Journal of Lieutenant Isaac Bangs, April 14, 1776

The Wind not being favourable before this Day, we set Sail with a Favourable Wind, and got past Connecticut River & were obliged to put back to black Point. The Next Day we set sail about 1 o'clock, & the next day about 2 o'clock we arrived at Turtle Bay, between Hell Gate and New York. Here we were obliged to tarry till the next day at 9 o'clock for Orders. We set sail, & at 10 arrived in the City of New York, our desired Port, on the 17 of April. For about 10 Miles below New York the Passage between the Maine & Long Island was very Narrow. On both sides many very elegant Country Seats, & at Hell Gate a handsome & well-constructed Fort lately built by our People. At Turtle Bay are 4 large & beautifull Stores made for the Use of the King's Stores & Amunition, &c. From this Place the Yorkers took a very large Quantity of Bombs & Shot; but the Enemy had conveyed the Powder away before. Near this Place are several elegant & beautifull Country Seats, Several evacuated by the Tories. I visited the Garden of one Gentleman in which was a Summer House which the Gardener shewed me in which were many curious Flowers, &c.; but the greatest Rarity was Orange, Lime, Pomgranet, & Citron Trees all Bearing Fruit. The Lemons were the largest & best that ever I saw, as also the Oranges, both sweet and sour. One Lime tree had 5 different Sorts of Fruit growing at once besside Blossoms.

On our arival we found Houses provided for both Officers & Men. Our Regt was barracked in Water Street near to Pecks Slip, & we had 2 Rooms for the officers of our Company in D. Barkleys on the Same street near our Company.

SOURCE: Edward Bangs, Edited, Journal of Lieutenant Isaac Bangs, April 1 to July 29, 1776, pp. 23-4