Meigs Raid, a.k.a. the Battle of Sag Harbor

After its defeat at the Battle of Long Island in August 1776, the Continental Army retreated north into the lower Hudson Valley and Connecticut, where the Long Island patriots who had fought in the battle regrouped under the command of General Samuel H. Parsons. A series of whaleboat raids were launched across Long Island Sound in the following years to harass British forces, one of which was led by Lt. Col. Return Jonathan Meigs on May 23 and 24, 1777 and resulted in the burning of British ships and capture of enemy forces stationed at Sag Harbor.

One of Long Island’s little known historical facts – that a Revolutionary War era battle was fought and won in Sag Harbor in May 1777 – will highlight the Museum’s book “Sag Harbor in the Revolution” scheduled for publication in 2026. Also known as “Meigs Raid,” the Battle of Sag Harbor will be featured in the Museum’s 2026 summer exhibition along with artifacts from the collection that illustrate life in Sag Harbor during its 7-year occupation by British forces.