Revolutionary War Battlefields

The Battle of Bunker Hill was fought June 17th, 1775. During the siege of Boston, Colonial forces confronted a much larger British force at a nearby hill known as Breed's Hill. Despite most of the battle taking place at Breed's Hill the battle would still be known as Bunker Hill. The battle may have been a loss for the Colonial's but it proved to the British they were a force to be reckoned with. Even though the colonials were far outnumbered, they still managed to inflict heavy casualties on the British and only give up their positions after three separate assaults. Another anecdote in history to come out of the war is the often repeated quote, "Do not fire until you see the whites of their eyes", which is typically attributed to the Colonial Forces leader William Prescott. Visitors to the battlefield today will find that most of the battlefield has been taken over by urban development. Visitors can still visit the 221 foot obelisk monument and a statue of William Prescott who commanded the patriot forces in the battle.

Newtown Battlefield State Park is the site of the American Revolutionary War Battle of Newtown fought in August 1779. It was the only major battle of the Sullivan Expedition, an armed offensive led by General John Sullivan that was ordered by the Continental Congress to end the threat of the Iroquois who had sided with the British in the American Revolutionary War. The American Colonials defeated the British in a decisive victory. A portion of the battlefield is today managed as a 372-acre (1.51 km2) state park. The entire battlefield (about 2,100 acres (850 ha)) was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1965. The Newtown Battlefield is located along the eastern bank of the Chemung River, in western New York southeast of Elmira. Its main focus is Sullivan Hill, a 1,400-foot (430 m) wooded hill that was fortified by the Iroquois in a bid to ambush Sullivan's column. The main trail followed by Sullivan's troops had to pass near the steep hillside, which was only 1,000 feet (300 m) from the river. Sullivan's advance forces discovered the Iroquois works, and Sullivan set up his artillery on a rise to the south, from which it could command not just Sullivan Hill but also another hill to the east. After cannonading the Iroquois position, Sullivan sent troops up Baldwin Creek, which skirts the hill to the east. These forces eventually formed a battle line that drove the Iroquois from the position. The state acquired 330 acres (130 ha) of land, covering most of Sullivan Hill, which it managed first as a state reservation, and then as a state park. A narrow column of white granite known as the Newton Battlefield Monument was erected on top of Sullivan Hill in 1912. (Source: Wikipedia) The park offers amazing views of the surrounding area and also has many picnic areas to choose from. Only 5 minutes off the highway, Newtown Battlefield offers a great place for families to stop and picnic while traveling through the area.

Stony Point Battlefield is the site of the Battle of Stony Point. The Battle of Stony Point took place on the night of July 15th, 1779 into the morning of July 16th, 1779. A group of specially trained and selected soldiers under the direction of General George Washington took the fort from British rule. Even though the site was soon vacated, it still served as a key morale victory for colonial soldiers. The site of Stony Point was important to both the British and Colonial armies as it was at the western end of the Kings Ferry, a key crossing point for the Hudson River. From this point, British cannons were also able to harass Fort Lafayette and any ships which might try to make the trip north.