The Battle of Harlem Heights-New York’s Revolutionary War Victory

The Battle of Harlem Heights (September 16, 1776) was the only patriot’s victory within New York City during the American Revolution. We’ll start our walk at the plaque which commemorates that event at 118th Street on the east side of Broadway embedded in the wall of Columbia University. We will look closely at the plaque as a work of art that informs us about the battle, its site and the soldiers who fought there. Although it celebrates a victory, the plaque depicts the deaths of two heroes: Lt. Col. Thomas Knowlton, and Major Andrew Leitch. George Washington knew both of these men well, and both men had fought valiantly in earlier battles.

We will then travel through Riverside Park–seeing it as a battlefield–and end at Grant’s Tomb looking across the Hudson River to Fort Lee and north to Fort Washington.

Wear comfortable shoes.