After the surrender by Cornwallis at Yorktown in 1781, the British government started peace talks with the U.S. representatives in France. That culminated in the Treaty of Paris, which was signed by U.S. and British representatives on Sep. 3, 1783.
At that time of the signing, the only area of the United States that the British still controlled was in and around New York city. Sir Guy Carleton had taken over as military commander of the British after Gen. Henry Clinton was recalled after the surrender at Yorktown.
After the treaty was signed, the U.S. was pushing for the British troops and naval vessels to depart. Carleton took his time, as he had to arrange transports to remove all troops, and many loyalists (as well as their belongings). The biggest sticking point was former slaves that had fled to the British lines. The British had promised them freedom if they fought with them, and Carleton felt obligated to keep this promise. The U.S. leaders and people felt otherwise, as the treaty language indicated that the British would return all seized property. Carleton controlled the ships, and elected not to return the former slaves.
The British finally evacuated from Manhattan at noon on Nov. 25, 1783. They greased a pole, upon which a British flag was nailed, on Fort George on the Battery at southern Manhattan. U.S. soldiers eventually cut wooden cleats which they nailed to the pole, which enabled them to climb up the pole and remove the British flag, and replace it with a U.S. flag. Gen. Washington, and Governor George Clinton delayed their entry into the city until the flag was cut down.
The departure of Manhattan was not the total withdrawal from U.S. soil by the British. The British departed from Governors Island on Dec. 3, 1783, and departed from Staten Island on Dec. 5, 1783. They remained in forts in the current mid-west until a few years later.
For many years, Evacuation Day was celebrated as a holiday in NYC. Eventually, it was overtaken by the National holiday of Thanksgiving
