Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn in Kings County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
The Battle of Long Island
22-29 August 1776
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, August 13, 2009
1. The Battle of Long Island Marker
In the summer of 1776 this site saw both the first coast defense of the newborn United States & the opening of the largest battle of the Revolutionary War. On that original Fourth of July, a small American gun position near here entered into an unequal contest with the British warship Asia, inflicting damage & casualties before being silenced. The challenge to the Asia came as she sailed toward a Staten Island base, convoying troops intended to crush America’s revolution. The next month, their buildup complete, the British opened the Battle of Long Island with an attack across the Narrows, landing on & near Denyse Wharf (stones of which are visible under the Belt Parkway ramp) & southeast of here at Gravesend Bay. There followed a week of struggle in which the American defenders were outmaneuvered & defeated. Only good luck & well-conducted retreat saved the patriot army; the American Revolution almost ended on Long Island.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Revolutionary. A significant historical year for this entry is 1776.
Location. 40° 36.497′ N, 74° 1.908′ W. Marker is in Brooklyn, New York, in Kings County. It is in Fort Hamilton. Marker is on Sheridan Loop, on the right when traveling east. Marker is on the grounds of Fort Hamilton. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Brooklyn NY 11218, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers.
this page online
More about this marker. The bottom of the marker features a map of the narrows indicating British troop movements. It has a caption of “The British Invasion of Long Island, 22 August, 76.”
Also see . . .
1. Battle of Long Island, August 27, 1776. U.S. History website entry (Submitted on August 13, 2009, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.)
2. The Battle for Brooklyn 1776. New York Public Library archive entry (Submitted on August 16, 2021, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)
3. The Battle of Long Island 1776. A British perspective of the battle from BritishBattles.com (Submitted on August 13, 2009, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.)
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, August 13, 2009
2. The Battle of Long Island Marker
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, August 13, 2009
3. Brooklyn Marker
The marker is next to a display of projectiles for a 20 inch Rodman gun.
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, August 13, 2009
4. Marker in Fort Hamilton
The Battle of Long Island Marker is visible at the end of the roadway. The Fort Hamilton Museum can be seen in the left foreground.
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, August 13, 2009
5. American Gun Position in Brooklyn
From this location, the Americans fired on the H.M.S. Asia in July 1776.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 10, 2023. It was originally submitted on August 13, 2009, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. This page has been viewed 2,907 times since then and 45 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on August 13, 2009, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.
