Washington, DC — U.S. Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand and Congressman Tim Bishop announced that the U.S. Senate passed legislation to rename the U.S. Post Office in Mastic Beach for Revolutionary War Hero Nathaniel Woodhull. The legislation has passed both the House and the Senate and now heads to the President’s desk for signature.
“Mr. Woodhull was one of American’s first war heroes, and deeply deserving of this tribute,” said Schumer. “His bravery and patriotism should continue to inspire Long Islanders and all Americans to this day.”
“Naming the Mastic Beach Post Office after a patriot for his courage and sacrifice is symbolic of the community’s strength as Mastic Beach continues to recover from Superstorm Sandy,” said Gillibrand. “This legislation will ensure that local residents will be able to honor Nathaniel Woodhull’s legacy.”
“I wish to thank the community of Mastic Beach and the Mastic Peninsula, an area of my district that was hit very hard by Hurricane Sandy and has since demonstrated tremendous strength and resiliency. This bill is a tribute to a favorite son of Mastic and to a community that deserves recognition,” Bishop said in a speech on the floor of the House of Representatives before passage of the legislation, known as H.R 3912.
Woodhull was born in Mastic in 1722 and represented the area in the Province of New York Assembly. Following the defeat of forces under his command at the Battle of Long Island, which occurred on present day Brooklyn. He surrendered to the British, but not before General Washington was able to escape capture and retreat with his army intact. A key to eventual success of the revolution. Woodhull showed exceptional courage by refusing the demands of his captors to swear allegiance to King George III. For his refusal to betray his patriotic beliefs, Woodhull was brutally attacked by a British officer and denied proper medical care. He died aboard a prison ship in New York Harbor on September 20, 1776, the first high-ranking colonial officer killed in action during the American Revolutionary War.