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Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Howe, William 1729- (search)
le of Bunker (Breed's) Hill, June 17, 1775, and when forced to leave Boston, March, 1776, went with his troops to Halifax. In August, the same year, he landed a large number of troops on Staten Island, near New York. With them the Americans were defeated in battle on Long Island, Aug. 27, 1776, and for this he was soon after knighted. He took possession of New York City, Sept. 15, and was defeated in battle at White Plains (q. v.), Oct. 28. On Nov. 16 he captured Fort Washington, on Manhattan Island, and in July, 1777, sailed in the fleet of his brother, Admiral Howe, for Chesapeake Bay. Marching for Philadelphia, he defeated Washington in battle on Brandywine Creek, Sept. 11, 1777, and entered Philadelphia on Sept. 26. Howe repulsed an attack made by Washington, Oct. 4, at Germantown, and spent the ensuing winter in Philadelphia. In May, 1778, he was succeeded by Sir Henry Clinton, and returned to England. Sir William was made lieutenant-general of ordnance in 1782, and in 178
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Hudson River chain. (search)
Hudson River chain. The obstruction of the Hudson River, to prevent British vessels passing up during the Revolutionary War, and thus defeat the ministerial project for dividing the Union, occupied much of the attention of the patriots. First there were vessels sunk, and a sort of chevaux-de-frise constructed in the channel between Fort Washington, on Manhattan Island, and the Palisades. Great chain and mortars. Chevaux-de-frise were placed in the channel between Pollopel's Island and the western shore of the river, just above the upper entrance to the Highlands. A chain and boom were stretched across the river from Anthony's Nose to Fort Montgomery, at the lower entrance to the Highlands. In the spring of 1778 the most notable of all these obstructions, a heavy chain supported by huge logs, was stretched across the Hudson from West Point to Constitution Island, opposite. It was constructed at the Stirling Iron Works, in Warwick, Orange co., by Peter Townsend, under the
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Manhattan Island, (search)
ome rabbits and goats from Holland to Manhattan, but they were poisoned by the herbage growing there, and it was a long time before any domestic animals were seen on the island excepting cats and dogs. In Landing of the Dutch settlers on Manhattan Island. the winter of 1613-14, Captain Block built a ship there—the beginning of the merchant marine of New York—and there the first permanent settlers within the domain of New York State first landed. The purchase of Manhattan Island by the Dutctic animals were seen on the island excepting cats and dogs. In Landing of the Dutch settlers on Manhattan Island. the winter of 1613-14, Captain Block built a ship there—the beginning of the merchant marine of New York—and there the first permanent settlers within the domain of New York State first landed. The purchase of Manhattan Island by the Dutch from the Indians was an event in history as important and as creditable to the honesty of the purchasers as was the treaty of Willi
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), New Amsterdam. (search)
New Amsterdam. The village that grew around the trading-post on Manhattan Island was called Manhattan until the arrival of Governor Stuyvesant, in 1647, when it was called New Amsterdam. Fort Amsterdam, a large work with four angles, and faced with solid stone, had been built by Governor Minuit on the southern point of the island. The village grew apace. Its ways were crooked, its houses straggling, and its whole aspect was unattractive until, under the new administration, improvements were begun, when it contained about 800 people They were under the immediate government of the director-general, and there was much restiveness under the rigorous rule of Stuyvesant, who opposed every concession to the popular will. They asked for a municipal government, but one was not granted until 1652, and in 1653 a city government was organized, much after the model of old Amsterdam, but with less political freedom. The soul of Stuyvesant was troubled by this imprudent intrusting of pow
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), New York City (search)
al jealousies, insubordination, disrespect for superiors, drunkenness, and licentiousness, the fatal elements of dissolution. The British were evidently preparing to crush his weak army. Their ships occupied the bay and both rivers, and there were swarms of loyalists in New York and in Westchester county. At a council of war, Sept. 12, 1776, it was resolved to send the military stores to Dobbs Ferry, on the Hudson, and to retreat to and fortify Harlem Heights, on the northern part of Manhattan Island. The sick were taken over to New Jersey. The main body of the army, accompanied by a host of Whigs, left the city (Sept. 14) and moved towards Fort Washington, leaving a rear-guard of 4,000 men, under General Putnam. On the 16th they were on Harlem Heights, and Washington made his headquarters at the house of Col. Roger Morris, his companion-inarms in the battle on the Monongahela. On the 15th the British and Germans crossed the East River at Kip's Bay (foot of Thirty-fourth Street)
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), New York, colony of (search)
ounded Albany, where the company had built Fort Orange. Four young couples, married on shipboard, went to the Delaware, and began a settlement on the east side of the river (now Gloucester), 4 miles below Philadelphia, where they built a small fortification, and called it Fort Nassau. Eight seamen, who went with them, remained and formed a part of the colony. The company, encouraged by successful trading, nurtured the colony. In 1626 they sent over Peter Minuit as governor, who bought Manhattan Island of the natives, containing, it was estimated, 22,000 acres. At its southern end he built a fort, calling it Fort Amsterdam, and the village that grew up near it was afterwards named New Amsterdam (q. v.). The States-General constituted it a county of Holland. So it was that, within fifteen years after the discoveries of Hudson, the foundations of this great commonwealth were firmly laid by industrious and virtuous families, most of them voluntary exiles from their native lands, to avoi
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Niven, William 1850- (search)
hill, Lanarkshire, Scotland, Oct. 6, 1850; was educated in the common schools in Scotland; came to the United States in 1879; and was engaged in mineralogical investigations in Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Mexico till 1884, when he became assistant commissioner for Arizona to the World's Fair in New Orleans. He discovered four new minerals: thorogummite, yttridlite, and nivenite, in Llano county, Tex., in 1889, and aguilarite, at Guanajuato, Mex., in 1891. He also noted the occurrence of rare and valuable minerals on Manhattan Island (New York City), and in West Paterson, N. J., in 1895 and 1896. While prospecting in the state of Guerrero, Mex., in 1891, he discovered the remains of a prehistoric city, Omitlan, hundreds of square miles in extent. He afterwards carried on extensive explorations and excavations in that locality, and brought to light many valuable relics, most of which are in the Museum of Natural History in New York City, which furnished the funds for the work.
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Stuyvesant, Peter 1602-1682 (search)
in front of New Amsterdam (August, tion. 1664) and demanded the surrender of the province (Aug. 31), he found his alienated people willing to submit to English rule. Yet he stoutly refused the demand. Nicolls sent Governor Winthrop, of Connecticut, with a letter to Stuyvesant, repeating his demand. He laid it before the council, who said, Read it to the people. Stuyvesant would not. The council and magistrates insisted that he should, when the enraged governor, who had fairly earned the title of Peter the headstrong, unable to control his passion, tore the letter in pieces. Stuyvesant held out for a week, but on Sept. 8 he yielded, and the formal surrender took place. The governor went to Holland to report to his susuperiors, in 1665, and, returning, spent the remainder of his days on his bowery, or farm, on Manhattan Island, bordering on the East River. He died in August, 1682. His remains rest in St. Mark's church-yard, New York City. See New Netherland; State of New York.
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), New York, (search)
Albany......Sept. 19, 1609 Despatches a boat to sound the river farther up......Sept. 22, 1609 Sails out of the Narrows......Oct. 4, 1609 Hendrick Christiaensen and Adriaen Block sail Amsterdam vessels, the Fortune and the Tiger, to Manhattan Island......1611 Tiger accidentally burned at Manhattan......1613 Christiaensen builds Fort Nassau, a trading-house, 36×26 feet, in a stockade 58 feet square, with a moat 18 feet wide, on Castle Island (below Albany)......1614 Block buildsor New Amsterdam; lands at Nutten (Governor's) Island......July, 1625 William Verhulst succeeds May as director......1625 Peter Minuit, director, leaves Amsterdam in Sea-Mew......Jan. 9, 1626 Arrives at Manhattan......May 4, 1626 Manhattan Island, rocky and full of trees, ceded by Indians to the Dutch West India Company for sixty guilders ($23)......1626 A block-house built surrounded by a palisade of cedar posts, at the extreme southern end of the island and called Fort Amsterdam
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Washington, Fort, capture of (search)
Washington, Fort, capture of On the day of the battle of White Plains in 1776, General Knyphausen, with six German regiments, crossed the Harlem River and encamped on the flat below Fort Washington and King's Bridge. That fort was a strong work, supported by outlying redoubts. It was on the highest point of land on Manhattan Island. When Washington heard of the peril that menaced it, he advised General Greene, in whose charge both it and Fort Lee, on the top of the palisades on the west side of the Hudson River, had been left, to withdraw the garrison and stores, but left the matter to that officer's discretion. When he arrived there (Nov. 15) he was disappointed in not finding his wishes gratified. Greene desired to hold the fort as a protection to the river; the Congress had ordered it to be held till the last extremity, and Col. Robert Magaw, its commander, said he could hold out against the whole British army until December. Washington was not satisfied of its safety,
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