Battle of Newtown facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Newtown
Part of the American Revolutionary War
View from the summit of Sullivan Hill, looking into Hoffman Hollow
Date August 29, 1779 Location Town of Ashland / Town of Elmira, Chemung County, New York between the present-day city of Elmira, NY and the village of Waverly, NY 42°02′43″N 76°44′00″W / 42.045278°N 76.733333°W / 42.045278; -76.733333 Result American victory
Belligerents
United States	Great Britain Iroquois
Commanders and leaders
Gen. John Sullivan	John Butler Walter Butler Sayenqueraghta Cornplanter Joseph Brant
Strength
3,200 Continental regulars two companies of militia 10 brass field pieces	15 regulars (from the 8th Regiment of Foot) 200-250 militia (known as Butler's Rangers) 1,000 Iroquois
Casualties and losses
11 killed 32 wounded	12 Iroquois & 5 British killed 9 Iroquois & 7 British wounded 2 British captured

The Battle of Newtown took place on August 29, 1779. It was a very important fight during the Sullivan Expedition. This expedition was a military operation led by General John Sullivan. The Continental Congress, which was the government of the American colonies during the war, ordered this mission. Its goal was to stop the threat from the Iroquois people. The Iroquois had joined forces with the British during the American Revolutionary War.

Some leaders, like John Butler and Joseph Brant, wanted to avoid a direct battle at Newtown. They preferred to bother the American army as it marched. However, Sayenqueraghta and other Native American chiefs decided they should stand and fight. The only other big battle in the Sullivan Expedition was the Battle of Chemung on August 13, 1779. In that fight, the American forces lost six soldiers and had nine wounded. The Battle of Newtown was the most important military event of the 1779 Sullivan Campaign. It played a key role in America's fight for independence. The battle happened at the base of a hill near the Chemung River. This area is now just outside Elmira, New York.

What the Battlefield Looked Like

The battle happened on a tall hill, which is now called Sullivan Hill. This hill is part of the Newtown Battlefield State Park. The hillside stretches for about a mile and rises about 600 feet (183 meters) above the road below. This road led into Newtown. The hill was covered with pine trees and thick bushes.

East of the hill was Hoffman Hollow, a wet area with small bumps and many trees. A small stream, Baldwin Creek, flowed through this hollow and into the Chemung River. The creek also ran along the other side of the hill, away from the river, and had steep banks.

The British and Native American forces set up their defenses about 150 feet (46 meters) up the hill. They built hidden earthworks, which are like low walls made of dirt, shaped like a horseshoe. These defenses were close enough to the road to fire muskets at the Americans. The British used the hill to watch for the American army. It also blocked the Americans from reaching the nearby Native American towns of Nanticoke and Kanawaholla. These towns were located where Elmira, New York is today.

The Expedition and Battle

On August 26, 1779, General Sullivan's army left Fort Sullivan. His two army groups had met there and were well-supplied. About five thousand soldiers began marching slowly up the Chemung River. Their goal was to destroy the towns and farms of the Six Nations in western New York.

On Sunday, August 29, the army's advance guard reached the area. These were three companies of skilled riflemen. They arrived around mid-morning, about ten miles upriver from Fort Sullivan. They suspected an ambush and stopped to scout the area carefully. Between 11:00 and 11:30 AM, they found the hidden earthworks. They quickly told Brigadier General Edward Hand. He sent his light infantry to take positions behind Baldwin Creek and fire into the defenses. The defenders tried several times to trick the Americans into an ambush, but they failed.

As more of Sullivan's army arrived, he held a meeting with his commanders at 3:00 PM. Together, they planned their attack.

The American Attack Plan

The plan was quite detailed:

• The 1st New Jersey Regiment, led by Colonel Matthias Ogden, was sent west along the Chemung River. Their job was to go around the side of the British and Native American forces.
• Meanwhile, Brigadier General James Clinton's New York Brigade and Brigadier General Enoch Poor's New Hampshire Brigade went east. They took a longer route through Hoffman Hollow. Their mission was to approach the eastern side of the hill and then attack the enemy head-on.
• Sullivan's Pennsylvania and New Jersey brigades stayed behind, ready to support. They were joined by a special group of all the light infantry companies.
• After one hour, ten cannons placed on a small rise near the road would start firing. They would shoot at the earthworks and the areas between them.
• These cannon shots would be a signal for General Hand. He would pretend to attack the center of the horseshoe-shaped defenses.
• At the same time, the brigades to the east (Clinton's and Poor's) would swing inward. They would attack the top of the hill and then turn to attack the enemy's left and rear.
• When Hand heard the cannons from Poor's and Clinton's attack, his brigade would charge the defenses. Maxwell's brigade would support them. This would trap the defenders in a crossfire.

How the Battle Unfolded

The plan was complicated and put together quickly, but the American soldiers carried it out with great effort. The result was a clear defeat for the British Loyalists and their Iroquois allies.

However, crossing the swampy marsh in Hoffman Hollow slowed down Poor's and Clinton's brigades. This delay messed up the timing of the plan. It gave the Loyalist and Iroquois forces just enough time to escape before they were completely surrounded.

Most of the American casualties happened during the attack by Lt-Col George Reid's 2nd New Hampshire Regiment. This regiment was on the far left of Poor's attack. They had to climb the steepest part of the hill and fell behind the rest of their group. Joseph Brant led a counterattack of Native Americans and almost surrounded Reid's men.

The next regiment in line, the 3rd New Hampshire Regiment led by 28-year-old Lt-Col Henry Dearborn, quickly turned around. They fired two volleys and charged down the hill. Clinton, whose brigade was climbing the hill below Poor's, sent his 3rd and 5th New York Regiments to help. Together, they crushed the counterattack.

After the battle, Sullivan's army continued north for the next three weeks. They destroyed three more towns and all the food supplies in the area. The Native American and British forces were discouraged. Sullivan's campaign was successful.

Historian Allan W. Eckert wrote that the Battle of Newtown was not very bloody compared to other battles. But it was very important. He said it "broke the back of the Iroquois League...and the hearts of the people of the Six Nations".

American Casualties

Here are some of the American soldiers who were killed or wounded:

• Died of wounds:

* Captain Elijah Clayes * Lieutenant Nathaniel McCauley of 1st New Hampshire * Three Corporals * Two Privates * One Sergeant

• Wounded:

* Major Benjamin Titcomb * Sergeant Oliver Thurston * Between 20 and 39 privates were wounded. At least 27 were from General Poor's Brigade, and four others were from the rest of the army.

Legacy of the Battle

The Newtown Battlefield National Historic Landmark covers about 2,100 acres (8.5 square kilometers). It is located in the towns of Ashland, Chemung, and Elmira. In 1973, the U.S. government recognized its important history by making it a National Historic Landmark.

There have been efforts to make the Newtown Battlefield site part of the National Park System. Congressman Randy Kuhl proposed a bill (H.R. 6866) to study if the battlefield was important enough to be included. However, this bill stopped moving forward in January 2009.

Today, the battle site is near the Wellsburg exit of Interstate 86 and New York State Route 17. Several signs along the road show where different troops were located. A tall monument stands in a state park on a hillside. This monument is near where Clinton's and Poor's brigades fought. This hillside area, which looks over the highway interchange, is now known as Newtown Battlefield State Park.