Evacuation of the British Troops from New York
The Evacuation of the British Troops from New York marked a significant moment in the aftermath of the American Revolution. After years of British occupation, which began in September 1776, the British maintained control over New York City as their headquarters, while many residents faced challenging conditions exacerbated by conflict and scarcity. Following the signing of the Treaty of Paris in April 1783, which officially ended the war, the dynamics in the city began to shift as colonial supporters returned and Loyalists, fearing reprisals, left in large numbers.
Sir Guy Carleton, the British commander, was tasked with overseeing the withdrawal of British forces while ensuring the safety of Loyalists. The evacuation culminated on November 25, 1783, after discussions between Carleton and General George Washington regarding the timeline and logistics of the operation. On that day, two processions marked the transition: one for the military to take control and another for Washington and state officials to assert political authority. The event signified the end of British rule in New York and laid the groundwork for the new governance of the United States. Celebrations followed, including public displays of gratitude and ceremonies that reflected on this pivotal change in American history.
Evacuation of the British Troops from New York
Evacuation of the British Troops from New York
By the time that the United States and Great Britain signed the Treaty of Paris of 1783, which ended the American Revolution, British forces occupied only two points along the Atlantic coast of the new American nation. One was a lumber area at the mouth of the Penobscot River in what is now Maine, and the other was New York City. The British had captured New York in September 1776 and made it their headquarters and base of operations. They then controlled Manhattan Island, Staten Island, Long Island, and points along the New Jersey side of the Hudson River.
Most of New York's population fled in 1776 when battles raged in the vicinity, but after the British wrested the port from the colonial rebels, many Loyalists and others returned to their homes in the city. Whatever their political preference, everyone lived under harsh conditions aggravated by sickness, lack of supplies, and by fires in 1776 and 1778, which destroyed nearly 600 buildings.
Soon after the announcement of peace in April 1783, colonial supporters began to return to the city in large numbers. Under strict regulations they secured their former houses and lands. Loyalists who feared reprisals or were unwilling to accommodate themselves to the new order left the city in large numbers. Brook Watson, the British commissary general, reported that between January and November 1783 a total of 29,244 men, women, and children abandoned New York on British vessels bound for Canada or Europe.
Sir Guy Carleton, who became the British commander in chief in the concluding stage of the war, had the delicate assignment of suspending hostilities and protecting Loyalists while withdrawing the remaining British forces. When news of the peace arrived, Carleton began the evacuation of New York City by disbanding the loyalist units and dispatching a number of regulars to the West Indies, Nova Scotia, and England. By November only slightly more than 6,000 troops remained in the port.
General George Washington met Sir Guy Carleton in May 1783 on board the Greyhound, anchored off the Hudson River town of Dobbs Ferry, to discuss the evacuation of New York. Carleton assured Washington that the British would leave as soon as Rear Admiral Robert Digby's fleet completed the removal of those Loyalists who wished to leave the United States. Eventually, the two men agreed on November 22 as the final day for the withdrawal operation, but rain caused a postponement until November 25.
Washington, who had disbanded nearly all of the colonial army at Newburgh and West Point, New York, was ready to occupy New York City with a small force as soon as the British departed. On November 19 Washington arrived at Day's Tavern in the company of New York governor George Clinton and several other army officers and state officials.
On Evacuation Day, November 25, two processions took place. The military paraded into the city to officially occupy it and to relieve the British garrison of control. Then Washington and state officers entered the city to take legal possession of it by virtue of their political authority. Governor Clinton established himself in the DeLancey mansion on Queen Street and began to conduct the affairs of government. On December 2 a public fireworks display took place at the Bowling Green. Two days later, George Washington bade farewell to his troops at Fraunces Tavern. Finally, on December 11 the ceremonies concluded with a national day of public thanksgiving observed with a number of religious programs.