Spirit of 76: East Hampton in the American Revolution

September 1776 marked the turning point in East Hampton's wartime experience. During this month, the Town was occupied by the British, families were separated, many East Hampton residents became refugees in Connecticut, and uncertainty was constantly present.

In August 1776, the long-anticipated British invasion of Long Island finally took place in Brooklyn. East Hampton mobilized its militia to link up with the Continental Army, but the patriots were soundly defeated. As summer began to end, the greatest tests of the war soon lay ahead for East Hampton.

July 1776 represents a turning point in East Hampton's Revolutionary experience. No longer was East Hampton simply resisting British authority. It was now part of a new nation declaring its independence.

In June 1776, East Hampton's wartime experience existed on two levels at once: dealing with security and suspicion at home while contributing to a conflict that stretched hundreds of miles beyond Eastern Long Island.

By May 1776, the Revolutionary War was affecting every aspect of life in East Hampton. While fears of a British attack continued, tensions between neighbors who had lived side-by-side for generations reached a boiling point.

In April 1776, distant battles and local fears collided in East Hampton. While the Township was asked to provide soldiers for the war effort, residents witnessed an increasing number of British warships just off the coast.

While East Hampton focused on organization and leadership during the previous months, the Town was on high alert in March 1776. Residents scanned the coastline constantly, knowing that war might arrive by sea at any moment.

Realizing the prospect of war with Great Britain was no longer distant and that East Hampton's location made it particularly vulnerable, Town leaders began taking action in February 1776 to protect the community and support the patriot cause.

Listeners learn what happened in 1774 and 1775 that made East Hampton increasingly willing to take up arms in support of the American Revolution.