Your Guide to the Battle of Brooklyn’s 240th Anniversary Events

We lost the battle, but we won the war. Kings County is gearing up for a week of festivities celebrating the Battle of Brooklyn.

The Old Stone House in Park Slope and Green-Wood Cemetery have planned a week full of commemorative and family-friendly events to honor Washington’s brave soldiers and celebrate Brooklyn.

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First, a little history

The Battle of Brooklyn was fought on August 27, 1776, and is considered one of America’s greatest losses during our war for independence. The carnage all happened one summer night: The British, who had amassed a large number of troops on Staten Island, stealthily attacked George Washington and his Continental Army at their camp in Brooklyn. Washington was greatly outnumbered and realized the only way to save his army was to flee to Manhattan.

While the rest of the troops escaped Brooklyn Heights across the river, Washington sent 400 boys from Baltimore, known as the Maryland 400, on a suicide mission: to distract the British and buy the rest of the troops time. And so a great battle was fought near the present day site of the Old Stone House. (The one standing in Park Slope today is a 1933 re-creation of the original.)

All 400 boys, the entire 1st Maryland Regiment, were killed — but the Continental Army was able to escape, and later won the war.

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Below, a Brownstoner selection of battle week events, commemorating the 240th anniversary of the largest battle of the Revolutionary War:

Green-Wood Cemetery’s Battle of Brooklyn Commemoration
Green-Wood’s celebration takes place Sunday, August 28. It begins with a (sold out) 10 a.m. trolley tour, followed by a historic re-enactment at noon, where “soldiers and colonial Americans” will demonstrate daily life in revolutionary times. Next up is the Battle of Brooklyn Parade at 1:30 p.m. and the Commemorative Ceremony at 2 p.m. All of these activities are free with online registration on Green-Wood’s website, where further details about the events can be found.

Old Stone House’s Battle Week
Through August 28, the Old Stone House will be hosting an array of battle-related activities, including a contemporary exhibit, a Battle of Brooklyn neighborhood walk, a Revolutionary War flag display and a Maryland 400 Remembrance Ceremony. For more details and the full calendar of events, see the Old Stone House’s website.

Related Stories

• Visiting Brooklyn’s Revolutionary War Sites: Old Stone House, Fort Greene Park, and More
• How Red Hook’s Fort Defiance Changed the Revolutionary War
• Your Guide to the Battle of Brooklyn’s 239th Anniversary Events

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