng oldla

.rcheol.ogi~ ~-~.au& in this v:t.cdm.v., . . . ,

:·.

la4

ot the latter, an

with negative result. But

[

points to

. See engineer drawings G-10$ and a-2Sfl by' R. V• Perotto of $0 Cciurt St., Br~. 1 tiled in Bldga. Dept., Mun1o:1pal Bldg., BrooklP• - copies in Region Five·ottice, National Park Service.

Telephone conversation between investigator and Mr. Rosenthal ot H & R Contracting C~., Sept. 261 19;6•.

See above, P• lS

-- ---

----r--~~;:~;;::::::;::;?':..~,--r---

---- ----

hearsay and traditioll are inevitably inccmclus:ive for the Pll'POSes

au~ent:icat:ion.

.til'll

J.7

AJXl archeological expl.Ql'ati~ on the tradit~ site

.revealed no pos:it:ive contirator,r evidence. . Lacld..Jlg further evidence, it is concluded that tbe traaitioaal aiw is ot cloubUul •The

val141t7•

!!:! 1!!!.! . . !he traditimal ~ aite is t.odq about two 1111lea

•th ot

_.·~~J~.~~ADila1te,D&JII~·.AP¢1x~).. !he.~c_obaractlr •ot

~~~-(a wo~-~~ck~ oUt:ot- SW8IIiPe

IUI'HDD411t&

~~-·-'-~er~-~-_,_,narth):bu.·~~-.bhii.l.Dat··-~·i,;,. . . . ••

';-..,._,,.,_/ .>, ·.: ..• '·..

•

.•• ,•..

·,~---- ••.:_

·.

. .

_,,

.• : •

· ···-··'~~ad the ~Otis at -~t-boWsea .nd 'bantU •

'¥~~.;1M~~~~-~~-"· ··· · · · ··~:-~~West ·or~~'d.-rif:.tvilrlie-at tb18 t~,_:;;··~;

~~ "~:

il\l:j~w~·1m·&e·.....~W~·

.··;·--.~· t

...

.... ·.

·.·'' .

·;

:·;

--~~-.

._,..•

. ~:· ~·. ::: .

..-.'

.. ~

" .. - . . . ~ .:.....

to-._, ......~~:~,~ '·•.;.,-

.. '·:

111 hoaa'ac

li1Uid

....

•

Conclusions The Marylanders • o.ction c.t the Cortelyou House, c.lthough heroic, wo.s not o. unique example of military heroism o.nd did not have a ~cisive innuence on the outcome of the Battle of Brooklyn.

co.nnot be considered to possess no.tionul significance compo.ro.ble to the "ma.tchless" significo.nce o.ccorded na.tiono.l recognition o.t Yorktown and So.rc.toga. battlefields 1 o.nd o.t Independence Bo.ll.

And if the

action itself is not. of no.tiona.l significance, there con be no such claim for the buric.l ground of those that died in th~t o.ction - especially when that burio.l ground is of such doubtfUl authenticity, so lAcking in visible remo.ins 1 and so bo.dly situated. The inspiro.tiono.l significance of the Marylc.nders ' o.ction is now recognized by the beo.utii'ul memoric.J. sho.i't in Prospect Park,

~··

Brooklyn, o.nd by the memorio.l marker on the reconstructed Cortelyou House a.t the very scene of the action.

The l.o.ttcr structure and site

o.re situated in an alrca.dy-established city recreational po.rk in Brooklyn. The tro.ditiono.l

buri~?-l

site is o.lso mo.rked todo.y by o. eocmemoru.tive

plaque on o. buil.ding on the eo.st side of Third Avenue.

(agd) :mANK BARNES Regional Historian Mo.y 20, 1957

••

For complete deto.ils on o.ppeo.ro.nce of the site todo.y 1 and cost infon:ultion relative to land acquisition, land prcpo.rution und possible site development, see report of appro.iser 1 Richard Breen (Appendix F), and reports of Perk PJ.o.nner Andrew G. Feil c.nd Re~iono.l Architect lllwrence B. Coryell, Appendices D o.nd E •

Prlmar;y: Moat at the ear:q rec=1 material :lmmed1 atel¥ pertiDent to the battle at BrookJ.1n is

COIN8Di~

reprcdncecl in tbe ead aect1cma ot f.

:Field's "The Battle at Long IalaDd" in Meaoil's .!!£,::!!! !e!s Island B1storical Society, II (~ 1869), aDl Benr.Y" P. JabDaton•s "The 0111Pf11" ot 1776 arou:Dd Nar York .8Dd Bl'ookl.1n" in Heaoirs

.Societz,

c.'A "

••• (9

,.2£,:!!!! le!!l IaJam Bistorical

(Bl'ook:qn 1878), arJil/ar· in Pater Farce,

~ •• .w~.,

ed., Aaerican Arab1vu

1837-$3), ·VI. Su.pp1.aartaJ. (tboqh often cmpU.oa:liGI'71

when·not negative) are the J.

Fitspatri~ editioD, VritiDp ~ Oecge

Wasbingtan (39 vals. 1 Wuh:lDgton, 1931-bk) J the otto

B--md edited

:tettare !!! Papei:a .!!£ ~enl ~ SulliYaD, OontiDeDtal !!!I (3

J.-

vola.,

Concord., 1930); ·. the ·lUgltiw P:taoe8 :1.11 ·the· priDted Pea!ulr1Y8Jd.a .&ztobivea, . tbe

S~~--. ~CD~~ adi

·s~ott 1118DU8ar1Pt •tenal at tbe Nn

Yolic ~ Soc:iet71 8D4 tbe Smalblood UDWJc:rlpta ·at the Jfar7l,aDd

_J. Atlee, at 'the Pla:Jns71'f8Dia B:1storical Soc1St7 OODt81Ds the sqgestive bar1ala refareace Cited 1D

. action .

ar·~ .

teXtJ

war Ol'dar:Jl' books vu

. order ~ .btir.iaJ. ot

edited PhW.p

t~ . t.be.·

•eDai\Y" dead. · Additimal

(che~ecl1d.th 118ptiw result) .

in the N• York Biatorical Sociei;T ool-

iDCl:ude8

vabJabl•1IIC&"IdDs ,.

nperioiP •tarial. ·

t.be R/C~ ·a].J!1aD: BD4 t. Dodson

v1ot.z.. J'J.thian- J~ 171?-1§. {Prine~ 19.34);

the

or aen•.HoWe :lD OoUeotioDa ~.!!!!!! ~ Biator1ca1 SOcietz' ~.!:!!! l!!!:~ (2 vola.;, Bev York, 1884)J o. B. BideD, ·eel., Lstte:ra .,!!! o-..r· RC!!!J!eb ~7Bh (PbUa., 1933); J. o. BaiiiUtc:a, eel., WOrks of. .Altmender _.._..._,._ . JJamUton (7 wls., New York,. lBSl)) R. w. Pettenc:f", 11Jtemb1e Papara," aDd orders.

_e Waldeck Ofi'icera ~ l!!!, Br.ltiah Al'lliea l?u!'1Ds .'!!! Revolu1iion 1924); Edward B. Tatum,

ed., Aller.l.caJi JCIIIJ'Dal,S!_AIIbl'oN Serle

(New York,

(San~'

.UlaO). Additionall;y to ·the oUic1al report b.Y Sir W:lJ11am Bolle, reprinted ~.Field, .22~·' )18-)8)~

most pert1Dezit1. ot Oour8e, is the Narratiw!!!.

U~. ~,sb;··w;:,),~·h .!!.! ~t.tea!1£·~~~e.![ Cf'!llt" S! .... · 29th.!£ Aprih 1U9, r~ti~ ~ BSe CozlluDt Du.ri.Da!!! 1!l=! c~ S£ tal! <.· ... :.- .· -

••

•••

.,•

-.! . . . . .

•••

!:l!c•a fl!OP',!!H-*th·~ -~

.. ,.

t.!.'tae. ie·ax-

~~-J.cadoD~ 1?~)~.--..

~-... tbe~ril-~~.~~-·~0-·

",.

.~~ ! !!!a!!~ llaauari.J!!! !!}at;iDI.!!. Aaer1aaD.Bi!tc!z l!·llr'l.1d.lb

~;;,,,,,,~ :---~jor"·~~~~ar:~~~·~·~·~.-~

'. . ::.

~-:~;.,:·.:~.·~>(~~~~). .._~-~---~till~-~~~-~~,-~--~·: ~""'"!~.- ·~ ·~ ~; ~_ ···' :·· .Jiitilrta, &~· ·1-oi··J.i~e.;.U ·-~·~ lll8ted:a' 88llailtl i-·:J.,.' ·,..:..:·-·:, :~ ~-,·.':~·::>.'· ·/ :: ·. "" ;.\_·• · ..~~--~,.,·kv·~ ~·,.;-:•~.1; :L~.j -> .~ ·" · ··~ · -~::'::_~"~·j ~.,.. ~~;

•

....

•,.

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...

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ak.~.~_-· -t,~··,~~~~·~~~i )1- ~~r~~ ~~,~~-~~-~t~ ~ ~-

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.. :.;;:~·,:·'·:~~=~~~;~~~~-~->'": . . ·. •.• ·".:~,

:.,

~~~-~··lt

_!. ,·· ..

/):~~,::.~;,:~~-...·~-·. ....

,.~.~~',·~·' ' _~1'1 ··~~:,.'-.--.;.:-"_·· ~-t~'f--~~. •-~-·,-~ ~,~ ····: . ., _ . ·~:.·-···-: ... ····~-<-~it.'.;:_·~·...··' ··.·~"''!-r'_.<·. <

-~ _..... 'i-~ : · :

•

:';",3':•-;-.

••

:·

... ::~~[~~,,~:~-~ -~-~-~-t~~r:e-~."·.·.. ·. :··~~·'',,':·:: .• ·J·,· , .. -~-- -~ . ,,.;~-v.._. .. Ol'iaD,~·.:.·-.<.:'._:: !;•;~·tif"'('/·''.·r,-~<·>-;.:...:" ,'\·,,-'•:'·~~-~·~-~~.

,,,·,., ....

~!.. ~·:

~- .

..·~ ~:1~ ~; .hl~~;·~· ~~ ~,·~~--~.-ad~ r~u:.:..: . . ......... ·.,_ .... -.,· '\ ·;;:-~

-~~- ;~t::

f'•_

•

.14tb.tb8 ~v,._.:q aDd. ]a~~-· wnl:S ...:e.ri-1

•

. . .:......

.,4~~·,~1~"'~ ~~;~,~ ~~~~~?.~~<~ ·~:-~~-:~~~

. ~)~·· ,.•

1181'8·.-r..,.rotbtt :...0 ~ ...U. ~t the Rw.Yott.~.~-. . . .. .. . .. ~

~~ ~.

scr1.~ _Di"fisicBi, .a ~ til.~ Van Bl'lmt, .1828-JO•. wu ''Jf

•

"'""...-·~

-~~-:.

,.r'•

·~,.~~~.

•

••

•

...:tv •

•

tantalizing, helping cm.:cy- to settle the :tam:1J..;r tree. Sim1l.arly, w1 th mi.scellanecnis letters in tbat depositor;yts 11Miscel.l.az.laoas colle~ion.

Bro~

Manuscripta"

A care:tul cbeok thrOQgh the Henry Pierrepont Manuscripts ot the

Long Island Historical Society (Pierrepont orig1rlal.ly cons:ldered the Van

.Brunt ·:tam property as the site ot Greenwood Cemetery) gleaned notbingJ a Hev;y PierrepOnt ~ in possession

the last direct heir 1D F.J.dgetielcl,

proved unavailable, in the face o:t the protracted illness ot

Ccmnecti~t,

indiViclual.

this .

Greenwood Cemetery records s.erved to confirm . ODlf a Van

Brunt manuscript reference to bodies being ramoved there fltall the f811111T ~ grcwd 1D

18b6 aDd ether

7881'&1 aDd gave no descriptiODS ot - let

alone an exact location :tor - the tl'ad:ltioDal bu.rial. site. · -~ ·confirmator,- ot tra4it1on were the topop"apbio map

~ (~~street pratUes et

tile 18So•s) uncovered at the Street

· Plan :aeeOl'da ·office m the Brookl1D Mlmioipal EN1Wna, where the mvestiga~

ha4

't!ha- tine

eooperation. et Mr. Jeel Gtltblllan.

Bro~ Boreugh.

~·Jamea P~ ~~·and ld.s aasistantl, Messr_s. James Waters

. ·~ ~- (ud. Hr. ~bert RogfJl'S, fol'Jiler Chiet !itle Officer for Gaarantq . .. -:

.....

;

-·

I(.

- .

•

-ti.~~·~:¥l ~~J& _wa:lertul help in searchiDg for 8114 nm1ng perti-

neist atarial·~·the Ball of :a.-u, Bro~,

tnclud1D(b

course.

:pri»pe%'tJ' deeds, street aDd property maps, aDd alty •mu•l mam1als. A

a~. of r.ecords ·. .

·''

of ·.~

~ Br~ :Board ot AldU'J18111

City su:ee~ Dep~. faUed

Citq COUDOil, 8114

to praduae material contim&tion ot

the

~ traclition, t~ it had been expected tbat sCII18tbiDg waald

relwant to

-~eet-&r8.cliDc

tum up

operatiODS. No further extieDSive map..searcbi.Dg

was done, except at 't;he U:lug Island Histor:l.oal Sooiety (where several good

copies of.. tlie Ratser map of 1766

me ~eeu)' and, throagh carrespcmdellce 3

~ ::;;>"/ """:1"'::2'1____ 1

(negative findings) with the National Archives. In an effort to confirm the story. relati.ve to the uncovering of bones near the corner of 7th Street and 'l'hird Ave."'lle_, 1891-9.).,

Historian Morris,

Statue of Liberty, checked through

several volumes of Inquiai.tion Libera, 1890-97, in the Kings County Coroners'

·: ...

Re_cords in the Rhinel.allder BuUding1 New YorlG City, but wi.thout result. Meanwhile,

the vol:Wninou.a .records ot the Broolc:cyn Department

ot Health wwe

fOWld too fomidable for the purposes of this army. Miacel.laneowr 'source mate:rials

at a

primary cbaracter:

at tbe

. !4q Isla:ad Historical Society several volumes of manuscript 11 Notes and HMallda11 of Gabriel Furman,

which ~ a aampling cOI.lld be made; tb1e

potantial.:cy' great source .on ear~

tar

the lui1.8l8

Broolcl1n history yielded

no pertirleDt data

mwSttgati~. Similar~, with the :maDW~oript

volume

bT !. We Field: abOilt .18SO) .of Jeread.ah Jolmson•s 1'RecollectioDs lu~

in Broolc11n•"

, :11&8 ali-ve at :th8

The latter was

tiJaa.:ot•.

particular~

t.h. battle and

was

the Ravo-

disappointing, tor JobnsoD

:1noluded several fiDe desc:riptoiaaa

· o! the ~ tak:lrig _place in the 'l'ioizd.ty however~

·or

(edi~

the f~ lam - wbich farm,

~ DCrih ot tha 'bu1'1al site. 'J!he JDa1J1 scrapbooks

Bistorioa1 Sooiety p.-oclucacl post-1900 photographs of the -the ;tDag Island. . .

site. ~- SQile

vaJ.u&,

Jielaorial ~~

aild uformatiall on: the illatal.l.atioD of the earq

lihich was 811ppl.ement8d b7 same rncttmentar,y aearchiDg in tb~

newspapera ot the ~ant years (l89S-1B97). the

Maz7laDd SAR proved_ .fruitless on the

In Baltimore, the records~

mbject ot the maa.orial plaqle;

apparen-t:q1 the ~ pertinent records have been blrned.

Through the good

offices of the National. Park Service llistori&n Edwin Small in Boston, acme miscellaneous letters ot B8Dl7 Onderdonk, Jr. (ear~ Broo~ mamorabil.iaat), collected in the SparkS Maiuisaripts at :the Harvard lJniveraity" Li.brary., we;"e

1~-~1 I

-------

checked with Degative .result. A search !or photograph material at the

Brooklyn MuSEIWil bogged

doW

because o! the transfer in progress of that

iDstitution' s notable local Photograph collection to the llrook'l1n i\lbl1c Librar,y. Additional newspapers checked in the cours~ oi' survey included

1BS4 (entire) aDd· August 18761 and J8Jl11ar1"•

the Brookl)yn Daily· Eagle, ,,

.,·

·October

JSOS; :Sroolclyn Evepins !!£1 Aprill, 18.$4 to December· 31; 18S4i

also, miacellanei:lllB copies ot the!!! !5!:! !!!£l Grap!!ic aDd (mapanes) _~~ Weekl.y arOWJd the AugUst amnvers&%7 date of certain years.

Abbott,

Adams,

...

· •

•

w. c., !!! Ie ~ l!!! .American Revolutiorl (Hew York, ~9) c. Y.,. 'tT.be :Battl.«t o! LoDg IslazJd" in Aaarican Bistor1cal Rn:l.ew, .

•.'

I· (1895-1896), 6,So-670

·.- ADaa-a~; ~; ~e ·ecm.J3d- ~ the Bawe Brothera ~ ~ .Aael'icaD.

~(rewT~

: ..

·~

~~Ill~· E. ~~ ~-!{Utec1 s:a~es !!!! :I~ People (7

·-~'

vola.,

listozz !£ ,!l! UDited States (10 vola., Boston,

1834-74)

. ~~ Bl.ee1c. ot Old. New UtreCht azul 0awa1ma . .. ·-. " .(~s.), .. ll-dms~~DCU (Bi'OOk$, fm')-· B&rck, o. T.~· New·~ 'iotJ.p9rlz!c theJ1rftrA~£: With~. . lilerence :~er!Oin cup llii ~

DOI1ijiib1i ~~~ti s.~ •

¥n> ..

1..•

· lb.-fnntl'~ .Ju., Bd'.,_ ~~~J.?th mtautr,y {Fifth Mu7lalld) •

Q~ver,

•

W. Le and :Bolton, R. P.,

~-Written~~

"{liii"York, l§SO)

Shovel

Vole.,

· ·caDDOn, RiChard; Bistorical Records ot tbe British~ (2S 18411864) • !h8 iiidlddiil""i0'11iiiii are""li!itorisS ot particalaZ' regiments, several ot which participated in tbe Battle at Long Island.

"·.

Carrington,

~enr;r.,

:Battles o! the American Revolution, l!.ZZ-1781

(New fori; !!76)

--~-------

.2f ~ United

Cbann1ng, Fdward, ,. B1st017

Cleaveland, Nehemiah., Greenwood .Cemetery,

.,.-_.

--ot

!BjS to 1861i (New

Dawson, Samuel1 Battles

State& (6 vols., New York, 190'-2$)

!. B1sto6f .2! ~ IDrrtitntion fl'CD

Y~.tc,

the United States

1858} - -

186

am !l

Sea

---

LaDCl (New York,

Dikeman, John1 c~., The Brootq.3n Com~ (Brooklyn, 1870}. BtmciT ccmp:Ua. tion O{ljitonuation reg stre~s, etc.

Duer,

ot Stirl1Dc (New Jenq m:it'Or10us'Oc1e£;r, lew fork, 1'847)"-

WUJ'• A., The Life of WUJ.iam Alexander, Earl

l'ield1 T.

·.

"Narrative Ot the Services of the Mat7lancl.Battalion in Brooklyn on the 27 ot August 177611 in Biatoric aDd So8D88l:!! Bro~ aDd~ VicUdi) ~ Iii1iitiiii0iii _ _!!! Of' Its Ant1Qa1 es (Brooklyn, 1~

ftU

·: ·

. Fiaber, .·

w.,

G., ~ £g£ Alllarican Dldepamlence (2 vola., ~elpbia,

... ..F~~~, '-

~~ .

,._

·.J. >.w. 1'llist0l'l S!,!!! British J.rtiq ·. • • . ' .

Oearpa1 ·!1.'he''S4;01la·Boue at -.-.-~--

~;--~~- .

·.

•

GonDUS (New York,

. ~~ . DcmSlas s., Gearp Waah:Jngt,on (4

. -___ -_·

(l) vOJ.s., Lol'ldon, .1902-l93S)

1909)

VDJ.a., l948-S2) -

.~~ .. ~- ~~ Notes,; ~~cal. and Biatori. cal1 ~ !!£, Brooklp1 ·: :. ·~.~; ... · · ·. · §: ianiii!~~ · . ·

--~~·· P~"!' ___,}!e . ~.Hi~a~!'!!' 172~1893 <~aDd

s., Life and Letters.!?£ Samuel Holden Parsoris ('Irtngbamton,

~~- Char~ea •

•

•.

,·

•

.•

Y•

•:

;

• ·-

• •

•

J~, 'Jielrq P.,.fl~

,·..·. . . .

. ...."

• ~~-·.

- ·-·

.... ;

·.·

[Bi'ookl;vn,

•

i:"'

Biatgg

·.:

)

·xendall 1 E. A., Travels ~~ the Northlml ~ .2f ~ United States . (j vo:ti., NiW!ork, 1609) . ·

J.,

or New York (2 vols., New York, -LtviJ2ge, sir F.iobard, Historical Re~ords ot theBkAr Regiment Mcmmouthsbire . . t!iht (Lolir,:l, 1 -

·· 'Limb• Martha

...

~•• ~

Campaigll:c.f 1776·~0Und New York and Broolcl;p1°in ··Hemoua·~~lf?l :Island· Historical soc:Letz

or New Yor.·k ¥81~ ~Revolutionary!'!!! ··(2vo .•~ ·

Jones. 'lballaa, .

B1Btolt of the City

.. !Btl-

uoor-

lStan~ry

Louag, B.·J.,

~~I:

.2! th3 Revol.u~

(2 vole., New York, 18S9}

HeJJ.sh., John, Travels~.!!:!! United States (2 vols., Philadelphia, 1812) Moore, Frank, Diaries of the American Revolution fran Newspapers and

·priginal:-l)'oeuiients (2 vOiS., New foii';-1866)

Morison,

E., and Commager 1 H.

s.,

Growth of the .American ReJ?!1}?11c (rev:tSare'aiiiOD, 2 voli., New York, l9So)

Onderdonk, Hem'71 Revolu~ Incidents-of Suffolk and~ Counties; . . . . Wi'th an. ccount !§.! Bilt1e j! tiiiiia • • •

. ·-

. nrew rorte, 184'9>.!!f..·

Yio'iii

Ostraud.ar1 Stephen, A History of the Ci, of Broolclp ,!!!! !,!5! County

t2 vOiS., !ro'OJCqii,

8Wi)

Robertson, Archibald, Diaries and Sketches in America, 1762-1780

. (Hew Yori;""l9j8)

stedman, Charles, Ilia~ of the g_r1.&_~, :Prmeas a:nd Ter.miDation ot the · AmCan"'Var (2vati7, LCii:Lon, l'n!i) -. ;

S~a; ..

....

("l'las~on, l9Sl)

x.. P., A:lllarican Campaigqs ;

~~-

StUair,'Heiri_.R., .~of th~.~ of Broo}dl& Jl••t. · · ·. IZvOiie;-BiO I 1867) .·

strmlg~·~-:lt~;.-.ot th. ~ otnatbwlh~S!!e ccet;y, 15... . .

(lr.iTorK;"Ia>

. Ia

,..~·;·_'~ · ~-. · . · fallmadga;·~~~~-KtiiiiOiri!!! ~· ·~·.",.,":..'"':.~

~\e:-:;0 :

,.... ·.,_ ."'r.:··,-.-_·. ~;.-.,,. __.

. . • . . :' ..

Benjamin Tallmadge (Hew York, l.BS8)

> · ~~-,'f;l4"·!';,:·:1luf~ Revolution (118W' .·.·. ·. : .· -.. . :'·.<>'~"'~::., ..·..·~ . .: · •

edition,

h vola.,· R'ev Yort,·

·~·.;:'<::. ·:._ ·~ ~.·:~-::ij;~~q~~~~war -~ ~ -Amen.can Phaaa ••

·.t

.·

••

-;·

~-·:·~~ ._.~-.~ ;~->~~ ,·~-~~-~--

. .

<••

Yort, 1929) ~

Wai:tdf.J~, ..'na.llelaware ContiJJentals, 171~178) (W1ImiJJgban~ 194J.)

.. - ~ ··,~ · · . . _!Iii-!£ i£ tb:e iiVOJ.it!Gii ('!"'ii'l'i., New York, 19.$2)

· w.rd~~leli "The ·B&~le '~

.. _J;- ,:-

•

dr Ion.&. ~land" in Knickarbockar· !ap!i!!e (XIII)

! '·

• WiDsar~:. J~J:. 811.~ .lfarrati."nt

··

· :·

.·

aDcl ~tiaal-·r 9£ bl8r1oa (B·vo!S., !Oaton, 1884-a

:;;:-

'";?~·.,...,- - - - - -

· ·- ·