Produced by Barbara Kosker and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) "EVACUATION DAY," 1783, [Illustration: _Sergeant Van Arsdale Tearing Down the British Flag._] WITH RECOLLECTIONS OF CAPT. JOHN VAN ARSDALE OF THE VETERAN CORPS OF ARTILLERY, BY JAMES RIKER. 50 CENTS. "EVACUATION DAY," 1783, ITS MANY STIRRING EVENTS: WITH RECOLLECTIONS OF CAPT. JOHN VAN ARSDALE OF THE VETERAN CORPS OF ARTILLERY, BY WHOSE EFFORTS ON THAT DAY THE ENEMY WERE CIRCUMVENTED, AND THE AMERICAN FLAG SUCCESSFULLY RAISED ON THE BATTERY. WITH ILLUSTRATIVE NOTES. BY JAMES RIKER, Author of the Annals of Newtown, and History of Harlem; Life Member of the New York Historical Society, Etc. PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR. NEW YORK 1883. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1883, by JAMES RIKER, In the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C. CRICHTON & CO., PRINTERS, 221-225 Fulton St., N. Y. EVACUATION DAY. CHAPTER I. Our memorable revolution, so prolific of grand and glorious themes, presents none more thrilling than is afforded by the closing scene in that stupendous struggle which gave birth to our free and noble Republic. New York City will have the honor of celebrating, on the 25th of November, the hundredth anniversary of this event, the most signal in its history; and which will add the last golden link to the chain of Revolutionary Centennials. A century ago, on "Evacuation Day," so called in our local calendar, the wrecks of those proud armies,--sent hither by the mother country to enforce her darling scheme of "taxation without representation,"--withdrew from our war-scarred city, with the honors of _defeat_ thick upon them, but leaving our patriotic fathers happy in the enjoyment of their independence, so gloriously won in a seven years' conflict.