Sneak Peek at 2008

Fraunces Tavern Museum Commemorates the 225th Anniversary of Washington's Farewell to His Officers following close upon Evacuation Day 1783.

The date: 4 December 1783.
The place: the Long Room, Fraunces Tavern, New York

The War of Independence has ended. The British have left the city. Victorious George Washington, the Commander-in-Chief, is present among his officers.

Colonel Benjamin Tallmadge reports:
"After partaking of a slight refreshment in almost breathless silence the Gen. filled his glass with wine and turning to the officers said, 'With a heart full of love and gratitude I now take leave of you. I most devoutly wish that your latter days may be as prosperous and happy as your former ones have been glorious and honorable.' After the officers had taken a glass of wine the Gen. said, 'I cannot come to each of you, but shall feel obliged if each of you will come and take me by the hand.' Gen. Knox being nearest to him turned to the Commander In Chief Who suffused in tears was incapable of utterance but grasped his hand when they embraced each other in silence. In the same affectionate manner every officer in the room marched up, kissed and parted with his general in chief. Such a scene of sorrow and weeping I had never before witnessed and fondly hope I may never be called to witness again."

-- from the original manuscript, "The Memoir of Col. Benjamin Tallmadge," p. 103. Collection of Fraunces Tavern® Museum. This is the only extant eyewitness account of Washington's farewell to his officers.

Join us this winter as we commemorate the birth of the American Republic with talks and other events that focus on Washington's farewell and the significance of Evacuation Day in New York City.

Lunchtime Lectures
Make the most of your lunch hour! Enjoy a great talk in the Flag Gallery as you munch your brown-bag lunch.
Free with Museum Admission. No refreshments provided.

Carol Karels
The Revolutionary War in Bergen County: The Times that Tried Men's Souls
Tuesday, January 15, 2008, 12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Flanked by the Hudson River to the east and the Hudson Highlands to the west, Bergen County, New Jersey, was one of the most critical theaters of the Revolutionary War. If the British could control it, they could drive a decisive wedge between New England and the other colonies. In her talk, Carol Karels weaves a masterful account of the struggle in northeastern New Jersey from many perspectives. Here Thomas Paine conceived the first of his Crisis papers beginning with the words "These Are The Times That Try Men's Souls." Here, too, future dueling opponents Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton were baptized by fire. And in this area, families--in a foreshadowing of the Civil War--split bitterly along Loyalist and Patriot lines. Indeed, this area saw pivotal events that began with Washington's desperate November 1776 retreat to the Delaware and ended with the Continental army's epic August 1781 march to a glorious destiny at Yorktown.

More lunchtime events to come - check back soon!

Evening Lectures
The fee for all Evening Lectures is $6 (FTM Members free) which includes museum admission and refreshments.

Jean Zimmerman
"The Women of the House - the Strong, Gutsy Women of Colonial New York"
Thursday, January 17, 2008, 6:30 p.m.
Jean Zimmerman, author of The Women of the House: How a Colonial She-Merchant Built a Mansion, a Fortune and a Dynasty (Harcourt, 2006), will discuss the lives of four remarkable Philipse women: members of the wealthiest Anglo-Dutch family in early colonial New York. The Philipse family lived at the tip of Manhattan Island, at Stone Street and Broadway, and kept houses and estates in Westchester County, Albany, and the West Indies. Their 57,000-acre Philipsburg Manor and Philipse Manor Hall mansion still stand in Sleepy Hollow, Westchester County, New York.

Did you know that colonial Manhattan was a hotbed of activity for female merchants - "she-merchants" - who owned shops and ships and traded everything from linens to looking glasses? Dutch law and culture encouraged such women to prosper, long before there was any sort of professional ladder for women to climb! This lecture will interest women's studies enthusiasts, history buffs, and anyone who enjoys a rollicking journey through colonial era-New York with lots of surprises.

Edward G. Lengel
The Papers of George Washington
Thursday, February 21, 2008, 6:30 p.m.
Details in formation - check back soon!

Our excellent Centennial Celebration exhibitions will remain on view in 2008.