Battle of Kip's Bay: Revolutionary War Walking Tour

The invasion of Manhattan nearly ended the American Revolution, but few know it happened. Explore the NYC site of this pivotal moment that kicked off years of British occupation!

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Tour Highlights:

• Relive the Invasion of Manhattan: Stand at the edge of the East River where British warships launched the largest naval cannonade of the entire Revolutionary War
• Walk the Battleground: Retrace the American militia's desperate retreat through Manhattan, through streets you walk today
• The Mythic "Mrs. Murray's Tea:" Discover how a Quaker patriot reportedly delayed British troops with cake and tea, buying precious time for the American army to escape
• A Devastating Loss: Find out how this defeat demoralized the American forces, and led to the seven year British occupation of Manhattan
• Life Under British Rule: Learn about the chaos and fear that struck New Yorkers as thousands of British soldiers took over the city
• Washington's Close Call: Visit the spot where General Washington rode into the fray and was almost captured by the British forces

About this Tour:

On September 15th, 1776, five British warships opened fire on Manhattan and 4,000 redcoats stormed ashore at Kip's Bay, triggering one of the most catastrophic defeats of the entire Revolutionary War. Few today even know it happened.

In a neighborhood most New Yorkers think of as just another stretch of Midtown, and a boring one at that, you'll stand where all of the action happened. You'll hear the story of the weeks and months leading up to the invasion and its aftermath, walk the ground where terrified American militia fled, and visit the site of the mythic "Mrs. Murray's Tea," in what is now Murray Hill (an event that may have saved thousands of American lives). History is always more vivid when you're standing in the middle of it, and on this tour, you are.