great fire new_york great fire new york devastating fire burned night september west constituted new_york_city southern end island manhattan broke early days military occupation city british forces american revolutionary war fire destroyed city parts city plundered people believed assumed people deliberately started fire variety different reasons british leaders accused revolutionaries acting city residents assumed started fire long term effects british occupation city end background american revolutionary war broke april city new_york important center business metropolis occupied lower portion island manhattan population approximately war began politically divided active patriot organizations colonial assembly strongly loyalist lexington concord patriots seized control city began arresting loyalists early summer war early stages british general embarked campaign gain control city militarily important harbor occupying july launched successful attack long_island late august assisted naval forces command brother admiral lord american general george_washington recognized capture new_york_city withdrew bulk army miles north people including general new_york advocated burning city deny benefits british washington laid question rejected idea event damaged september british forces howe landed manhattan morning british troops marched harlem armies clashed marched city civilian exodus city begun british fleet arrived harbor arrival previous february continental_army troops city prompted people pack leave including loyalists specifically targeted army patriots capture long_island accelerated abandonment city continental_army presence city abandoned buildings appropriated army use british arrived city tables turned property patriots confiscated british army use despite housing demands military occupation significantly strained city available building stock fire early morning hours september fire broke city according eyewitness account american prisoner aboard began fighting tavern near dry weather strong winds flames spread north west moving rapidly tightly packed homes businesses residents poured streets possessions found refuge grassy town today city hall park fire crossed broadway near beaver street burned city broadway hudson_river fire daylight hours stopped changes wind actions british marines sent according henry aid inhabitants stopped relatively undeveloped property located northern end fire damaged area total number buildings destroyed known precision estimates range percent city buildings buildings destroyed survived suspicions arson howe report london implied fire deliberately set attempt number burn town royal governor suspected washington responsible writing circumstances lead washington villainous act officers army found concealed city americans assumed fire work patriot recorded accounts marines returning pearl fighting fire men caught act firing houses americans accused british setting fire city plundered major noted fought blaze managed pay houses near fire washington wrote september specifically denying knowledge fire cause letter cousin washington wrote providence good honest fellow disposed according historian accusation arson scrutiny strongest evidence favor arson theories fact fire appeared start multiple places contemporary accounts explain burning wooden roof spread fire wrote flames communicated houses carried wind distance british interrogated suspects charges coincidentally american captain engaged washington arrested queens day fire started rumors attempting link fires indicating arrested eventually hanged espionage effect british occupation major general confiscated surviving homes known patriots assigned british officers churches state churches church_of_england converted prisons barracks common soldiers civilian families great influx loyalist refugees city resulting returning additional loyalists patriot controlled areas tent cities ruins fire convinced british city martial law returning civilian authorities crime poor persistent problems british occupation end evacuated city november
Great Fire of New York (1776)