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Photos: Battle Of Brooklyn Raged Again At Green-Wood Cemetery
By
Scott Lynch
Published Aug 28, 2017
Modified Aug 29, 2017
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By
Scott Lynch
Published Aug 28, 2017
Modified Aug 29, 2017
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On Sunday afternoon, the front lawn of historic Green-Wood Cemetery once again hosted spectators to witness a (semi-) epic confrontation between British soldiers and American Colonial troops, complete with a spirited bayonet charge and booming cannon fire.
The occasion was the 241st anniversary of the Battle of Brooklyn, the largest clash between the two armies during the entire Revolutionary War. Though the newly-declared independent colonists lost the battle, both in 1776 and during the reenactment, General George Washington did save nearly his entire 9,000-man army by fleeing to Manhattan in the days that followed, giving the former colonies the opportunity to fight again.
There were considerably fewer soldiers on hand yesterday in Green-Wood of course, but everyone did an admirable job demonstrating the basic equipment and battlefield tactics of the late 18th century. For an hour or so before the shooting began, all of the re-enactors drilled and milled around, patiently answering endless questions from the crowd.
Ben Franklin, George Washington, and members of the 1st Rhode Island Regiment—known as the "Black Regiment" for its preponderance of African-America soldiers—were popular with spectators, as were the women demonstrating battlefield cooking techniques (basically: you boiled large pieces of pig) and discussing the different armaments used by the soldiers.
After the reenactment, people were invited to grab the Revolutionary War flag of their choice and join in a march up to Battle Hill, where organizers held a small ceremony honoring the long-ago fallen. There were some overt displays of present-day American patriotism among the crowd, but no MAGA-gear sightings were reported.
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green-wood cemetery
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Scott Lynch
Photojournalist, food writer, preschool receptionist. Love NYC.
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