Maybe I should have saved this for July 4th.

During our walk home Friday, Bighead and I also came across tree shading a plaque set in stone.

The plaque read:

Historic Marker of Battle Pass. At this point the Old Porte Road or Valley Grove Road intersected the line of hills separating Flatbush from Brooklyn and Gowanus. In the Battle of Long Island, August 27, 1776, this pass was barricaded in front by Dongan Oak and other obstructions. It was protected by artillery on Redout Hill just to the east. Here the American forces stood their ground against the Hessians coming from the south till flanked from the river by a body of British troops. General Sullivan was captured, but most of his troops retreated across what is now the Long Meadow, joining the Maryland and other troops for the final resistance near the old stone house of Gowanus.

Later on down the road we passed a tree with a marker noting it as the "Line of Defense" and my interest was thoroughly piqued. I knew nothing about the Battle of Long Island but I'm glad that I came across that stone which led me to investigate.

I knew that Proespect Park was used by the militia for regiment training and practice but I had no idea that is was the site of the first battle in the American Revolution after the Declaration of Independence.
I really love Prospect Park and lately I've just been reminded more and more of why that is so. The City has so much to offer that even a pleasant evening stroll can get you off and running on some new tangent about it.

I wonder if people do re-enactments in the Park. I think that I'd be really interested in seeing one.