Battle of Fort St. George facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Fort St. George
Part of the American Revolutionary War
Sketch by Benjamin Tallmadge of Fort St. George
Date November 23, 1780 Location present-day Shirley, New York Result American victory
Belligerents
United States	Great Britain
Commanders and leaders
Benjamin Tallmadge
Strength
80	61
Casualties and losses
1 wounded	7 killed 54 captured numerous non-combatants also captured

The Battle of Fort St. George was a surprise attack during the American Revolutionary War. It happened on November 23, 1780, on Long Island, in what is now Shirley, New York. American soldiers, led by Benjamin Tallmadge, raided a fortified outpost used by Loyalists. Loyalists were Americans who supported the British during the war. The raid was a success for the Americans. They captured many supplies and prisoners from the fort.

The Surprise Attack on Fort St. George

Who Were the Loyalists?

After the British left Newport, Rhode Island in 1779, many Loyalists moved to Long Island. Some of these families settled at Manor St. George. This area is now called Shirley, New York. To protect themselves, they built a fort around their manor house.

The fort had strong defenses. It was surrounded by a wooden fence, called a stockade, about 12 feet (3.7 meters) high. Outside the stockade, there were sharp tree branches, known as abatis, pointing outwards. There was also a deep ditch around the fort.

Planning the Secret Mission

Major Benjamin Tallmadge led a group of about 80 American soldiers. They were part of his 2nd Continental Light Dragoons unit. Their mission was to cross Long Island Sound from Fairfield, Connecticut. They used small boats called whaleboats for the journey.

On November 21, 1780, they landed near present-day Mount Sinai, New York. Tallmadge left 20 men to guard the boats. The rest of the soldiers began to march across Long Island that evening. However, bad weather forced them to go back to their boats. The weather improved, and Tallmadge tried again on the evening of November 22. They arrived near the fort just before dawn on November 23.

The Battle Begins!

Tallmadge told his men to keep their muskets unloaded. Instead, they were to fix their bayonets (knives attached to the end of a musket). This was to ensure a quiet, surprise attack. He divided his force into three groups. Each group was to attack a different side of the fort's stockade.

The American soldiers were not seen until they were very close to the fort. A sentry (guard) spotted them and fired his weapon to raise the alarm. At that moment, Tallmadge's men rushed forward. Tallmadge's group cut through the wooden fence. The other two groups quickly climbed over the walls.

The surprise worked well. The main house was surrounded and surrendered in less than ten minutes. However, some Loyalist soldiers managed to reach another fortified house inside the stockade. They fought briefly before they also surrendered.

What Happened After the Battle?

Capturing Supplies and Prisoners

After the battle, Tallmadge's soldiers destroyed the Loyalists' supplies. They captured not only the enemy soldiers but also many non-combatants (people who were not fighting). These prisoners were then marched across Long Island. From there, they were taken on Tallmadge's boats back to Fairfield, Connecticut.

Tallmadge reported that only one of his own men was wounded during the raid. He also stated that seven enemy soldiers were killed and 54 were captured.

A Hero's Recognition

One of the soldiers who fought in this battle was Sgt. Elijah Churchill. He later received the first Badge of Military Merit. This award was the first version of what we now call the Purple Heart. The Purple Heart is given to soldiers who are wounded or killed while serving.

Fort St. George Today

The path Tallmadge used to cross Long Island is now known as the Tallmadge Trail. The Smith Estate, which includes 127 acres (51 hectares) of land, is now a museum. It is also a public park operated by the town of Brookhaven.

Fort St. George in Pop Culture

This battle is shown in the TV series Turn: Washington's Spies. This show is a spy thriller about the American Revolutionary War. You can see the battle in season 4, episode 1 of the series.