Late August in Kingsbridge – 1776

[ndembowski]

It looks like I missed doing an “on this date” post by a day because August 30th was an eventful date in the neighborhood in 1776.  While Kingsbridge was never the state capital, it was home to the state legislature, the Provincial Congress, on Aug. 30th 1776.  The government was forced to flee Manhattan due to the British occupation of Brooklyn and Queens after the Battle of Long Island.  They only met for a day in Kingsbridge, probably at either Hyatt’s Tavern on Marble Hill or Cock’s Tavern at today’s W. 230th St. and Broadway.

Perhaps one reason why they didn’t stay long was that they were warned by patriot general Clinton that “it is extremely probable that our army will make the grand stand” in Kingsbridge.

The following day the Provincial Congress met at Odell’s house in Philipsburg Manor as they moved north, where they wrote to Washington to say that “We know of no country so capable of being defended as that above the [King’s] bridge.  Should the enemy once occupy it, we have reason to dread the consequences.”  The patriot army had been building up defenses in the Kingsbridge area in anticipation of an attack here.

You can read the Provincial Congress’ minutes for August 30th here.

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