Who Burned New York?

Late on September 20, 1776, just a few days after the British had occupied New York City, a series of fires broke out that devastated perhaps a fifth of the city, pretty much everything west of Broadway and south of what is now Chambers Street lay in ashes. But who caused the fires? The British, and their many Loyalist American supporters in the city, blamed the American Patriots, who, in turn, accused the British. In this book Prof. Carp (Brooklyn) takes up that question, the first full scholarly treatment of these events.

Carp opens with a look at New York on the eve of the Revolution, already regarded as among the most important places in Britain's colonial empire, and its role in the coming of the Revolution. He takes us through the many complexities of the historical, political, social, and military events that led to the fires. Along the way we get glimpses at the roles of many people, some famous – among them several of the "Founding Fathers" as well as high British government and military personnel – and also of many lesser known actors, drawing upon many personal documents.

Carp reminds us that the British had already burned several coastal cities held by the Patriots, but would hardly have wanted to destroy the place that was to be their main base in the colonies, and points out that among Patriot leaders the idea of burning New York should it fell into British hands was widely discussed, though no one actually said "Let's do it!". This background takes up six chapters, nearly half the book. The actual fire and its immediate consequences are discussed in great detail in three chapters, the first giving an account of the events as they unfolded based on eyewitness evidence, the second about people apprehended – and often lynched – as arsonists, and the third assessing the damage.

The final five chapters cover events flowing from the fire, including the development of an acceptable narrative of the fires, complete with wonderfully inaccurate images. As for responsibility for the fires, Carp's conclusion is rooted firmly in evidence, based on the Ciceronian principle, Cui bono?

An essential read for anyone interested in the history of New York City and in the Revolutionary War.

---///---

Note: The Great New York Fire of 1776is also available in e-editions.

StrategyPage reviews are published in cooperation with The New York Military Affairs Symposium

www.nymas.org