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What happened when British forces attacked New York in 1776?

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American Revolution *The Surrender of Lord Cornwallis* (at Yorktown, Virginia, on October 19, 1781), oil on canvas by John Trumbull, completed in 1820; in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda, Washington, D.C. The painting captures the moment when major fighting during the American Revolution ended and the colonies achieved independence.

In 1776, British forces under General Sir William Howe launched a major campaign to seize control of New York, aiming to isolate the New England colonies. After arriving on Staten Island with nearly 30,000 troops, the British landed on Long Island in August.124

The resulting Battle of Long Island was a decisive British victory that forced George Washington to evacuate his army to Manhattan under the cover of fog. Following this, Howe continued to outmaneuver the Continental Army, forcing Washington to retreat northward. After a defeat at the Battle of White Plains in October, the British captured Fort Washington and Fort Lee, seizing significant supplies and prisoners.2341

By late 1776, Washington was compelled to retreat across New Jersey toward the Delaware River, leaving the British in control of New York for the remainder of the American Revolution.423