John Van Arsdale

John Jacob Van Arsdale (1756 – 1836) was an American Revolutionary War soldier, noted for his legendary participation in the Evacuation Day flag-raising in 1783.

He was later captured in the defensive Battle of Forts Clinton and Montgomery in 1777 and was detained by the British for nine and one-half months, including two months in the sugar house prisons, before being released in a prisoner exchange.

On November 25, 1783, later known as Evacuation Day, he is said to have gamely climbed a greasy flagpole left by the British at Fort George as they departed the city, to remove their standard and replace it with the American flag.

The flag-raising story only appears after the fact though, and many accounts that include a climber describe a man a decade younger than Van Arsdale actually was at that point.

He and his descendants, such as John Lafayette Riker, are associated with later annual commemorations.