Fighting against insurmountable odds

Written by Lincoln Adams on March 22, 2010 | 0 Comments
Filed Under: U.S. and World History

Today I took a drive around Staten Island to complete the second series of historical geocaches commemorating the American Revolution. This particular geocache took me to the famous Conference House (also known as the Billops House), where members of the Continental Congress participated in a peace conference with General Howe, the commander in chief of the British forces, after having suffered crushing defeats during the military campaign known as the Battle of Long Island. The patriots who attended this meeting were none other than Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and Edward Rutledge.

During the course of the meeting Howe had demanded that the Declaration of Independence be rescinded, all but dictating that the patriots give up, surrender, and accept that they would forever be subjects of the British Crown. There was simply no hope for victory now. The British had captured New York City, and were poised to crush the Americans once and for all. It’s over. Give up now and spare both sides any more bloodshed.

In response, the patriots politely responded by telling Howe to go shove it up his ying yang.

The meeting took place and concluded, of all days, on September 11th, 1776.

The Battle of Long Island was the largest military campaign that had ever taken place in North America at the time, and the first one the Americans fought after the Declaration of Independence was signed. While the defeat was devastating, General Washington was somehow able to spirit away the entire army before the British could cut them off and surround them on all sides. By God’s providence, they had escaped what could have resulted in a complete and total British victory over the colonists. Instead, they would live to fight another day. And fight they did, until freedom was finally won, seven long years later.