The annual family-friendly day of music, demonstrations and hands-on actions to honor the Battle of Brooklyn returns to Inexperienced-Wooden Cemetery this weekend.

A part of the bigger Battle Week calendar of occasions organized by Outdated Stone Home, the out of doors occasion on the grounds of the historic cemetery is supposed to deliver to life the dramatic occasions of 1776. The occasion this 12 months, in partnership with the New-York Historic Society and Wyckoff Home Museum, is dubbed “An Eighteenth-Century American Faire” and features a give attention to the various world of Revolutionary-era New York.

Background of the Battle

The Battle of Brooklyn (additionally known as the Battle of Lengthy Island) was fought on August 27, 1776, and is taken into account certainly one of America’s biggest losses throughout our struggle for independence. The carnage all occurred one summer time night time: The British, who had amassed a lot of troops on Staten Island, stealthily attacked George Washington and his Continental Military at their camp in Brooklyn. Washington was vastly outnumbered and realized the one technique to save his military was to flee to Manhattan.

Photograph by way of Inexperienced-Wooden Cemetery

Whereas the remainder of the troops escaped Brooklyn Heights throughout the river, Washington despatched 400 boys from Baltimore, referred to as the Maryland 400, on a mission: to distract the British and purchase the remainder of the troops suicide time. And so a terrific battle was fought close to the current day website of the Outdated Stone Home. (The one standing in Park Slope as we speak is a 1933 re-creation of the unique.)

All 400 boys — the complete 1st Maryland Regiment — have been killed, however the Continental Military was in a position to escape, and later received the struggle.

This Yr’s Occasion

Costumed interpreters, musicians and extra shall be at Inexperienced-Wooden Cemetery from 11 am to three pm on Sunday, August 28. The occasion is free — a donation of $5 per individual to help programming on the cemetery is really helpful — and registration is required. For extra data and to register go to the occasion web page on-line.

For the complete calendar of Battle Week occasions, together with a ceremony on the Jail Ships Martyrs Memorial in Fort Greene and a play at Outdated Stone Home, go to the Battle Week occasion web page on-line.

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