Battle of Harlem Heights
New York City
September 16, 1776
American victory
After the losses during the battles of Kip’s Bay and Long Island, the Continental Army, suffering from low morale, moved toward Harlem. There, they met the British for a long day of persistent attacks. Eventually, the British were forced to retreat from Harlem, boosting the Continental Army’s confidence. Despite this temporary victory, in days to come, the Continental Army was forced to abandon New York City and retreat to New Jersey.
The Battle of Harlem Heights, September 16, 1776, 1775-1790, by A. R. Waud. Courtesy of The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Print Collection, The New York Public Library
“Plan of the Battle of Harlem Heights,” map published in Battle of Harlem Heights, September 16, 1776; with a review of the events of the campaign, by Henry Phelps Johnson, Columbia University Press: New York, NY, 1897.
Columbia University’s Barnard College now stands on the old buckwheat field where the worst of the fighting took place.
Barnard College of Columbia University Main Entrance Gate. Courtesy of ajay_suresh at flickr.com.