NY, USA
Fall of Fort Washington
November 16, 1776
Fort Washington, the last American position on Manhattan, fell to a British and Hessian assault on November 16, 1776. Nearly 3,000 American troops were captured — the largest loss of prisoners until the fall of Charleston in 1780. Margaret Corbin was wounded during the battle while manning her husband's cannon after he was killed.
The loss was a blow to American morale and demonstrated the futility of trying to hold fixed positions against overwhelming force. Washington had been persuaded against his better judgment to maintain the garrison, and the capture reinforced his growing conviction that the Continental Army must avoid pitched battles it could not win.
People Involved
Commander-in-chief who fought desperately to hold New York in 1776, lost the city after the Battle of Long Island, and returned in triumph on Evacuation Day 1783. His defense of New York was a military failure that nearly destroyed the army, but his escape preserved the Continental cause.
Pennsylvania woman who took over her husband's cannon at the Battle of Fort Washington on November 16, 1776, after he was killed. She was severely wounded and became the first woman to receive a military pension from Congress.