A Nobler Pen
by John J. Burkard Area Historic Research, Red Hook,
Brooklyn, New York
In my previous contribution to theHistoryBox.com, (History
Uncovered) I wrote about growing up and residing all my life
in the Red Hook section of Brooklyn (75yrs), and my
fascination with the historic association my neighborhood
has (though often kept secret) with the "Battle Of Brooklyn"
during the Revolutionary War.
I need to speak now of a folklore, of tradition, rumor, or
call it old wives tale, regarding a Revolutionary War burial
site? This was the talk of Red Hook for many years, but no
one it seems ever did any research or took the time to find
out just how true this belief, perpetuated by the
neighborhood residents actually was. After rendering a
presentation to the local Chamber of Commerce regarding a
Heritage Trail I'm trying to establish, I was approached by
the community affairs officer PO Michael De Martino of the
76th police pct. He asked me "What are you doing about the
burial site?" I must confess I was taken by surprise, simply
because it never crossed my mind to include this site in my
Heritage Trail project, as it had never been looked upon as
anything more than an undocumented rumor. My curiosity got
the best of me, and I decided to dig a little into this long
standing neighborhood folklore.
I set about to contact the occupant of the building where
this triangular patch of land is located. He told me of his
knowledge of the rumors, and of the local public school
teachers bringing their charges to the corner site and
explaining to them of the significance of the location. He
told me they seemed to believe deceased soldiers killed in
Prospect Park about 3 miles away were brought here and
interred. This made no sense to me, so I set about
researching various historic publications relating to the
Battle Of Brooklyn, and came across "The Town Of Brooklyn"
by Gabriel Furman published in 1823.Mr Furman was born in
1800, and died in 1854 on November 11, date sound
familiar?.. And though he lived a relatively short life, it
was an active and fruitful one. He was an author, a New York
State Supreme Court Justice, a State Senator, and a
practicing attorney.
In his book Town Of Brooklyn, he spoke of the Battle of
Brooklyn, and of a lane that wound its way down into Red
Hook. He wrote of American snipers hiding in trees along
this trail and firing upon the British troops who were
pursuing them hoping to cut off their escape during the
famous withdrawal General George Washington ordered the
night of August 29, 1776. This withdrawal was credited with
saving the Continental Army from certain defeat. Mr. Furman
went on to write of one sniper who though fully aware he
would be discovered, continued to fire at the British
allowing his comrades to escape. When he was eventually
exposed, he was shot and killed, and his body lay where it
fell for a number of days. This was the British way of
setting example for the Colonists, to let the American dead
remain and rot and have their flesh eaten by the vultures.
Eventually he was interred by friendly locals, in a hollow
tree trunk that had been struck by lightning during a storm,
this became his final resting place. However he had slain
two British soldiers, a Major Grant and an aide during this
heroic action. They are also said to be buried at this site
along the lane. It is unfortunate, we do not have the name
of the heroic American soldier. But it just so happens, the
gravesite I mentioned, is only one half block from where
this Lane ran on its way to Fort Defiance located at the
lanes end and terminating in Red Hook.
Gabriel Furman also wrote in his book, "Many of the minor
events connected with this battle and the Revolutionary
contest are fast sinking into the shades of oblivion. I have
therefore thought it proper to relate this piece of history.
Not with the idea that I can be immortalized by the events I
relate, but with the hope that my efforts will call forth
some nobler pen, to do justice to the memories of many of
the almost forgotten heroes of these hard fought battles,
and arduous contests"
Now let me emphasize very strongly, in no way does this
amateur historian/writer consider myself nobler than such a
giant of a man as Gabriel Furman, in fact had I to write in
those days with the quill pens etc, I would barely be able
to scribe my name. But with a computer, we can all look much
more competent than we really are, don't you agree?
But perhaps in my mentioning this historic incident it will
highlight this location, and the burial site will no longer
be just a rumor, but can take its proper place in my
Heritage Trail, and the annals of American History.
Some interesting notes; The one story building that is
adjacent to this plot was constructed in 1932. It was built
leaving the corner triangular piece of land intact. It seems
highly improbable this was done for any other purpose except
they were prohibited from building on the site. However,
researching this building back to the original construction
date proved fruitless, since all data pertaining to its
construction had been removed from the archive files of the
Brooklyn Department of Buildings, and are not available?
I can readily cite a number of instances where historic data
and plaques seem to have vanished into the oblivion Gabriel
Furman refers to in his Town Of Brooklyn. More recently, the
marker at the beginning of Red Hook lane (called Washington
Memorial) in downtown Brooklyn vanished about 15 years ago.
Now planners are contemplating eliminating the historic lane
completely. Thankfully they are meeting with some opposition
from many concerned citizens. The plaque marking the end of
Red Hook Lane also disappeared some 50 years ago, now the
site is being demolished for an Ikea superstore project. A
bronze marker on a building in lower Manhattan where Robert
Fulton resided while working and testing his steamboat
engine, went missing about five years before the original
structure was demolished and a large office building now
occupies the spot, minus the bronze plaque of course.
Perhaps Mr. Furman, what we really need in New York City, is
many, many, more nobler pens, and nobler voices, nobler
citizens and if we're lucky a few nobler developers and
contractors. But I guess I'm just asking for a little too
much nobility.
John J. Burkard: Area historic research, Red Hook,
Brooklyn, New York
Source: Information from his own personal research and
readings.
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