250 Years Ago: A Historic Stand at Throggs Neck

This week marks 250 years since a remarkable event where a small group—just 25 skilled fighters from Washington’s army—managed to thwart a massive British invasion.

On the evening of October 11, 1776, roughly 150 ships filled with thousands of British soldiers surged into the treacherous waters at Long Island Sound. A thick fog cloaked the vessels, creating a surreal scene as they navigated some of the most perilous tides known, particularly Hell Gate, a notorious whirlpool at the East River’s mouth. As chaos ensued, boats collided and spun wildly on the dark water, while remnants of previous incursions lay submerged below. Admiral Richard Howe had placed many of his top naval officers in charge of preventing a maritime disaster. However, the attempt still ended in tragedy, resulting in the loss of three men and several of their 6-pound cannons to the swirling waters. Eventually, as dawn broke, the Crown’s best soldiers disembarked on a narrow land strip called Throggs Neck.

General William Howe had orchestrated this amphibious assault on Throggs Neck with the intention of encircling Washington’s forces. The plan was to land behind American lines and swiftly march northward, effectively cutting off the northern end of Manhattan Island. Yet, in a stroke of misfortune, Howe had picked an unfavorable location for landing. At high tide, Throggs Neck turned into a marshy island with only two exits: a narrow causeway leading to the mainland and a ford near a creek’s mouth.

With British forces trapped on this precarious terrain, 25 sharpshooters from Pennsylvania, under their officer, prepared to halt the British landing.

Just days prior, American General William Heath and Colonel Edward Hand had conducted a reconnaissance mission in the area. Colonel Hand led the 1st Pennsylvania Rifle Regiment, a group of exceptional marksmen sourced from the Pennsylvania frontier. These individuals, often seasoned hunters who had faced Native Americans, possessed valuable skills in scouting and marksmanship, which would later play a crucial role in early American military efforts.

Throggs Neck drew the officers’ attention. Concerned about a possible British landing, Heath quickly instructed Hand to select one of his best subaltern officers along with 25 pinpoint sharpshooters to secure the pass as a warning post. They were to prepare for a British landing, ready to demolish the bridge’s planks and set a nearby mill ablaze if their gunfire was insufficient to repel the enemy’s advance. Additionally, Heath ordered another contingent to guard the creek’s head, should they need backup.

Hand carefully selected his best snipers to fortify their defenses, making use of available materials like logs and cordwood near the mill to create a makeshift barricade. He instructed his men to target British officers to disrupt their advance. An aide to Washington commented, “If we can’t fight them here, we can’t do it anywhere.”

As thousands of British soldiers landed without initial opposition around 10 o’clock, they set foot near the estate of James and Charity Ferris. Ironically, James had been captured while fighting for the Americans and was imprisoned for five years, while his wife, a staunch patriot, played a crucial role during the conflict.

Before the landing took place, British ships bombarded Throggs Neck to pave the way. Legend has it that Mrs. Ferris bravely paced her veranda during the cannon fire until, presumably out of reluctance to harm a civilian, the British ceased fire. More realistically, the bombarding might have stopped simply because their preparations were finished. After disembarking, British officers took over the Ferris residence. Despite secretly evacuating her daughters, Mrs. Ferris stayed behind, providing meals and, according to legend, gathering intelligence for the Americans.

The story of these exceptional riflemen and their contribution to the Revolutionary War can be explored in depth in an upcoming book, “Revolutionary Snipers,” which should release soon. This work delves into the stories of the Continental Army’s early soldiers, highlighting their experience as elite soldiers, woodsmen, and scouts.

After landing, the British moved inland. A British officer described the march: “We proceeded for about three miles until we encountered a small bridge and mill dam over West Chester Creek, where a small Rebel party confronted us, and we halted.”

Taking decisive action, Hand’s men dismantled the planks of the bridge. From their concealed locations, the riflemen targeted advancing British troops, meticulously picking off their officers. As the British attempted to navigate the marsh via the narrow causeway, they redirected their efforts to seize the second exit at the creek’s mouth, only to be met with fierce resistance from the American riflemen. For over an hour, these 25 marksmen successfully held back the British forces long enough for reinforcements to arrive.

This delay provided crucial time for the Continental Army to gather hundreds of additional troops and several cannons.

A skirmish unfolded across the marsh with both sides trading shots. American artillery aimed at British troops when targets appeared, resulting in casualties on both sides.

The British set up fortifications on their side while attempting to conquer Throggs Neck, but their efforts remained thwarted. Against all odds, the American riflemen managed to prevent an amphibious landing, a rare feat in military history, especially against the highly skilled British forces. The effectiveness of the Pennsylvania long rifle in the hands of these experts shifted the tactical landscape significantly, allowing Washington time to address a potentially devastating attack on his army.

The Americans maintained pressure on the British for five days until General Howe, evidently frustrated, retreated, taking his troops up Long Island Sound to Pell’s Point with plans to regroup and attempt to encircle Washington’s forces from a different angle.

In at least one confrontation, the Revolutionary snipers, with their exceptional skills and the powerful Pennsylvania long rifle, had triumphed over one of the world’s most formidable armies—a testament to the impact of a focused, committed group against a formidable adversary, showcasing how they can alter the course of history.