Washington's Headquarters State Historic Site

Washington's Headquarters
State Historic Site
West (front) elevation, 2006
Washington's Headquarters State Historic Site is located in New York
Washington's Headquarters State Historic Site
Map
Interactive map showing Washington’s Headquarters
LocationNewburgh, New York
Coordinates41°29′52″N 74°00′36″W / 41.49778°N 74.01000°W / 41.49778; -74.01000
Area7 acres (2.8 ha)
Built1750-1770
Architectural styleDutch Colonial, Federal Revival
Websitehttps://parks.ny.gov/historic-sites/17/details.aspx
NRHP reference No.66000887
NYSRHP No.07140.000021
Significant dates
Added to NRHPOctober 15, 1966[2]
Designated NHLJanuary 20, 1961[1]
Designated NYSRHPJune 23, 1980

Washington's Headquarters State Historic Site, also called Hasbrouck House, is located in Newburgh, New York, United States, overlooking the Hudson River. George Washington and his staff were headquartered in the house while commanding the Continental Army during the final year and a half of the American Revolutionary War; at 16 months and 19 days it was his longest tenure at any of his headquarters during the war.[3]

Purchased by New York State in 1850, it is the first property acquired and preserved by any U.S. state for historic reasons. It is the oldest house in the city of Newburgh, and was officially designated a state historic site in 1961.[4]

Early History (1750-1782)

The first fieldstone farmhouse on the site may have been built in 1725 by Burger Mynderse. The property was sold to Elsie Hasbrouck, and she in turn gave it to her son, Jonathan, who married Catherine (Tryntje) Dubois and they built the existing structure on the original foundation, if any, in 1750. The house was surrounded by a large stock farm. The home underwent two significant enlargements before it was completed in 1770. The home has an original "Dutch Jambless" fireplace. A temporary kitchen was built by the Continental Army upon their arrival in 1782. Other changes were made inside the house including the addition of an "English" style fireplace in General Washington's bedroom. Existing buildings such as stables and barns were also enlarged and improved on the site. Most Army buildings were removed by the Quartermaster-General's Office at the end of the war, with the exception of a "House in the garden", which was given to Mrs. Hasbrouck. It no longer exists.

Washington's Headquarters (1782-1783)

On April 1, 1782, General George Washington took up residence at the Newburgh farmhouse of the Hasbrouck family, making Newburgh the Continental Army's headquarters; he remained officially headquartered there until August 19, 1783, when he departed for Rockingham, the house of John Berrien in Rocky Hill, New Jersey. Although the Hasbrouck house remained his official headquarters, he did not in fact reside in the house for the entire time; he made numerous trips to Philadelphia, Albany, Verplanck's Point, Tappan, West Point, Dobbs Ferry, and Kingston to tend to various Army and governmental matters. Between July 18 and August 5, 1783, Washington toured much of the Northern theater of the war, including the Saratoga Battlefields, Fort Ticonderoga, Fort Stanwix, and other battle sites that he did not personally witness. Despite these departures he remained officially headquartered at the Hasbrouck House, making it his longest stay at any of his over 160 headquarters.[5]

While Washington was headquartered in Newburgh the main bulk of the Continental Army was encamped nearby at the New Windsor Cantonment near what is today known as Vails Gate, a few miles to the southwest. There were roughly 7,500 troops of the Army as well as 500 women and children as camp followers.

Newburgh Letter

In March 1782, Washington received the infamous Newburgh letter from Lewis Nicola, which criticized the republican form of government as inherently weak, highlighting the government's inability to secure funds and supplies for Nicola's Invalid Corps. Nicola then suggested that Washington should become the king of the United States; he admitted that terms like "tyranny" and "monarchy" were too contentious, and suggested Washington should take an alternate title, but in time the new title would be recognized as synonymous with "king". Washington strongly rejected Nicola's suggestion, as he was acutely aware of people's fears of an "American Cromwell," and had no desire to be a monarch. In his reply, Washington said that "No incident in the course of the war in me triggers painful feelings as your message, that such ideas are circulating in the army, as you expressed it."[6] In honor of that rejection, Kings Highway, the north–south street on which the Newburgh headquarters is located, was renamed Liberty Street.[7]

While some claim that Washington rejected the crown of the United States, this is erroneous; Washington simply rejected the suggestion of a crown, made by someone who was far too low-ranked and inconsequential to actually be in a position to offer one. Still, this is an important moment in history, as it reaffirms Washington's commitment to republicanism, and marks a rare occasion of a victorious general declining absolute power.

Badge of Military Merit

On August 7, 1782, Washington issued a general order which established the Badge of Military Merit, which could be awarded to enlisted men and non-commissioned officers for long and faithful service and for acts of heroism. Still, it was only awarded to three men, all non-commissioned officers. On May 3, 1783, it was awarded to Sergeant William Brown of the 5th Connecticut Regiment of the Connecticut Line and Sergeant Elijah Churchill of the 2nd Regiment Light Dragoons.[8] Then on June 10, 1783, it was awarded to Sergeant Daniel Bissell of the 2nd Connecticut Regiment of the Connecticut Line.[9] General Washington awarded the Badge to its recipients personally on the front lawn of Newburgh Headquarters.[10] It is widely considered to be the first military decoration for the United States, and is the second oldest in the world (after the Cross of St. George).[11]

Largely forgotten about, on 10 October 1927, Army Chief of Staff General Charles Pelot Summerall directed that a draft bill be sent to Congress "to revive the Badge of Military Merit". The bill was withdrawn and action on the case ceased on 3 January 1928, but the office of the Adjutant General was instructed to file all materials collected for possible future use. A number of private interests sought to have the medal re-instituted in the Army; this included the board of directors of the Fort Ticonderoga Museum in Ticonderoga, New York On 7 January 1931, Summerall's successor, General Douglas MacArthur, confidentially reopened work on a new design, involving the Washington Commission of Fine Arts. Elizabeth Will, an Army heraldic specialist in the Office of the Quartermaster General, was named to redesign the newly revived medal, which became known as the Purple Heart. Using general specifications provided to her, Will created the design sketch for the present medal of the Purple Heart. The new design, which exhibits a bust and profile of George Washington, was issued on the bicentennial of Washington's birth.

Verplanck's Point

On August 31, Washington departed Newburgh Headquarters and marched the army southward to Verplanck's Point.[12] There, Washington staged a review of the Continental Army as an honor for the French Commander-in-Chief Comte de Rochambeau and his army, who had arrived there a few days prior on their way to Boston, where Rochambeau would hand over command of his army and return to France, and the army would depart for the West Indies to attack British colonies there. The Continental Army put on their best uniforms and paraded in an excellent manner. Washington wrote of the display:[13]

As the intention of drawing out the troops tomorrow is to compliment his Excellency the Count de Rochambeau; The troops as he passes them shall pay him the honors due the commander in chief... On this occasion the tallest men are to be in the front rank.

A few days later, the French and American armies departed, and Washington resumed his residence at the Hasbrouck House.

Washington & Rochambeau's Final Meeting

After Rochambeau relinquished control of his army in Boston, he passed through Newburgh on his way to Philadelphia, where he would depart for France. This would be the very last meeting of Generals Washington and Rochambeau, the victors of Yorktown.

French Major General François Jean de Beauvoir, Marquis de Chastellux, who often served as a liaison between Rochambeau and Washington, arrived at Newburgh Headquarters two days before Rochambeau in anticipation of Rochambeau's arrival. Years later, in 1786, Chastellux would publish his personal diaries that he kept during his travels throughout the United States during the Revolution, in which he writes about Newburgh Headquarters in some detail. Titled Voyages de M. le Marquis de Chastellux dans l'Amérique septentrionale, dans les années 1780, 1781 et 1782 (Travels of Mr. the Marquis de Chastellux in North America in the years 1780, 1781, 1782) he writes that he arrived to Newburgh Headquarters at six o'clock in the evening on December 5, 1782, where he found "Mr. and Mrs. Washington, Colonel Tilghman, Colonel Humphreys, and Major Walker" in conversation in the parlor. He described the headquarters house as "neither spacious nor convenient, which is built in the Dutch fashion", how the dining room "is in truth fairly spacious, but is has seven doors and only one window, and how "the fireplace, or rather the fireback, is against the walls, so that there is in fact but one vent for the smoke, and the fire in the room itself." The parlor was then converted into a bedroom for Chastellux, with the sitting furniture removed and a camp bed erected for him. The next day, December 6, was passed at the table or in conversation, and Chastellux dispatched a messenger across the river to ask General Rochambeau to stay the night somewhere there, as there would not be enough space at headquarters for Rochambeau.[14]

Chastellux departed Newburgh Headquarters on the following morning of December 7, just as General Rochambeau was arriving. Numerous letters and accounts attest to this. Chastellux wrote that Rochambeau "did not join us until the next morning just as I was setting out."[15] In a letter to the French Ambassador Anne-César de La Luzerne dated December 6, 1782, Washington writes, "I expect the Count de Rochambeau tomorrow..."[16] The following day, Washington pens a letter to French Admiral Louis-Philippe de Rigaud, Marquis de Vaudreuil, who was second in command of the French fleet in America, in which he states that "The Count de Rochambeau, who arrived here this morning, did me the honor to deliver me your letter..."[17] It is unknown how long Rochambeau remained at Newburgh Headquarters, nor the topics of their conversation. Still, as Rochambeau departed soon thereafter from Philadelphia for France and never returned to the United States, this marks the very last meeting between the two victors of the Siege of Yorktown.

Newburgh Conspiracy

In March 1783, feeling embittered over their lack of payment from Congress and secretly manipulated by a faction of nationalist politicians in Philadelphia (usually given as Robert Morris, Gouverneur Morris, and Alexander Hamilton), senior officers of the army encamped at the nearby New Windsor Cantonment began circulating an anonymously authored letter that called for a meeting of all field officers and company representatives to decide what course of action the army should take against Congress. The letter's author advocated for an ultimatum stating that if peace was declared and the officers were still unpaid, they would refuse to disband the army and possibly march against Congress. This would effectively be a military mutiny against the civilian government, that could rapidly devolve into a military coup d'etat. Now known to be the work of Major John Armstrong, Jr., an aide-de-camp of General Horatio Gates, this letter inflamed tensions amongst the officers to dangerous new levels and began what is now known as the Newburgh Conspiracy. Washington, fearing an armed confrontation would be too grave a threat to democracy, confronted the threat head on. After delivering the Newburgh Address and reading aloud a letter from Congressman Joseph Jones of Virginia, he was able to persuade his officers abandon the conspiracy and to instead remain loyal to Congress, to him, and to their republican principles.[18]

Cessation of Hostilities

A month later, Washington delivered the Proclamation for the Cessation of Hostilities that announced the preliminary peace treaty with the United Kingdom, and ordering the army to officially stand down. This marked the effective end of the fighting of the American Revolution, exactly 8 years later to the day since the fighting began at the Battles of Lexington and Concord.[19][20] He made sure to note, though, that while this did not amount to a "general peace," they should still celebrate and give thanks for the peace:

Although the proclamation before alluded to, extends only to the prohibition of Hostilities, and not of the annunciation, of a general peace; yet it must afford the most rational, and sincere satisfaction, to every benevolent mind. As it puts a period, to a long and doubtful test, stops the effusion of human blood, opens the prospect to a more sp[len]did scene; and like another morning Star; promises the approach of a brighter day, than hath hitherto illuminated the Western Hemisphere—On such a happy day, a day which is the harbinger of peace, a day which completes the eighth year of the War, it would be ingratitude not to rejoice! it would be insensibility not to participate in the general felicity.[21]

Circular Letter to the States

In the summer of 1783, as peace with Great Britain in the wake of the cessation of hostilities is slowly taking shape, Washington penned an open letter in which he offered advice on the necessary requirements to achieve success as a new nation. Titled "Circular Letter to the States", Washington began by extolling the advantages of their country, as due to its great size it would have an abundance of natural resources. Even more important, he said, was that the country founded in the Age of Enlightenment, and so the principles of liberty, self-government, and equality would thrive as they embarked on the first experiment of republicanism in the modern era. Still, Washington warned the country of the consequences of not living up to expectations. He believed that they held in their hands the responsibility for "unborn millions"; the world would be watching their great republican experiment, and if they succeeded, they would prove that monarchy was a system of the past. Conversely, if they failed, they would be mocked as foolish, and republicanism would be marked as a failure.[22]

Washington then proceeded to elaborate on four necessities for the country's success. First, while states must remain individually strong, there must be a strong federal government to keep the country together; he strongly believed that the success of the country was directly tied to the strength of the Union. Second, he insisted that all debts incurred during the American Revolution should be repaid in full as soon as possible so the country did not have to declare bankruptcy. To do this, the States must finally pay their share of funds to the national government, which they frequently failed to do during the war. Additionally, all money owed to soldiers and army officers must be paid in full.

Third, he advised that the militia be of a high, uniform standard throughout the nation. Since it was the primary defense of the republic, the militia of every state should be well-outfitted and regularly trained.

Finally, he encouraged the country's citizens to look past their state divisions and see themselves as one, unified people. Rather than identifying with their home state, he said they should simply view themselves as Americans, and that they should be willing “to sacrifice their individual advantages to the interest of the Community.”[23]

Washington closed the letter by reminding the country of his qualifications to offer such advice, and expressed his desire to peacefully retire from public life.

Post-War (1783-1850)

Following Washington's departure, the house was returned to Mrs. Hasbrouck, then became the property of Isaac Hasbrouck, the third son of Jonathan and Catherine. Upon Isaac's death in 1806, the land was divided between his five children. Small plots went to his three daughters, but most of the land was divided between his two sons, Jonathan III and Eli, with Jonathan receiving the house.

Jonathan III married Phoebe Field and together had eleven children. In 1817, Jonathan purchased his brother Eli's land for $15,000. Two of his daughters, Ann Eliza and Israela, opened a school within the house in 1833 to educate local women in the traditional English style. Occasionally, the Hasbroucks took on boarders as well.

Eventually, Jonathan fell on hard times, and the house was put up for sale. His advertisement pitched the house as "the most ancient and durable building above the Highlands and for comfort and convenience unequalled by any building on the Hudson River," with a "splendid view of Highland scenery." With the realization of its historical significance slowly growing in the region, many efforts were proposed to preserve the house as a historic site. Washington Irving wrote of his desire to preserve the house, and in 1839 a corporation composed of Newburgh residents was formed to buy the house and preserve it, but their charter lapsed before any real efforts could be accomplished. Meanwhile, Jonathan's financial situation continued to worsen in the wake of the Panic of 1837 and he was forced to take a $2,000 loan in the form of a mortgage from the Loan Commissioners of the State of New York, administrators of the U.S. Deposit Fund. In 1848, Jonathan defaulted on the due interest payment, and the house was foreclosed and put up for sale, and Jonathan moved with his wife and son to New York City. As there were consequently no bidders, the Loan Commissioners took possession for the State of New York.

Under the leadership of Andrew J. Caldwell, the Loan Commissioners were by now committed to the preservation of the house as a public historic site. Caldwell contacted Governor Hamilton Fish, who enthusiastically supported the project. In October 1849, Fish wrote that he favored "securing this hallowed spot for some public object suitable and appropriate to its history." Public approval in Orange County was strong for the site's preservation, and subsequently a bill was introduced into the state legislature and, on April 10, 1850, Governor Fish signed into law "An Act for the Preservation of Washington's Headquarters."[24]

The First Historic Site (1850-Present)

When the State of New York purchased the house in 1850, it became the first publicly operated historic site in the country at either the federal or state level.[3] It opened to the public on July 4, 1850. Major General Winfield Scott raised a flag at the opening ceremony and dedication.[25] In 1910, with the headquarters house filling with artifacts, the State constructed a two-story brick building in the Federal Revival style to serve as a, artifact museum and visitor center.

Today, the Hasbrouck House is furnished to recreate its condition during General Washington's residence. Most items inside are reproduction, but a few are noteworthy artifacts. The site covers an area of about seven acres (2.8 ha), with four buildings: the Hasbrouck House (headquarters), the 1910 museum, a monument named the "Tower of Victory" completed in 1887, and a maintenance shed/garage built in the Colonial Revival style in 1942.[3]

Also on the property is the grave of Uzal Knapp, one of the longest-lived veterans of the Continental Army. For many years it was believed that he had served as one of Washington's personal guards, but more recently historians have come to doubt this.[26]

There is a statue entitled The Minuteman, by Henry Hudson Kitson, that was erected on the grounds on November 11, 1924. It is extremely similar to another statue by Kitson at the site of the Battles of Lexington and Concord. Since hositilities began on April 19, 1775 at the Battle of Lexington and ended at Newburgh on April 19, 1783 with the Declaration of the Cessation of Hostilities, Kitson intended for the statues to serve as the metaphorical bookends of the war.[27]

The site was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1961.[1]

Tower of Victory

On the northeast corner of the site grounds is a large stone monument called the Tower of Victory. Opened to the public in 1887, it commemorates the centennial of the successful disbandment of the Continental Army. The date of the Army's disbandment is given on the dedication plaque of the Tower as October 13, 1783; construction on the Tower was delayed, so it did in fact miss the very centennial that it was meant to celebrate by four years.

The Tower was a joint Federal and State project and a special commission was created to oversee its' planning, design and construction, with then-Secretary of War Robert Todd Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln's son, chosen to lead it. The commission selected architect John H. Duncan to design the monument, who would later go on to design Grant's Tomb. Duncan briefly considered an obelisk, but as the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C. was languishing in construction limbo for over 30 years, he instead settled on the current design. It is meant to be a crude but imposing structure, reminiscent of the revolutionary times, that is surmounted by an accessible outlook which is open to the public through guided tours.

There are four bronze statues on the exterior of the Tower, two facing the West and two facing the East, meant to represent the "four pillars" of the Continental Army. Sculpted by William Rudolf O'Donovan in 1888, the statues depict a Rifleman (Northeast corner), a Light Dragoon (Southeast corner), an Artilleryman (Northwest corner), and Infantry Line Officer (Southwest corner). Inside the atrium of the Tower was a life-sized statue of George Washington, also sculpted by O'Donovan. Small cracks were discovered during routine maintenance of the statue in 2020, so it is currently off-site undergoing repairs.

In 1950, hurricane-force winds blew up the Hudson River and tore the original roof off of the Tower. The monument closed, pending repairs; sufficient funds were not raised until 2019, and finally a new roof was installed.

Site Information

The site is currently open to visitors. In summer months from mid-April to mid-October the site is open Wednesday through Saturday from 11 am to 5 pm and Sunday from 1 pm to 5 pm. In winter months from mid-October to mid-April the site is only open Fridays and Saturdays from 11 am to 3 pm, or by appointment Tuesday through Thursday.

Visitors must purchase tickets at the museum to view the galleries, the Headquarters house, and the Tower of Victory observation deck. Museum galleries are self-guided, whereas access to the Headquarters and Tower of Victory observation deck are restricted solely to interpreter-guided tours.

Honors and commemoration

The U.S. Post Office issued a commemorative stamp featuring an accurate depiction of Washington's Headquarters at Hasbrouck House, overlooking the Hudson River, at Newburgh, New York, on April 19, 1933, the 150th anniversary of the Proclamation of Peace.[20]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Washington's Headquarters". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. September 18, 2007.
  2. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. January 23, 2007.
  3. ^ a b c "Washington's Headquarters State Historic Site". parks.ny.gov. New York State. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
  4. ^ "City Parks". City of Newburgh. October 27, 2023. Retrieved October 27, 2023.
  5. ^ "'You Are Needed at Headquarters' at New Windsor Cantonment". newyorkalmanack.com. August 19, 2010. Retrieved March 24, 2022.
  6. ^ Washington, George. "To Lewis Nicola from George Washington, 22 May 1782". Founders Online. U.S. National Archives. Retrieved May 7, 2018.
  7. ^ "Newburgh History". March 31, 2015. Archived from the original on October 17, 2015. Retrieved October 8, 2015.
  8. ^ "The George Washington Papers at the Library of Congress, 1741–1799". George Washington, April 27, 1783, General Orders. April 27, 1783. Archived from the original on January 8, 2016. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
  9. ^ "The George Washington Papers at the Library of Congress, 1741–1799". George Washington, June 8, 1783, General Orders. June 8, 1783. Archived from the original on January 8, 2016. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
  10. ^ Godfrey, 1904, p. 81
  11. ^ Phoenix, J. (August 7, 2007). "The 225th Anniversary of the Purple Heart". West Point Association of Graduates. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
  12. ^ Godfrey, 1904, p. 82
  13. ^ Fitzpatrick, p. 157
  14. ^ de Chastellux, Marquis (1786). Travels in North America in the Years 1780, 1781, and 1782. Institute of Early American History and Culture. pp. 513–514.
  15. ^ de Chastellux 1786, pp. 514.
  16. ^ Washington, George. ""From George Washington to Anne-César, chevalier de La Luzerne, 6 December 1782,"". Founders Online. National Archives. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  17. ^ Washington, George. ""From George Washington to Antoine-Charles du Houx, baron de Vioménil, 7 December 1782,"". Founders Online. National Archives. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  18. ^ Kohn, "Inside History", pp 188–220
  19. ^ Grizzard, pp. 236-37
  20. ^ a b "Peace of 1783 Issue". Smithsonian National Postal Museum. Retrieved July 1, 2014.
  21. ^ "Proclamation for the Cessation of Hostilities, 18 April 1783". Founders Online. National Archives. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
  22. ^ "Circular Letter of Farewell to Army in The George Washington Papers at the Library of Congress, 1741-1799". George Washington's Mount Vernon. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  23. ^ Washington, George (June 8, 1783). Circular Letter of Farewell to Army in The George Washington Papers at the Library of Congress, 1741-1799.
  24. ^ Throop, Montgomery (1889). The Revised Statutes of the State of New York. Harvard University Press. p. 4745. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  25. ^ Schenkman, p. 74
  26. ^ Godfrey, p. 15
  27. ^ "The Minuteman". hmdb.org. Retrieved March 21, 2022.

Bibliography

  • Baldwin, John. History and guide to Newburgh and Washington's headquarters, and a catalogue of manuscripts and relics in Washington's headquarters. New York: N. Tibballs & sons., E-book
  • Fitzpatrick, John (1931). The Writings of George Washington from the Original Manuscript Sources. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office.
  • Fleming, Thomas (2007). The Perils of Peace: America's Struggle for Survival After Yorktown. New York: Smithsonian Books. ISBN 9780061139109.
  • Godfrey, Carlos Emmor (1904). The Commander-in-chief's Guard, Revolutionary War. Stevenson-Smith Company., E'book
  • Grizzard, Frank E. (2002). George Washington: A Biographical Companion. ABC-CLIO., Book
  • Head, David (2019). A Crisis of Peace: George Washington, the Newburgh Conspiracy, and the Fate of the American Revolution. New York: Pegasus Books. ISBN 978-1643130811.
  • Kohn, Richard H (1970). "The Inside History of the Newburgh Conspiracy: America and the Coup d'Etat". The William and Mary Quarterly. 27 (Third Series, Volume 27, No. 2): 188–220. doi:10.2307/1918650. JSTOR 1918650.
  • McGurty, Michael S. (2023). George Washington Versus the Continental Army: Showdown at the New Windsor Cantonment, 1782-1783. Jefferson, NC: McFarland. ISBN 978-1476692371.
  • Rappleye, Charles (2010). Robert Morris: Financier of the American Revolution. New York: Simon and Schuster. ISBN 9781416570912.
  • Schenkman, A. J. (2008). Washington's Headquarters in Newburgh. Arcadia Publishing., Book

External links

  • Official site: Washington's Headquarters State Historic Site, at New York State
  • Site Report by Save America's Treasures
  • Story on Washington in Newburgh
  • Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area
  • 26 photos of Hasbrouck House / Washington's Headquarters (click icon at top left), at Historic American Buildings Survey
  • Renovation of the George Washington Headquarters
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