American Revolution | The Times That Try Men's Souls | 3

0:28Hello, American History Teller listeners. on tickets and upcoming dates, go to AmericanHistoryLive.com. That's AmericanHistoryLive.com. Come see my Days That Made America tour live on stage. Go to AmericanHistoryLive.com.

0:48Imagine it's July 1776, and you're at home in Lower Manhattan, peering out a window as rebel soldiers with the Continental Army march down your street. You jump at the sound of a heavy knock on the front door and push past a servant to open it yourself. A Continental Army officer stands on your doorstep, sweat beating on his forehead beneath his tricorn hat. You straighten your back and meet his gaze. Yes, may I help you? Good afternoon, ma 'am. I've come to inform you that your home is being sequestered for the quartering of Continental Army officers. You and your family will remove yourselves at once.

1:23A stab of fear runs through you, and your hand twitches on the door handle. Well, my husband is out at the moment. Why don't you gentlemen come back later? He'll be back this evening. Actually, ma 'am, I'm afraid your husband won't be coming home at all. He's been arrested for aiding and abetting the enemy. What do you mean? Where have you taken him? Ma 'am, my orders are to secure this residence. What right do you have to kick me out of my own house. My orders are explicit. Your eldest daughter appears by your side, and the officer flicks his gaze in her direction. Take whatever belongings you can carry, and the rest will be confiscated.

1:58Where are we supposed to go? Makes no difference to me. You might as well join the rest of the Tory scum running off to Staten Island. Fact is, I don't care where you go, but you need to get out of this house. And what if I refuse? That would be unwise. Your daughter grips your arm tightly. You lean down and place your hand on her shoulder. All right, go upstairs and start gathering your things. Go now. As your daughter runs off, you turn back to the officer. You men are criminals. The true patriots are those who swear their allegiance to the king and respect the rule of law. Ma 'am, stand aside.

2:33The officer ushers his men through the door and you stumble back. With your heart hammering in your chest, you hike up your skirt and run upstairs to retrieve your children, sick with the feeling that your home is no longer yours.

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4:24From Audible Originals, I'm Lindsey Graham, and this is American History Tellers, our history, your story.

4:45In July 1776, New York City became the strategic battleground of the American Revolution. As Continental Army soldiers poured into the city, hundreds of Loyalists were driven from their homes, branded as traitors to the newly independent United States. Just days after Congress declared independence, the new American nation faced an ominous threat to its young existence. Great Britain had dispatched the largest armada to ever cross the Atlantic Ocean, bent on crushing the rebellion with a decisive strike against New York. And as British ships filled New York Harbor, General George Washington faced the impossible challenge of preparing his motley army for the biggest battle of the Revolutionary War.

5:28And in the months that followed, faith in the cause began to waver, and many wondered if Washington had what it took to lead the Patriots to victory. but he refused to give up until he had pushed his soldiers to their very limits. This is Episode 3, The Times That Try Men's Souls.

5:48On June 29, 1776, American lookouts stationed on Staten Island spotted white sails on the horizon. Forty-five British warships were sailing toward New York Harbor, heralding the start of a massive invasion. Three days later, just as the Continental Congress approved the Declaration of Independence, British Commander-in-Chief General William Howe began landing soldiers on New York's Staten Island, only a few miles across the harbor from Manhattan. From this Staten Island base, he awaited the arrival of more than 400 ships carrying 32 ,000 soldiers, 10 ,000 sailors, and 1 ,200 cannons. It was the largest attacking force to ever sail from European waters.

6:31And the sight of this British fleet sparked panic in New York City. Colonel Henry Knox described the scene in a letter to his brother, writing, My God, you can scarcely conceive of the distress and anxiety, the city in an uproar, the alarm guns firing, the troops repairing to their posts. After evacuating Boston four months earlier, the British had decided to shift their focus to New York because of its vital port and central location. Both sides understood New York's strategic importance. As John Adams explained, New York was the nexus of the northern and southern colonies, and a kind of key to the whole continent.

7:07Whoever controlled New York controlled the Hudson River, the gateway to Canada and the interior of the continent. The British hoped that if they could seize New York, they could cut off New England from the rest of the colonies, isolating what they considered to be the hotbed of the rebellion. They also believed they could accomplish it without much effort. One British officer predicted, we shall soon be done with these scoundrels, for one only dirties one's fingers by meddling with them. Another official affirmed that American soldiers were raw, undisciplined, cowardly men who would collapse under a simple show of force.

7:39The British were also counting on support from New York's large, loyalist population. The city was home to a cosmopolitan merchant community and a powerful Anglican church, both closely tied to Britain. But by the summer of 1776, the revolution had torn the city apart. For several weeks, patriot mobs had flooded the streets. Suspected loyalists were beaten, burned, and tarred and feathered, and dozens were hauled off to a makeshift prison in an old Connecticut copper mine, 70 feet below the earth. But despite this chaos and the fact that thousands of loyalists had already fled Manhattan, Staten Island remained a loyalist stronghold, and crowds of supporters cheered the British forces as they stepped ashore.

8:22Meanwhile, George Washington faced the problem of defending New York from the British invaders. Since April, his army of 19 ,000 men had worked day and night building defenses in Manhattan and in neighboring Brooklyn Heights. But Washington had no warships to confront the Royal Navy and only a small number of cannons. He knew his army was outmatched, admitting to his brother, we expect a very bloody summer at New York, and I'm sorry to say that we are not, either in men or arms, prepared for it. Making matters worse, Washington had no idea when or where the British would strike. Both the British and American armies relied on spies and informants to gather intelligence on the enemy, but that summer, Washington struggled to gather reliable reports on General Howe and his brother, Admiral Richard Howe, commander of the British fleet.

9:08And without good intelligence, he could only rely on rumor and his own intuition. But his questions were finally answered on August 22, 1776, when the British made their move. Under the cover of naval guns, they landed the first of 20 ,000 British soldiers and Hessian mercenaries at Gravesend Bay on Long Island, only five miles south of the American fortifications at Brooklyn Heights. These Hessian troops, with their towering brass-plated headgear and fearsome reputations, served as a powerful propaganda tool. Some Americans even believed them capable of cannibalism. But Washington urged his troops to fight with courage, declaring, the hour is fast approaching on which the safety of our bleeding country depends.

9:50And suspecting that the landing on Long Island was only a diversion, Washington divided his army. Leaving half of his troops in Manhattan, he posted just 10 ,000 men on Long Island, on defenses stretching across Gowanus Heights to the south and Brooklyn Heights to the north. But after Washington's trusted General Nathaniel Green fell ill, command passed to another officer who made the critical mistake of leaving Jamaica Pass on the left edge of Gowanus Heights unguarded. Local loyalists noticed the gap in the American defenses and passed the information to General Howe. So on the night of August 26, with the help of three loyalist guides, 10 ,000 British and Hessian troops quietly slipped through Jamaica Pass and positioned themselves at the American rear.

10:33The Battle of Long Island began early the following morning, with 4 ,000 British and Hessian troops attacking the Continental Army head-on. The Americans managed to hold their own, but this frontal attack was only a distraction. Soon, the other column of 10 ,000 British soldiers struck from behind. A sea of redcoats collapsed the Patriot lines and sent the inexperienced Americans fleeing for their lives. As the Patriots retreated to their defenses on Brooklyn Heights, roughly 400 Maryland soldiers launched repeated bayonet charges to cover their escape. Most were killed or captured, but their sacrifice helped their comrades reach safety.

11:11One German chaplain who witnessed the battle wrote, the slaughter was horrible. I went over the battlefield among the dead, who mostly had been hacked and shot all to pieces. Washington, too, watched the fighting from a spyglass on Brooklyn Heights. Wringing his hands, he cried out, what brave fellows must I lose this day? And by noon, the bloodbath was over. The largest battle of the Revolutionary War had left 2 ,000 Americans killed, wounded, or captured, compared to only 400 casualties on the British side. One British officer called the battle a cheap and complete victory. All that remained was to finish the job by destroying what was left of Washington's defeated army.

11:53Imagine it's the night of August 27, 1776, on Long Island. You are a British Army officer, and you're walking through a hallway in the home serving as General William Howe's headquarters. You knock softly on the open door of Hal's study, where he sits alone in a high-backed chair, a glass of wine in his hand. Good evening, General. May I speak freely? Hal looks up with an expression of mild surprise. What is it? You take a seat in the chair opposite him by the fire. Well, to start, I must congratulate you on today's victory. Hal raises his glass in gratitude. Thankfully, it was not too dearly bought.

12:28That's just it, sir. We're so close to accomplishing our goals, we have the Americans surrounded with the East River to their backs. They're crowded inside their defenses with nowhere to go. I believe it's time we press our advantage. Let's storm the American lines on Brooklyn Heights and be done with it. No. No, I won't sacrifice any more of my men than absolutely necessary. I won't subject this army to another bunker hill. What do you mean, sir? Do you suggest we sit back, give them time to rebuild their strength? I simply don't see any reason to hurry, given how well today went. You shake your head.

13:02How almost never sees reason to hurry. I'm afraid I don't understand. Patience. I have Washington right where I want him. All we must do now is wait for my brother to move his warships behind their position to prevent their escape across the river. We'll wear them down with a siege, not slaughter. But sir, we are losing the chance to demolish the rebels in one final stroke. No. If I cause unnecessary bloodshed in the American ranks, the rebellious colonies will never accept the authority of the crown. Don't you see? We will lose them forever. But sir, if we don't finish the job, our men who died today will have died in vain.

13:37Howe drains his wine glass, and you feel the heat of his steely gaze. I will not initiate a massacre if I don't have to. Besides, any day now, the Americans will see their error and begin to negotiate. They'll realize they can't go on like this. You rise from your chair, working hard to contain your frustration. Very well, sir. I will take my leave. You step back into the hall, furious with Howe for refusing to end this war now. Your mind drifts to the American camps, and the thought that every moment that Howe hesitates, victory slips further from your grasp.

14:15After the Battle of Long Island, the Patriots were trapped on Brooklyn Heights with their backs to the East River, which separated Brooklyn from Manhattan. But General William Howe, remembering the cost of the victory at Bunker Hill, failed to press the attack. One Continental Army officer declared, General Howe is either our friend or no general. He had our whole army in his power. Instead, Howe stood down just as a storm blew in on August 28th and kept the British fleet from entering the East River. The drenching rain gave Washington time to orchestrate a daring evacuation. The following night, under the cover of thick fog, boats crewed by a regiment of fishermen, smugglers, and seamen from Marblehead, Massachusetts, began ferrying 9 ,000 soldiers across the East River to Manhattan.

15:00Washington himself was the last to leave. And when dawn broke, the British discovered that the Americans had vanished. Despite their crushing defeat, Washington had pulled off a miraculous retreat, and his army lived to fight another day. The next two weeks brought a lull in the fighting, during which General Howe hoped the Americans would come to their senses and negotiate a peace. To that end, on September 11th, his brother Admiral Richard Howe invited Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and South Carolina's Edward Rutledge to meet with him at the home of a Staten Island loyalist. Over a meal of mutton, ham, and wine, the Admiral offered a truce, insisting, If America should fail, I should feel and lament it like the loss of a brother.

15:42With a wry grin, Franklin replied, We will do our utmost endeavors to save your lordship that mortification. The talks broke down when the Americans insisted on a full recognition of United States sovereignty. House Secretary summarized the day by writing, They met, they talked, they parted, and now nothing remains but to fight it out. Then, four days after this fruitless meeting, the British renewed their offensive, landing thousands of troops at Kipps Bay on Manhattan Island. As the British seized control, panic spread through the Continental Army. Entire regiments threw down their muskets in the face of the British invaders.

16:19Washington tried and failed to get his troops to make a stand, even swatting at passing soldiers with his sword, a futile attempt to stop them from fleeing. He cried out, Good God, have I got such troops as these? But facing this chaotic retreat, Washington withdrew his army north to Harlem Heights, where his soldiers rallied and drove back a British detachment, a minor clash, but a badly needed morale boost. Meanwhile, as the British took over New York City, patriots fled and loyalists poured back in from the surrounding countryside. Soon, hundreds of loyalists signed oaths affirming their allegiance to the king, and for the rest of the war, New York became Britain's primary stronghold in America.

16:59But just days after the British occupation, a massive nighttime fire destroyed a quarter of the city. No one knew the cause, but British officials suspected rebel arsonists. Soldiers captured and executed suspects on the spot as thousands of residents fled the burning city, and those who remained faced a devastating housing and food crisis. But for now, the main theater of the war shifted away from New York as the British chased Washington's battered army across the Hudson to New Jersey. And after Washington's poor showing in Manhattan, a new rival emerged a challenge to the general's leadership, promising to rescue the Continental Army from the jaws of defeat.

17:42As Americans, we're constantly grappling with the fundamental question. Do we settle for the world as it is, or do we strive to create the world as it should be? Our answers tend to ebb and flow through the decades. But once, just after a war that nearly tore us apart, we came as as close as we've come to answering it. And it's a story worth a closer look. I'm Michelle Obama, and I'm proud to announce Higher Ground's new podcast, Reconstruction, The Unfinished Promise. Guided by best-selling author Malcolm Gladwell and featuring my husband, Barack Obama, this limited series uncovers the untold stories of Reconstruction, what they mean for us today, and how our past can shape the future we choose to build.

18:33Reconstruction, the unfinished promise, is available now on Audible or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Raza Jaffrey, and in the new season of The Spy Who, we open the file on Benedict Arnold, the spy who betrayed the American Revolution. America is fighting to free itself from the British Empire, and one of its foremost generals is Benedict Arnold. He's a smuggler turned battlefield hero and admired for his aggressive tactics. But when a war wound, a new wife, debts and politics test his loyalty to the Max, he turns spy and devises a plot to shatter the revolution and help Britain capture rebel commander in chief General George Washington.

19:20And that plot would make him the most infamous traitor in US history. Follow The Spy Who now, wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also listen to the full season of The Spy Who Betrayed the American Revolution early and ad-free on Audible.

19:48In the summer of 1776, while most of the Continental Army was facing the British in New York City, Benedict Arnold was upstate, tasked with building the first United States naval fleet. Following their disastrous loss in Quebec the previous winter, Arnold's men retreated to Fort Ticonderoga on the southern end of Lake Champlain. This lake, stretching 120 miles down from the Canadian border toward the Hudson River, was a strategic route between British-held Canada and America. Knowing that a British advance down the lake was all but inevitable, Arnold would have to transform the tiny American fleet, then just four ships, into a force capable of challenging the British Royal Navy.

20:28Arnold, now a brigadier general, was still limping from a leg wound suffered in Quebec. Smallpox and other diseases had ravaged Ticonderoga, so that only half of the 11 ,000 Americans manning the fort were fit for duty. And Arnold faced severe shortages of iron, guns, skilled shipbuilders, and experienced sailors. He complained, We have a wretched, motley crew in the fleet. The Marines are the refuse of every regiment. And the seamen, few of them ever wet with saltwater. But somehow Arnold overcame these obstacles and managed to have 16 ships ready by October, when a much larger British fleet sailed down Lake Champlain from the Canadian border.

21:07And on October 11th, the British found Arnold's fleet lurking in the waters behind Valkour Island, and a fierce cannon battle began. By nightfall, several American ships were crippled or sinking, but the rest managed to slip away under the cover of darkness. But as they retreated over the next two days, a British pursuit forced Arnold's sailors to burn nearly all their remaining ships rather than let them fall into British hands. Americans managed to escape over land, but were forced to leave Lake Champlain under British control. But despite this loss, the American resistance disrupted the British advance from Canada.

21:44British leaders decided to delay plans to seize control of the Hudson River Valley until the following spring, buying the Continental Army much-needed time to gather strength. Meanwhile, 200 miles to the south, George Washington was facing questions about his leadership after his army's catastrophic defeat on Long Island. Misjudging his enemy's intentions, Washington had divided his already outnumbered forces between Manhattan and Brooklyn, a move contrary to conventional military wisdom. And he had failed to secure Jamaica Pass, allowing the British to march to his rear. John Adams, leader of the Congressional Committee in Charge of War Operations, put it succinctly, in general, our generals were out-generaled.

22:25And then at the end of October 1776, Washington suffered another defeat at White Plains, New York, when the British forced the Americans to retreat across the Hudson River to New Jersey. But Washington refused to abandon Fort Washington, the last American stronghold on Manhattan Island. He ordered General Nathaniel Green to hold the fort for as long as he could, but on November 16, 8 ,000 British and Hessian troops overwhelmed Green's 3 ,000 defenders. It was the final loss of Washington's disastrous New York campaign. He confessed his feelings of despair in a letter to his brother, writing, This has given me great mortification.

23:03I'm wearied almost to death with the retrograde motion of things. Washington's poor performance had earned him many critics, and the loudest was also his new second-in-command, General Charles Lee, a rough-mannered veteran of the French and Indian War. He was known for his long, hooked nose and his hot temper, so much so that Mohawk Indians named him Boiling Water. He had gained praise for defending Charleston, South Carolina, after British forces tried to attack the city in June 1776. And he resented that Congress had passed him over for leadership of the Continental Army in favor of the less experienced Washington.

23:38So that fall, when Lee learned about the loss of Fort Washington, he reportedly became so angry that he tore out some of his own hair. In a letter to a member of Congress and fellow critic of Washington, Lee angled for command of the army himself, writing, I must entreat that you will keep what I say to yourself, but I foresaw, predicted, all that has happened. Had I the powers, I could do you much good. But while patriot leaders fought amongst themselves, the British crossed the Hudson River into New Jersey and began marching six miles south towards their next target, Fort Lee, named after Charles Lee himself.

24:14Nathaniel Green organized a hasty evacuation, surrendering the fort without a fight, so his troops could not be trapped by the superior British force. The next day, Washington wrote to General Lee, urging him to bring his troops to New Jersey so they could join forces to stop the British advance. But Lee ignored the request. So the retreat continued, but soldiers were not the only ones caught in the chaos. As Washington's army fled across New Jersey, the women who kept it functioning were swept up in the danger as well. During the American Revolution, thousands of women, mostly soldiers' wives, kept the army functioning by handling essential tasks such as cooking, cleaning, mending clothes, and caring for the sick and wounded in the camps.