Show when patriots melted statue of kiny king george while the liberty coys boys under the bold patriot isaac sears were easing their feelings by lion liangqing lia nging ing rivington in effigy and carrying off of ills his type to be made into bullets tile the continental army was en engaged aged in a struggle with the english army under ilowe for the possession of boston the british Gritis li troops finally evacuated that city in march 1770 and retired to halifax nali fas general washington bel believing leNing that new york would be the next point of attack by the enemy began to assemble the ConLin continental army the case looked rather hopeless for the town was open to attack by any power in possession of strong sti sea forces as angland was tas but washington made such hasty fortification as was possible bayards bayaras Ba yards mount bounded by the present grand centre croome broome and elizabeth streets which commanded a view north as far as greenwich village was fortified as was Gr grades acles hook book opposite uell gate guards were stationed at rockaway to watch for the approach of enemy ships prepared for defense governors island had a garrison and three companies of expert rille men inen vere nere stationed on staten slaten island IF f T ar 7 statue of george III which at the time of the revolution stood on bowling green new yolk to worry boats that might wl h to land there from the ships other troops wc ie stationed on the end elid of long island within the present limits of brooklyn from wall about to govanus A crude fort was built in the vicinity of the present fulton ferry in april washington himself arrived in new york to take command of the last desperate preparations to meet the attack of the british troops by the end of that mouth month there were about troops of the american army enlisted from all the colonies camped in and near new york june saw many skirmishes between the tories in the hie city and the army which if the truth must be told was a rather undisciplined one and hard to control Alean meanwhile while the british held off the attack which all knew would come eventually independence proclaimed on june 7 1776 richard lee of virginia offered his famous resolution la in the continental congress which met at philadelphia to the effect that ithe e united colonies are and of right lit to ee be free and independent states A declaration of independence was drafted by thomas jefferson and forni formally ally adopted by the delegates on july 4 1770 kows bivs of this great defiance de flance to the kin king g did not reach new york until nearly ore five days later so slowly did news travel in those days of post riders when the word reached new york all the troops within the city were gathered on the commons the present city liall hall park drawn up bp ina in a hollow square and stood at attention while general washington rode into the center of tile the square with hla his staff and the declaration was read aloud the little open space had seen many a riot many an andl indignation agnation meeting of the liberty boys many great gatherings aveo at that early day daj nearby the patriot gelsler had gone to his death for the cause of the people but this was perhaps the most thrilling day in all its history material aerial for bullets though hough it was evening when the ceremony on the commons took place the excited citizens and soldiers were not ready to go co home and to bed A bond band rushed down nassau street to the city hall on wall street and tore down the picture ot of george UI III which graced the building then on they went ent to dowling cowling green headed by isaac sears and tore down doin a leaden equestrian status statue of the king bich had been erected there fie or six years before with great zeal they chopped and hacked this statue to pieces nearly one hundred years later the saddle and tho the horses tall tail were found in wilton conn and are now in the pon possession sessio of the new york historical orical society but it Is safe to say that most of the despised statue of the king was melted into bullets to shoot his soldiers for musket balls were made from this metal P C B cole story of new york la in the new york world |