NY, USA
The Great Fire of New York
September 21, 1776
A massive fire broke out in lower Manhattan on September 21, 1776, just days after the British occupied the city. The blaze destroyed approximately 500 buildings — roughly a quarter of the city. The British suspected American sabotage, though the cause was never definitively established.
Washington had proposed burning the city to deny it to the British, but Congress had refused. Whether the fire was arson or accident, the destruction devastated the city's housing stock and contributed to the overcrowding and suffering that characterized the occupation. Burned-out districts remained rubble throughout the war, and many residents were forced into makeshift shelters.
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.