The Battle of Harlem Heights was fought in the New York Campaign of the American Revolutionary War. The action took place in what is now the Morningside Heights and west Harlem neighborhoods of Manhattan in New York City on September 16, 1776. The Americans under Generals George Washington, Nathaniel Greene, and Israel Putnam, totaling around 2,000 men held a series of high ground positions in upper Manhattan against an attacking British division totaling around 5,000, men under the command of General Alexander Leslie. British troops made what became a tactical error by sounding a fox hunt bugle call while in pursuit, meant to insult the Continentals, who were in orderly retreat. This instead infuriated the Americans who galvanized to hold their ground and rallied for victory. The British and Hessians suffered nearly 400 casualties--about 90 killed and 300 wounded. The Americans had only about 100 wounded and 30 killed, including the Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Knowlton.

Battles of the New York Campaign