June 23, 1776: 32,000 Troops in New York Harbor
This day in the American Revolution, Admiral Richard Howe arrives in Loyalist-aligned Halifax, Nova Scotia. Appointed Commander of the Fleet, Howe organizes the largest expeditionary force the British Army has yet assembled, with over 400 ships and 32,000 troops converging on New York harbor.
Born in 1726, a London native, Richard Howe commanded the Royal Navy’s North American Station during the American Revolutionary War. At the outset of the Revolution, Howe openly sympathized with the colonists’ cause. However, Richard, and his younger brother William, headed, respectively, Great Britain’s Navy and Army. The Howe brothers, determined to quash the rebellion and restore Anglo-American relations, set sail for the colonies in 1776.
Upon arriving at Staten Island, New York in July, Richard Howe was dispatched as a peace commissioner. Before fighting commenced, he met with Washington to consider negotiations. When reconciliation proved impossible, however, Howe began strategizing. The idea was to assemble a strong fleet and conquer major port cities along the eastern coast. By August, the Admiral accomplished the first leg of his plan; nearly 400 ships docked in Staten Island harbor, forming the largest fleet in British naval history. When fighting inevitably broke out, the colonists were unable to defend their ground and were forced to retreat and surrender New York. Over the next two years, in addition to New York City, Howe managed to capture Long Island, Philadelphia, and New Jersey.
Source: American Battlefield Trust
