Evacuation Day

Evacuation Day

March 17; September 1; November 25

Evacuation Day has been used to describe a number of dates in history on which military forces have withdrawn from a city or country. The best-known evacuation in the United States took place on March 17, 1776, during the early part of the American Revolution. British troops were forced out of Boston when the British commander, General Sir William Howe, conceded defeat to American General George Washington in a move that he hoped would save the British fleet. Bostonians have been celebrating the day ever since. Because of the large Irish-American community in Boston, the popularity of this holiday is often attributed to its being coincident with St. Patrick's Day.
Another well-known evacuation took place a few years later on November 25, 1783, when the British were forced out of New York City.
In England, "Evacuation Day" has also been used to refer to September 1, 1939, and the two days following, when over a million children and adults were evacuated from London and other cities considered to be likely targets for bombing during World War II.

SOURCES:
AmerBkDays-2000, pp. 211, 794
DictDays-1988, p. 37
OxYear-1999, p. 474