New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-11-23

next.
Having noticed that our citizen soldiers had
+ wisely determined not to let the ensuing Anniyer
sary OF the redemption of this City from British
tbraldoul pass unhonored, We were about brushing
M cur historical recollections to prepare some ac.
count of the day and the times: but, fortunately,
we are spared the labor By the following article,
distinct and to the purpose, which we find in the
/ NepO- York OJsarcr:
EVACUATION OF NETWORK.
The near approach OF the Anniversary OF the
Evacuation of the City of New ork, ~ the ar
mics Of Great Britain, on the 18th OF November,
1888 reminds US q the Obligations oil our cltlzehS
10 praise God for the mercies then vouchsated TO
us and to our land. The fight of sixty seven
wears has served to efface to very great extent,
the impressions which our grandsires SO tondly
cherished in connection with that event. bret
narrative of few particulars pertaining to the
evacuation may now be read with interest and
| profit.
On the tenth of June, l776, more than three
/ weeks previous TO the Declaration OF lndepend-
ence British feet, destined for the capture OF
the City of New.York arrived off Sandy Hook
/ The announcement OF this fact was the signal, by
/ recommendation Of General w ashington, for the
! removal of the women and children, and their
personal effects, to place OF safety. The General
| had made the city his headquarters since the
/ l4th OF April in the same year That portion OF
the Inhabitants who were opposed to the British
/ rule and friendly to Congress- took refuge most y
on the other side OF the hudson River, ana found
among the ancient Dutch families OF Bergen,
Rockand and Orange, transient and unqule'
| home until after the war.
1t was not however, until after the second week
in Septe mber, that the armies OF Great Britain
landed on the island. A large British and Hessian
force had effected landing august 23d, on Long
Island, and secured the approaches to the CITY
| fom thatquarter. On Sunday the fifteenth OF sep
tember INT, war knows no Sabbath Sir Hen
nv Clinton in command of the inyadesr, succeed
ed in landing his troops at kips Bay, on the East
River lust above the recent location OF the Aims
House establishment at Bellevue The American
troops unprepared for successful resistance,
evacuated the city, by the new road which had re-
Gently been cut through the hills on the western
side Of the Island, and partially graded, winch
now constitutes part OF Broadway. The British
marchedin by the Z" Old Boston Road as it was
then called, or "the Bowery," as now called, along
which at the time were only few Struggling
houses.
The limits of the city were at that period quite
circumscrbed. Tic Northern flank Of the popu-
laton extended along Chambers st. on the W est
and Catherine st on the East. Not street had
then been laid out in the Seventh W ard, winch
! lies beyond Catherine st. along the asst hlverthe
/
gers Farm Lines of Notifications were subse
quentlv erected by the British, extending from
/ Col Rutger farm house, now Rutgers Place,
to Fort Pitt at or near the junction OF Sheriff and
Grand-sts and thence along the hills III the dlrec-
ton of Grand.st. not then laid out to Bunkers
! Hill or Bayard's Mount near what is now the
corner of Grand and Mulbewysts and thence to
the edge OF the swamp, through which the present
Canal st. as laid out years afterwards
The City proper occupied scarcely more than
half OF the ground thus enclosed, containing about
4,200 houses inhabited by nearly 1000 people
| Ofthe houses, about five hundred were destroyed
| in tie memorable fire OF the 2lst OF September,
only six days after the evacuation of the Amerl-
cans, which consumed q large portion OF the
Western part OF the City, including Trinity
Church, Nearly the whole habitable and inhab-
tied part of the town was thus reduced to the
space bounded by Broads st. New st. the Broadway
from Walst, to Chatham-st. thence along Chat
ham and Catherine SITS. to the East River
Such was the city of which the British army
took possession, and which they occupied during
the war of the revolution. Seven long years and
more, the patriots OF the city and their families
were exiles from their homes, while their dwell
lines were occupied by foreign soldery, and
their goods wasted OF destroyed. part OF the
population submitted to the British rule, and were
suffered to remain in their dwellings, constantly
subject however, to every species OF exactlon,
and at the mercy Of every vile intormer. a few
were found who received the enemies OF their
laid with open arms, and became the most cruel
and bloody oppressors Of their countymen. The
population OF The city was reduced by the depar-
tare of the Americans, and the seven years cap
livity, to about ten thousand souls.
Tie last blood poured out by the patriots, in
defense of American liberties and rights, was
shed on James's Island, near charleston, sc.
about the first of September, l7o2. From that
period hostities ceased. A general expectation
existed on the part of the belgerents that peace
would soon be proclaimed. The prospect OF
peace and of the acknowledgment of the British
Government OF the independence Of the United
states, was far from atiordmg pleasure to that
portion Of the population who had slgnal!zed
themselves loyasts Their active and merciess
zeal in the cause OF Great Britain during the war
had made them exceedingly obnoxious to their
former neighbors and to portions OF their own
families. They feared with reason the vengeance
OF those who haG escaped from the sugar house,
and provost and North Dutch Church, then
/ prison house, where hundreds died by starvation
and cold,l and whose peratlOn had been KIN
died to q fame. They, therefore, judged 1t best
/ to ioresee the evil and hide themselves. Some
/ of them found & home IN the mother country
where their descendants now live. Bat the
greater part Of them obtained grants OF land IN
and passage to Nova Scotia, large part OF
/ which province is now settled by the descendants
OF those who were natives and residents OF the
city of New ork The first Of these eXpatrlated
coonists set sail in Ia feet OF transports October,
1852, and numbered 400 souls. Similar depopula.
tons took place during the following twelve
months
Intelligence was received in this city on the
oath of March, 1888, of the settlement OF prelimi-
nares for the conclusion OF general Peace be.
tween Great Britain on the one hand, and on the
other. France and the United States of America.
A proclamation tor the final cessation of hostitles
was issued by Congress, April llthi and on the
18th OF the same month, just eight years after the
first battle was fought al Lexington, Mass peace
Treaty Of Peace was signed in the city OF Paris,
September 3D. 1888, and on the 18th OF October
following Congress issued proclamation for the
disbanding OF the army the third ofthe next
month.