The Battle for New York: The City at the Heart of the American Revolution, by Barnet Schecter (TPB, 2003,$2)
The British decided having New York as their HQ was a great idea. Control of NY meant controlling the Hudson, and this would divide the colonies in two. NY's port would make a great staging area for naval raids both north and south. The army could get military supplies from the sea, and merchant ships could load and unload there. Besides, the citizens of NYC actually LIKED having the British around!
Well, maybe they would, or maybe they wouldn't. Even before a fire destroyed more than 1/4 of the city, NY had lacked supplies and housing for all the soldiers and loyalist refugees now living there. Another negative was the Hudson's narrow channels. Ships would run aground on sandbars, or during the winter get stuck in ice.
Meanwhile the only things General Howe seemed to be interested in were gambling and his mistress. She was married, but her husband wasn't complaining. Howe had made him the commissioner of prisoners, which meant he could sell off the rations and supplies of the POWs, and pocket the money. (Over 10,000 prisoners starved or froze to death.)
Most civilians claimed allegiance to one of three groups. They all hated the corruption and violence that came with the British troops. You would think that having an army around would have kept the place safe, but no, even soldiers that murdered and raped were rarely punished. Martial law had been declared mostly to keep civilians out of power.
We all know who wins the war, but you will have to buy this book to find out what happened after the war was over. I'll give you a clue- the city was a mess. Look for this book on the new non-fiction table. (L-A.h.)
