Mark Huff
Professor Hayden
English 210
25 March 2015
The Battleground that Changed Everything
Morningside Heights is a vibrant neighborhood in Manhattan, bordered by Manhattan
Valley to the south, Harlem to the north, Morningside Park to the east, and Riverside Park to the
west[CITATION Got99 \p 11-26 \l 1033 ]. The myriad academic institutions of the neighborhood
– Columbia University, Barnard College, Manhattan School of Music, Interchurch Centre, and
others – have earned Morningside Heights the nickname of the “Academic Acropolis.” Non-
academic landmarks such as Corpus Christi Church and Grant’s tomb attract tourists and
contribute to the bustling atmosphere of the area. The neighborhood was previously known as
Bloomingdale as a nod to the Bloomingdale Insane Asylum and Cathedral Heights in reference
to the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine[ CITATION Dol01 \l 1033 ]. Modern Morningside
Heights is sophisticated and urban, but its historical significance, while not widely known, is
central to our understanding of ourselves as Americans. It was in this exact spot that the Battle of
Harlem Heights took place, and consequently, where a mental shift occurred in the
Revolutionary War. American Patriots discovered and developed their hope for victory, and they
gained the courage to stand up for convictions not only in words but in battle as well.
Walking around the wide sidewalks of Morningside Heights Manhattan, it is hard to
believe the neighborhood was established on a battlefield. The fiercest fighting actually took
place at the ground on which Barnard College is now built[ CITATION Jac10 \l 1033 ].
Columbia University too is built on a battle ground (Slosson, 1923, 197-204). The contrast
between historical events and modern life in this neighborhood underscores our modern
American life in many respects where our ancestors worked so hard and suffered so much to
make our lives possible. In the ease of our modern lives, we often forget what our forefathers
endured to protect the freedom and prosperity we now enjoy.
The Battle of Harlem Heights was part of a series of battles in the 1776 American
Revolutionary War. Up to this point, the war was characterized by extreme disparity in terms of
military strength. The Patriots were comprised of a small group of civilians who used their
personal weapons to fight the British; on the other hand, the British were an enormous, well-
trained army[CITATION Mid05 \l 1033 ]. The Battle of Harlem Heights was no exception to this
pattern. Only 1,800 American soldiers served under the control of General George Washington,
Major General Nathanael Greene, and Major General Israel Putnam stood against a marauding
