Show when eatn patriots melted statue of king george while the liberty boys under the bold patriot isaac sears were maing easing their feelings by hanging banging riving hiving ton in effigy and carrying oft off nil his type to be made into bullets the continental army was engaged in a struggle with the english army under howe for the possession ot of boston the british troops troop finally evacuated that city in march itle and ana retired to halifax general washington bell belletine eTing that now new york would be the th nut point of ct attack attach by the snow enemy began to ble the continental army then them the I 1 case looked rather hopeless ho pele for or the town was open to attack by any power in possession of strong m a foro orom as england was but bat washington made such hasty fortification u w wa possible bayards bayaras Ba yards mount bounded boun dd by the present grand centre broome and elizabeth Bl zabeth streets which commanded command td a view north as far sit as greenwich village was fortified as ai was wai grabies Gr Gra aclei cies hook opposite hell gate guards were stationed at rockaway to watch for the approach of enemy ships prepared lor for defense governors island had bad a garrison garri aon and nd three com companies paules of expert rifle men were stationed on staten island to worry boats that might wish to land there from the enemy chips other troops were stationed on the west end of long island within th the present limits of brooklyn from wall wal about to govanus Go A crude fort was built in the vicinity of the present presen 1 lv statue of gorge george ill III which at the time of 0 the revolution Rt stood on bowling green new york fulton ferry in april washington himself arrived in new york to tale take command of the last desperate preparations to meet the attack of the british trompa troop by the end of that 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 torlea tories to in the city and the army which it if the truth must be told was a rather undisciplined one and hard to control meanwhile the british held off the attack which all know knew would come eventually independence proclaimed on june 7 1778 1776 richard henry lee of virginia offered his bl famous resolution in the continental congress 3 which met at philadelphia to the effect that these united colonies are and of right ought to be free and independent states A declaration of independence was drafted by thomas jefferson and formally adopted by the delegates dele gatea on july 4 1770 news of this great defiance to the king did not reach new york until nearly 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 hall park drawn up ina in a hollow square and stood at attention while general washington rode into the center of the square with his staff and the declaration was read aloud the little open space had seen many a riot many an indignation meeting of the liberty boys many great gather ings even at that early day nearby the patriot gelsler had gone to his death for the cause of the people but this was perhaps the roost most thrilling day in all its history T material for bullets bullet though jt it was evening when cerel ceremony noey on uie nt cormora took look place the excited citizens and soldiers were not ready to go home and to bed A band rushed down nassau street to the city hall on wall street and tore down the picture of george III which graced raced the be building then on they went to bowling green headed by isaac sears and tore down a leaden equestrian status statue of the king which had been erected there five or six alx lx years before with great zeal real they chopped and hacked this statue to pieces nearly one hundred years inter the saddle and the horses tall were found in wilton conn and are now in the possession of the new york Distor leal society but it Is sate safe to say that most of the despised statue of the kins king was melt ed into bullets to shoot his bis soldiers for musket balls were made from this metal P B colo cole story of new york in the new york world |