Hurricane Irene Rains On Our Parade

This Sunday was to have been our big Battle of Brooklyn commemoration. A great Battle of Brooklyn trolley tour with Barnet Schecter, author of The Battle for New York (now out of print–but I bought about 30 copies that I had hoped to sell) and yours truly has been sold out for weeks. Then re-enactors in uniform demonstrating Revolutionary War firing. And a parade, led by the Merchant Marine Band, which is always very special to me–the Battle of Brooklyn Memorial Society, led by Eric Kramer, lays out reproduction Revolutionary War flags up Battle Avenue, and people grab a flag and march in the parade. A great example of citizen participation! And, finally, some speechifying up on Battle Hill, where 235 years ago patriots and redcoats shed their blood and sacrificed their lives.

Just some of the flags stretching up Battle Avenue. The blue flag with the white stars is a reproduction of the one that flew over the headquarters of General George Washington.

Well, Hurricane Irene decided to cancel the whole thing. So here are the flags you won’t be seeing–as Eric Kramer explained to me earlier this week, 17 more this year, those of French regiments that came to the aid of the young country.

Each flag has a wooden stand in front of it that gives the history of that flag.

And, because I couldn’t resist, here are a few photographs from an earlier commemoration. But only two–who says I can’t control myself?

The Merchant Marine Band leads the parade up Battle Avenue to Battle Hill.
Re-enactors demonstrate both cannon and musket fire at the commemoration.

See you next year at the Battle of Brooklyn commemoration!

2 thoughts on “Hurricane Irene Rains On Our Parade”

  1. We wish all the best for Green-Wood this weekend. I hope this storm is all hype and that all of the beautiful stones and trees are not damaged…will the Battle Celebration be rescheduled?

    Reply
    • Thanks, Caterina. Yes, we all hope Green-Wood, its trees, and it monuments survive unscathed. I did look into rescheduling our trolley tour, but it didn’t work out. I haven’t heard anything about any rescheduling of the Battle of Brooklyn Commemoration.

      Reply

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