Ten days before the Battle of Long Island, George Washington issued a proclamation to all “Women, Children, and infirm Persons” to evacuate New York City on August 17, 1776. He also ordered all officers and soldiers under his command to assist such persons.
The urgent executive decree issued on August 17th turned the bustling, commercial hub of Manhattan into a desolate, high-stakes military garrison overnight. With a massive British fleet anchored just across the harbor off Staten Island, Washington recognized that a catastrophic, street-by-street artillery bombardment was completely inevitable. He prioritized the immediate removal of non-combatants to protect civilian lives and clear the narrow roadways for the rapid, unhindered movement of his state militiamen. By commanding his troops to physically assist families loading their personal belongings onto wagons and river boats, Washington set a profound humanitarian precedent, transforming a desperate wartime retreat into a deeply moving demonstration of military discipline and civic care before the inevitable storm of the New York Campaign broke over the city.
