On this Battle Hill, facing the Statue of Liberty, this altar is erected to commemorate the Battle of Long Island. The first engagement of which was fought on this site, August 27, 1776, between General Lord Stirling with 2,000 Americans and General Grant with 6,000 British. This was the first battle of the nation and the first stroke for our great American charter of rights and liberties, the Declaration of Independence. Erected 1919.