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The Great New York Fire of 1776: A Lost Story of the American Revolution
Who set the mysterious fire that burned down much of New York City shortly after the British took the city during the Revolutionary War?
New York City, the strategic center of the Revolutionary War, was the most important place in North America in 1776. That summer, an unruly rebel army under George Washington repeatedly threatened to burn the city rather than let the British take it. Shortly after the Crown’s forces took New York City, much of it mysteriously burned to the ground.
This is the first book to fully explore the Great Fire of 1776 and why its origins remained a mystery even after the British investigated it in 1776 and 1783. Uncovering stories of espionage, terror, and radicalism, Benjamin L. Carp paints a vivid picture of the chaos, passions, and unresolved tragedies that define a historical moment we usually associate with “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
New York City, the strategic center of the Revolutionary War, was the most important place in North America in 1776. That summer, an unruly rebel army under George Washington repeatedly threatened to burn the city rather than let the British take it. Shortly after the Crown’s forces took New York City, much of it mysteriously burned to the ground.
This is the first book to fully explore the Great Fire of 1776 and why its origins remained a mystery even after the British investigated it in 1776 and 1783. Uncovering stories of espionage, terror, and radicalism, Benjamin L. Carp paints a vivid picture of the chaos, passions, and unresolved tragedies that define a historical moment we usually associate with “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
360 pages, Hardcover
Published January 31, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
November 22, 2024
"New York City was the most important spot on the map in 1776."
This was a relatively dry read. The author name-dropped incessantly and I read more about the individual people (that I will never remember) than I did the actual event. There were also more quotes from people who wrote about the Great Fire back then than there are words by the actual author, making it feel like the people of the past wrote it for him; it really should be their names on the book. It's honestly a good thing that I listened to it because a lot of the quotes contain misspelled or shortened words; since some words were spelled differently in the 1700s, I would've easily mispronounced them and misunderstood the meaning. While I did learn a few things about the mentality of the different groups from back then, I didn't come away with much that is going to stick with me through the years. I don't regret reading it but I feel like I didn't learn nearly as much as I'd have liked to.
"Audiences thrill to these destructive fantasies, but an acknowledgement of New York's real past may better help prepare us for the disasters we face today, and in the future.²¹"
This was a relatively dry read. The author name-dropped incessantly and I read more about the individual people (that I will never remember) than I did the actual event. There were also more quotes from people who wrote about the Great Fire back then than there are words by the actual author, making it feel like the people of the past wrote it for him; it really should be their names on the book. It's honestly a good thing that I listened to it because a lot of the quotes contain misspelled or shortened words; since some words were spelled differently in the 1700s, I would've easily mispronounced them and misunderstood the meaning. While I did learn a few things about the mentality of the different groups from back then, I didn't come away with much that is going to stick with me through the years. I don't regret reading it but I feel like I didn't learn nearly as much as I'd have liked to.
"Audiences thrill to these destructive fantasies, but an acknowledgement of New York's real past may better help prepare us for the disasters we face today, and in the future.²¹"
August 10, 2023
Excellent work and very engaged. Used in the Poor Richard’s Book Club.
September 10, 2024
The Great Fire of New York
The Great Fire of New York was a significant event during the early stages of the American Revolution. It occurred on the night of September 21, 1776, just a few weeks after the British forces captured the city of New York. The fire destroyed over 500 to 1,000 buildings. The cause of the fire is still unknown, but many British soldiers and Loyalists suspected that American patriots deliberately set the fire to prevent the British from using the city as a base. There were also stories about the British soldiers were responsible for the fire to destroy the spirits of the American patriots. The fire destroyed approximately one-third of New York City, which at the time was a small but densely populated area mostly located at the southern tip of Manhattan. Despite the damage, New York remained under British control for the remainder of the war and became a key base of operations for the British Army. The fire started near Whitehall Slip and spread rapidly, consuming buildings from the East River to the Hudson River. Today, it's part of the Battery Park City development and the area between Whitehall Street and Battery Park Place, and the region near Trinity Church (at Wall Street and Broadway). Trinity Church, one of the most prominent landmarks was destroyed in the fire, though St. Paul's Chapel, just a short distance away, survived. Many of the residential areas near the waterfront and within the area that today includes parts of the Financial District were also severely damaged. The story that St. Paul's Chapel was spared by a bucket brigade during the Great Fire of 1776 is more legend than fact, but it illustrates the importance of community efforts in times of crisis. Despite its proximity to the blaze, St. Paul’s Chapel survived the inferno. The precise reasons for its survival are not entirely clear, and the idea that a "bucket brigade"—a line of people passing buckets of water to extinguish fires may be a romanticized story. Several factors might have contributed to the chapel's survival including the wind direction and the construction materials: St. Paul’s Chapel is made largely of stone, which might have been more fire-resistant than many of the wooden structures including the Trinity Church at Wall Street and Broadway.
George Washington worshipped at St. Paul’s Chapel. After his inauguration as the first President of the United States on April 30, 1789, in New York City, which was the nation's capital at the time, Washington attended services regularly from 1789 to 1790. The chapel was close to the Federal Hall on Wall Street where the first Congress and Washington's executive offices were based. Washington would walk from Federal Hall to St. Paul’s for Sunday services.
As with many historical events, the Great New York Fire of 1776 became the subject of art and literature over the years.. Paintings and writings helped romanticize and mythologize the fire. Stories about the fire spread through word of mouth were altered and exaggerated. There are no comprehensive lists of the eyewitnesses to the fire, but several prominent figures provided accounts of the event, civilians, soldiers, firefighters, government officials and civic leaders. There were the official records of the British military and the Continental Army. British General William Howe and Loyalist William Smith wrote about the fire, while other British soldiers and American prisoners who were in the city at the time also reported their observations. Unfortunately, many individual eyewitness names have not been preserved in historical records. After the New York fire, George Washington wrote to Congress expressing his thoughts on the situation, though he did not claim responsibility for or fully explain the origins of the fire. It seemed to have started in multiple places, which led to speculation that it may have been set intentionally. Washington’s tone reflected his uncertainty about the fire's origins, his main focus remained on military strategy rather than the fire itself.
The author writes about the eyewitness accounts, but these accounts have not been corroborated and hence unreliable. It must be pointed out that British did set fire to several locations during the revolutionary war: Charlestown, Massachusetts, in the Battle of Bunker Hill in 1775, to prevent it from being used by the Continental Army. British also burned several other towns and settlements, including Norfolk, Virginia in 1776 as part of their military campaign to suppress the rebellion. These acts were part of their strategy to undermine American morale and disrupt supply lines.
The Great Fire of New York was a significant event during the early stages of the American Revolution. It occurred on the night of September 21, 1776, just a few weeks after the British forces captured the city of New York. The fire destroyed over 500 to 1,000 buildings. The cause of the fire is still unknown, but many British soldiers and Loyalists suspected that American patriots deliberately set the fire to prevent the British from using the city as a base. There were also stories about the British soldiers were responsible for the fire to destroy the spirits of the American patriots. The fire destroyed approximately one-third of New York City, which at the time was a small but densely populated area mostly located at the southern tip of Manhattan. Despite the damage, New York remained under British control for the remainder of the war and became a key base of operations for the British Army. The fire started near Whitehall Slip and spread rapidly, consuming buildings from the East River to the Hudson River. Today, it's part of the Battery Park City development and the area between Whitehall Street and Battery Park Place, and the region near Trinity Church (at Wall Street and Broadway). Trinity Church, one of the most prominent landmarks was destroyed in the fire, though St. Paul's Chapel, just a short distance away, survived. Many of the residential areas near the waterfront and within the area that today includes parts of the Financial District were also severely damaged. The story that St. Paul's Chapel was spared by a bucket brigade during the Great Fire of 1776 is more legend than fact, but it illustrates the importance of community efforts in times of crisis. Despite its proximity to the blaze, St. Paul’s Chapel survived the inferno. The precise reasons for its survival are not entirely clear, and the idea that a "bucket brigade"—a line of people passing buckets of water to extinguish fires may be a romanticized story. Several factors might have contributed to the chapel's survival including the wind direction and the construction materials: St. Paul’s Chapel is made largely of stone, which might have been more fire-resistant than many of the wooden structures including the Trinity Church at Wall Street and Broadway.
George Washington worshipped at St. Paul’s Chapel. After his inauguration as the first President of the United States on April 30, 1789, in New York City, which was the nation's capital at the time, Washington attended services regularly from 1789 to 1790. The chapel was close to the Federal Hall on Wall Street where the first Congress and Washington's executive offices were based. Washington would walk from Federal Hall to St. Paul’s for Sunday services.
As with many historical events, the Great New York Fire of 1776 became the subject of art and literature over the years.. Paintings and writings helped romanticize and mythologize the fire. Stories about the fire spread through word of mouth were altered and exaggerated. There are no comprehensive lists of the eyewitnesses to the fire, but several prominent figures provided accounts of the event, civilians, soldiers, firefighters, government officials and civic leaders. There were the official records of the British military and the Continental Army. British General William Howe and Loyalist William Smith wrote about the fire, while other British soldiers and American prisoners who were in the city at the time also reported their observations. Unfortunately, many individual eyewitness names have not been preserved in historical records. After the New York fire, George Washington wrote to Congress expressing his thoughts on the situation, though he did not claim responsibility for or fully explain the origins of the fire. It seemed to have started in multiple places, which led to speculation that it may have been set intentionally. Washington’s tone reflected his uncertainty about the fire's origins, his main focus remained on military strategy rather than the fire itself.
The author writes about the eyewitness accounts, but these accounts have not been corroborated and hence unreliable. It must be pointed out that British did set fire to several locations during the revolutionary war: Charlestown, Massachusetts, in the Battle of Bunker Hill in 1775, to prevent it from being used by the Continental Army. British also burned several other towns and settlements, including Norfolk, Virginia in 1776 as part of their military campaign to suppress the rebellion. These acts were part of their strategy to undermine American morale and disrupt supply lines.
March 3, 2024
Benjamin Carp's The Great New York Fire of 1776 followed directly after my reading of The Cause: The American Revolution and Its Discontents by Joseph Ellis. Consequently, to a limited extent I did find some similarities of content here and there. However, because the two historians come to the story of the American Revolution from different vantages and with different emphases, I found such similarities helpful in reinforcing my understanding of the history and not at all repetitious. I suspect that Carp's book would be of interest to anyone curious about the rebellion of the North American colonies and the formation of a national governing body in the late 18th century regardless of what other books he or she may have read on the topic.
While Carp's purported focus is on the cause of the fire that destroyed about a fifth of New York City on 21 September 1776 shortly after the Continental Army retreated from the town and as the British were beginning to occupy it as their winter headquarters. However, the book goes well beyond that topic in its revelations of colonial society and the actual nature of a rebellion that was far more vicious, disorganized, and opposed by more of the citizenry than the popularly held national myth would have us believe today. I found these revelations to be the strong points of the book, the fire itself being little more than a unifying factor in the narrative, its true cause having never been determined nor being discoverable beyond doubt today.
A few examples of the revelations that I found of especial interest either because I had not been exposed to them before or, equally likely, that I had largely forgotten include the widespread use of incendiarism as a weapon of war and the fact that the British burned a number of colonial cities to destroy their ports, homes and businesses and to interrupt their sea-going trade. The reader is also reminded that the colonies were anything but united, New Englanders, for example, having no fondness for New Yorkers, whom they viewed as Tories and Anglicans, rendering the Yorkers anathema in both politics and religion. Then, of course, one finds the issue of slavery to be divisive and in no way restricted to the Civil War period eighty-five years later. While it is fairly common knowledge today that General and, later, President Washington was himself a slave owner, Carp reminds us of his Iroquois name of Conotocarious, meaning “Town Destroyer” thanks to his relentless destruction of Native property and lives. During the colonies' rebellion and following withdrawal of the British, rebels among the colonists saw their Loyalist neighbors as enemies, attacking their persons, forcing them to flee their homes and livelihoods, and either burning or confiscating their properties, thousands being forced to find asylum in British Canada.
I found Carp's book to show more clearly than any other the extent to which the British colonies in North America were disunited, how neighbor turned against neighbor, the surprisingly vast numbers of “Americans” driven out of the country because they had supported the "wrong” side in what was a civil war of the colonies against their British government, and the barbarism practiced by both British soldiers and colonial rebels against those whom they perceived as enemies. Carp rips the veneer of myth away from what we today call the American Revolution and exposes much of the trauma, torture, revenge, and regional hatreds that characterized the land that would become the United States.
If there is any nit that I would pick with this book it is that the topic of the fire is not really the most important contribution of the book to our knowledge of the North American colonists' rebellion, including its causation, in the late 1770s and early 1780s. Still, the book's description of the hostilities goes a long way in revealing the nature of internal colonial frictions and the horrors of the rebellion, so if the title encourages more readers to pick up the book, I shall not criticize it. I do note that there is more peritext in this book than usual, the notes, acknowledgments and index occupying 95 pages, leaving only 250 pages of historical discussion in this 345 page book; this is, please note, merely an observation and not a criticism, and I'd certainly recommend The Great New York Fire of 1776 to anyone who wishes to understand more of the reality behind the American Revolution.
While Carp's purported focus is on the cause of the fire that destroyed about a fifth of New York City on 21 September 1776 shortly after the Continental Army retreated from the town and as the British were beginning to occupy it as their winter headquarters. However, the book goes well beyond that topic in its revelations of colonial society and the actual nature of a rebellion that was far more vicious, disorganized, and opposed by more of the citizenry than the popularly held national myth would have us believe today. I found these revelations to be the strong points of the book, the fire itself being little more than a unifying factor in the narrative, its true cause having never been determined nor being discoverable beyond doubt today.
A few examples of the revelations that I found of especial interest either because I had not been exposed to them before or, equally likely, that I had largely forgotten include the widespread use of incendiarism as a weapon of war and the fact that the British burned a number of colonial cities to destroy their ports, homes and businesses and to interrupt their sea-going trade. The reader is also reminded that the colonies were anything but united, New Englanders, for example, having no fondness for New Yorkers, whom they viewed as Tories and Anglicans, rendering the Yorkers anathema in both politics and religion. Then, of course, one finds the issue of slavery to be divisive and in no way restricted to the Civil War period eighty-five years later. While it is fairly common knowledge today that General and, later, President Washington was himself a slave owner, Carp reminds us of his Iroquois name of Conotocarious, meaning “Town Destroyer” thanks to his relentless destruction of Native property and lives. During the colonies' rebellion and following withdrawal of the British, rebels among the colonists saw their Loyalist neighbors as enemies, attacking their persons, forcing them to flee their homes and livelihoods, and either burning or confiscating their properties, thousands being forced to find asylum in British Canada.
I found Carp's book to show more clearly than any other the extent to which the British colonies in North America were disunited, how neighbor turned against neighbor, the surprisingly vast numbers of “Americans” driven out of the country because they had supported the "wrong” side in what was a civil war of the colonies against their British government, and the barbarism practiced by both British soldiers and colonial rebels against those whom they perceived as enemies. Carp rips the veneer of myth away from what we today call the American Revolution and exposes much of the trauma, torture, revenge, and regional hatreds that characterized the land that would become the United States.
If there is any nit that I would pick with this book it is that the topic of the fire is not really the most important contribution of the book to our knowledge of the North American colonists' rebellion, including its causation, in the late 1770s and early 1780s. Still, the book's description of the hostilities goes a long way in revealing the nature of internal colonial frictions and the horrors of the rebellion, so if the title encourages more readers to pick up the book, I shall not criticize it. I do note that there is more peritext in this book than usual, the notes, acknowledgments and index occupying 95 pages, leaving only 250 pages of historical discussion in this 345 page book; this is, please note, merely an observation and not a criticism, and I'd certainly recommend The Great New York Fire of 1776 to anyone who wishes to understand more of the reality behind the American Revolution.
April 1, 2023
Even avid students of the American Revolution may fail to appreciate the far-reaching political and social consequences the New York Fire of 1776 had for the new nation that emerged from the ashes of war. Who started the fire and why? Was it, as Carp askes, "a war crime, callous [military] strategy, an act of social and political resistance. or misguided folly"? Were General Washington and his senior staff complicit? How and why did the Americans win the propaganda battle that the fire created? And, why have most historians, even British ones, treated the fire as "nothing more than a footnote to the story of American origins"? These are the questions that Carp explores in this book with a singular focus on the contemporary documentary evidence, muddled and inconclusive though it may be.
July 8, 2024
My knowledge of America's Revolutionary War does not really extend beyond the suggested reading lists of my 1990s elementary and middle schools, so I approached this book knowing absolutely nothing regarding the Great New York Fire of 1776.
Thank you, Ben.
Ben uncovers the controversies surrounding this fire, unveiling the social environment, including rumors before, during and after the actual inferno.
What I found most compelling was the power of bourgeoning propaganda that swayed public opinion across colonies and territories. America has played with disinformation from its earliest hours. The fire brought out impassioned writings from all over the New World, and sometimes what was chosen to be reprinted among papers was more strategic in unifying the colonies against the British than it was unbiased or even truthful.
For history buffs this book is an interesting deep-dive. For Revolutionary War buffs, this is a must-read. Plenty of George Washington in these pages.
Thank you, Ben.
Ben uncovers the controversies surrounding this fire, unveiling the social environment, including rumors before, during and after the actual inferno.
What I found most compelling was the power of bourgeoning propaganda that swayed public opinion across colonies and territories. America has played with disinformation from its earliest hours. The fire brought out impassioned writings from all over the New World, and sometimes what was chosen to be reprinted among papers was more strategic in unifying the colonies against the British than it was unbiased or even truthful.
For history buffs this book is an interesting deep-dive. For Revolutionary War buffs, this is a must-read. Plenty of George Washington in these pages.
January 19, 2024
I enjoyed this speculative history about the fire that consumed about a fourth of New York City during the American Revolution. The mystery of who set the fires or if they started accidentally has not been definitively answered. Does whether it was the rebels or the British matter? The British did set many fires in other coastal towns. The city was a hotbed of loyalists, and it can be argued that leaving less for the enemy as you evacuate is a good military strategy.
April 3, 2025
An absolutely fascinating true story of the early part (1776) of the American Revolution. The author's extensive use of primary sources and prints and his easy to read writing makes this a fairly quick read. Certainly, it's not something I've ever heard until this book came out.
This is a wonderful addition to the American Revolution's library. With the big celebration beginning in 2026, I highly recommend this book.
And how did the fire start? Ah - you have to read the book!
This is a wonderful addition to the American Revolution's library. With the big celebration beginning in 2026, I highly recommend this book.
And how did the fire start? Ah - you have to read the book!
September 30, 2023
Benjamin Carp has written an engaging account of the fire that engulfed much of New York City following the Patriot (or Rebel, as Carp identifies them) retreat. His research results in a compelling account of a little discussed event during the American Revolution.
February 11, 2025
While the story it told was excellent and important, I found the writing drab and overcomplicated with detail. This is not at all an indictment of the author, more so my discovery that I don’t have a brain for this level of historical detail.
Read
September 21, 2025I forgot to review this book.
Revolutionary days . . . The Great Fire not lost to history
Discovered it thanks to a neighbor. Been thinking about it, given this weekend will be another anniversary of The Great Fire of 1776.
Read again? Or visit the NYC Fire Museum again?
EDIT: it’s a sunny Saturday, September 20 in 2025. Disappointed the NYC Fire Museum is still temporarily closed
Revolutionary days . . . The Great Fire not lost to history
Discovered it thanks to a neighbor. Been thinking about it, given this weekend will be another anniversary of The Great Fire of 1776.
Read again? Or visit the NYC Fire Museum again?
EDIT: it’s a sunny Saturday, September 20 in 2025. Disappointed the NYC Fire Museum is still temporarily closed
February 17, 2023
Informative read
September 7, 2023
Very interesting premise and I appreciate what Carp was trying to do by placing Washington on trial, but sadly his execution was boring and it was easy to get lost in the primary sources.
October 24, 2024
Not enough there to justify a full book . The author engages in too much speculation and it is repetitive . Some interesting facts save it from being a bad book
November 12, 2024
An informative history on the New York City fire of 1776 and the greater impact it had on the American Revolution. I learned a lot and thought it was an appropriate length.
August 25, 2025
Excellent. Looks at all angles, never gets blinded by a desire to lionize the Founding Fathers or Continental Army. Full of primary sources.
December 16, 2023
Dense, well-researched. Not a story I knew before.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews