USA > New York > A history of New York, for schools. Vol. II > Part 7
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John. How, sir, did congress decide the disputed command ?
Un. In a manner that, one would think, should have covered Horatio Gates with shame. John Han- cock wrote to him, that Congress having considered Schuyler's letter to Washington, laid before them by the mutual agreement of the parties disputing, have resolved, that "your command was totally in- dependent of General Schuyler's, while the army was in Canada, but no longer." He says, "the terms in which the resolve relative to your appoint- ment are conceived, seem to show that this was their intention. You were expressly by that resolve to take the command of the troops in Canada, words which strongly imply that they had no design to di- vest General Schuyler of the command while the troops were on this side Canada."
John. Did this end the dispute ?
Un. Schuyler's letters to Gates appear frank and friendly. Gates remained as second in command on Lake Champlain, and efforts were made to repel the triumphant enemy. On the 10th of July, Gen- eral Schuyler wrote to Gates that congress had de- cided that Mr. Trumbull, and not Mr. Livingston, should supply the northern army. He says, that he had assured congress, that the difference which
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had existed between him and General Gates had not caused any ill-will. Thus the good, measure others by themselves. Of the feelings of Schuyler's ene- mies, we must judge by the fact that a letter from Gates to him a few days afterward, made it neces- sary for him to repel a base charge or insinuation by words like these. Read.
John. " If you or any of the army conceive that any letters are stopped at Albany or elsewhere, by my order, you are mistaken." He then speaks of the post-master's duty, and concludes, " If he should therefore stop any letters going to or from the army, he would be culpable, and merit punishment. I am your most obedient, humble servant."
Un. A letter in this indignant style produced a reply from his rival, the amount of which is made known to us by General Schuyler, who writes to Gates on the 2d of August, " Your favour of the 29th was delivered to me within this half hour"- " I experience the finest feelings from your friendly declaration. You will never, my dear sir, out-do me in acts of friendship." In the mean time the ex- pectations of General Gates were more than kept alive by his eastern and other friends; Elbridge Gerry wrote to him from Hartford, " We want very much to see you with the sole command in the nor- thern department, but hope that you will not relin- quish your exertions until a favourable opportunity shall effect it." He had previously offered to give him information of the measures of congress, "their causes and moving principles." Samuel Chase writes from congress, . I wish you would inform me of your suspicions, and disclose the secret springs which you suppose have influenced men and mea- sures in your department." Schuyler, meantime, was sensible of the prejudices against him, and of the jealousies kept alive by machination. Sincerely
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willing to retire, he kept his post and encountered all the difficulties of this unfortunate northern cam- paign.
Wm. I hope, Uncle, you will have to tell us of more cheering occurrences near New York and on Long Island-though I fear not.
Un. It was worse here: even worse than the gen- eral history of the time would lead us to expect. But we must search for the truth.
John. I think, sir, nothing could be worse than the conduct of General Schuyler's enemies.
Un. No, boy. The evil that befel us here, at New York, had not that malignant moral poison mingled so grossly in it, as that we have exposed and must further develop. Our city had been fortified, first by Lee, and then by Washington, and every approach either by Long Island or by crossing the East river, and attacking from the north and east, had been guarded. Still, it was considered that the place was not tenable against an enemy with a force so great- ly superiour, and commanding all the adjacent wa- ters. But congress ordered the place to be defend- ed, and their general was bound to obey. On the 4th of July, 1776, General Howe wrote to his government that he was waiting for Lord Howe and the fleet, but had no hopes of peace until the rebel army is defeated; and that day congress severed the ties which united America to Great Britain, politically, and the colonies were thence- forth free and independent states. When the De- claration of Independence (which you all know by heart) was received at New York, it was read to the troops, drawn up by brigades, and received with en- thusjasm.
Wm. That was the day, Uncle!
Un. But see what difficulties encompassed the country generally, and particularly the army col-
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lected on this island. The English ships of war passed up both rivers with impunity. Some were stationed in Flushing bay. The main army landed at Gravesend, on the 22d of August, and indicated an attack by Brooklyn. The American lines ex- tended from the Wallabout across to Gowanus creek. Between the enemy, (who extended his lines from the Narrows over the flat country to the old Jamaica road.) were a succession of wooded hills, which Wash- ington had ordered Major-general Putnam (who had command on the island at this critical juncture, owing to the severe illness of Groene) to defend with his best troops. Washington remained in the city un- til he could determine whether the enemy intended to attack that post simultaneously with Brooklyn, and ready to throw over reinforcements as they might be wanted more on the island and less in the city. Putnamn had two brigadiers under him ; Sul- livan (who was appointed to command the troops not within the lines) and General Lord Stirling. A few words from a letter of Washington to Putnam gives us somewhat of the character of both men. Read this extract, and my remarks. It is dated 25th August, 1776.
John. ". To Major-general Putman : Sir, it was with no small degree of concern that I perceived yes- terday a scattering, unmeaning, and wasteful fire, from our people at the enemy. No one good con- sequence can attend such irregularities, but several bad ones will inevitably follow.' He says, fear prevents deserters approaching, and mentions other evils, which 'must forever continue to operate,' 'whilst every soldier considers himself at liberty to fire when, and at what, he pleases.' He instructs him in the mode of placing his guards, and appoint- ing the duty of his brigadiers and field officers. He complains of the men burning and plundering houses.
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He directs that the wood next to Red Hook should be well attended to."
Un. This little plan will show you the situation of the places and armies :--- No. 1 is New York. 2, Brooklyn, and Putnam's campand lines. 4, Flatbush. 5, Denyse's ferry, or the Narrows, and the road from it to Brooklyn is that nearest the bay. The line from 5 to 4, and posts beyond the bounds of the map, were occupied by the British. 3 is New Bedford. About three o'clock of the morning of the 27th, Lord Stirling says he was called up and informed by Putnam that the enemy were advancing by the road from Flatbush. His lordship was ordered to take the "two regiments nearest at hand" to meet them. He says, he " was on the road to the Nar- rows just as the daylight began to appear." He found a third regiment retreating before the Brit- ish, and took command of them also, with a body of riflemen and some artillery. Shortly after day- break an action commenced, and was continued until nearly eleven o'clock; that is, until General - Howe with the main body of the English army had placed himself in the rear of General Stirling, which was the object doubtless he had in view by skirmishing with the Americans, occasionly retir- ing, and keeping up a distant cannonade. His lordship says, " I saw that the only chance of es- caping being all made prisoners, was to pass the creek near the Yellow Mills," Gowanus creek. He found, however, that Lord Cornwallis was like- wise between him and the American lines. This detachment he gallantly attacked, with a part of his force, to give an opportunity for the others to escape by fording the creek; which many did. The con- test was seen to be in vain, and Lord Stirling, after some attempts to escape, surrendered himself "to Cien- eral De Heister, the commander of the Hessians."
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A great part of his lordship's troops behaved in the most gallant manner. They were unconscious that they were entrapped by superiour military skill, and that there was no head to look forth from the American lines to warn them of approaching dan- ger, or direct an effort to save them. General Sul- livan says, "I was to have commanded under Gen- eral Putnam within the lines." But being uneasy about a road through which he foretold that the enemy would come, he went to the hill near Flat- bush, "and, with a picket of four hundred men, was surrounded by the enemy, who had advanced by the very road," he says, "I had foretold." 'Thus, by concerted movements of the enemy, and no con- cert whatever on our part, many brave men were killed, and many more were surrendered to the tender mercies of Captain Cunningham, the pro- vost-marshal, and his deputies. Our loss, this un- fortunate day, was more than eleven hundred ; and the enemy took a position between the wood- ed hills and the American lines. Our troops were dispirited; and the militia left New York by whole and half regiments. General Washington thought of withdrawing from the city, and more than hinted his wish to destroy it .. However, the safety of the troops at Brooklyn was first to be attended to, and reinforcements drawn from Fort Washington were thrown over. But, as an actor and eye-witness is before us, let us make use of Captain Graydon's un- pretending narrative for some of the transactions of this time. Read to us, William.
Wm. First, sir, let me ask, was not General Woodhull of the militia made prisoner, likewise, at this time ?
Un. He was, boy. Nathaniel Woodhull, the com- patriot of Philip Schuyler and George Clinton, was surrounded as he was endeavouring to retreat. He
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immediately surrendered, without resistance; and notwithstanding was inhumanly wounded by the ruf- fians who took him, insomuch that he died of the injuries. Read on.
W'm. As you have marked it, sir ?
Un. Yes.
Wm. " The forces of the enemy, which had been landed on Long Island, had extended themselves as far as Flatbush and New Lots, between which pla- ces and our works at Brooklyn, runs a ridge of pret- ty lofty hills. Here it was, that, being met by our troops under the command of Generals Sullivan and Stirling, the action of the 27th of August commen- ced ; of which, as I'was not present, I know nothing more than is given in the historical accounts of this affair. The manifest superiority of the enemy on this occasion, owing more to mismanagement perhaps on our side, than want of bravery in the troops en- gaged, rendered it expedient to draw our forces to. the point that had been chosen for the contest; and an express was accordingly sent off, requiring the immediate march of Shee's and Magaw's regiments to New York. Being forthwith put in motion, we proceeded with the utmost speed, and reached the city in the afternoon; but by this time the conflict was over, and the firing had ceased. Here, there- fore, we were quartered for the night, under orders to be in readiness to cross the East river by break of day in the morning. Glover's regiment was also moved to this place, and was under similar orders for Long Island. Few particulars of the day's com- bat were vet known, though it was pretty well as- certained that we had been handled severely, and lost a considerable number of officers and men ; but what proportion had been killed, or were prisoners, was merely conjecture. New York was at this
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time a scene of tumult and confusion, and it might be added, of dismay.
" The circumstance, however, did not deprive me of my appetite, and the inclination for a good supper, which I had not for some months enjoyed; and therefore, as soon as our men were dismissed to their quarters, which was not until dark, Mr. Forrest and myself set out in pursuit of this object. But some of the publick houses were full, others had no eat- ables in them, and we began to fear that this little enjoyment we had promised ourselves, was not to be obtained ; and that we should be obliged to go to bed supperless. After trying the best looking inns to no purpose, we essayed those of more humble ap- pearance, and at length entered one, that was kept by a middle aged matronly lady. We asked if she could give us supper ; she gave us the common an- swer, that there was nothing in the house. We . were now about to give the matter up, and had re- tired beyond the door, with somewhat of a discon- solate air, perhaps, when the good woman seemed touched with compassion for us. She had probably sons of her own; or if not, she was of that sex which, Ledyard tells us, is ever prone to acts of kindness and humanity. She called us back, and told us that she believed she could make out to give us a lobster. At this we brightened up, assuring her, as we really thought, that nothing could be better; and being shown into a small, snug apartment, we called for a pint of wine. We now thought ourselves. instead of outcasts, favourites of fortune, as, upon comparing notes with our brother officers, next day, we found we had reason, since scarcely one of them had been able to procure a mouthful."
" On the next day, early in the forenoon, we were transported to Long Island; marched down to the entrenchments at Brooklyn, and posted on their left
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extremity, extending to the Wallabout. The arri- val of our two battalions, (Shee's and Magaw's, which always acted together, ) with that of Glover, had the effect I have always found to be produced by a bo- dy of men under arms, having the appearance of discipline. Although, owing to the dysentery which had prevailed in our camp, our number was so re- duced, that the two regiments could not have amount- ed to more than eight hundred men, making in the whole, when joined with Glover's, about twelve or thirteen hundred ; yet it was evident that this small reinforcement inspired no inconsiderable degree of confidence. The faces that had been saddened by the disasters of yesterday, assumed a gleam of ani- mation on our approach ; accompanied with a mur- mur of approbation in the spectators, occasionally greeting cach other with the remark, that these were the lads that might do something. Why it should be so, I know not, but the mind instinctively attaches an idea of prowess, to the silence, steadiness, and regularity of a military assemblage ; and a hundred well-dressed, well-armed, and well-disciplined gren- adiers, are more formidable in appearance, than a disjointed, disorderly multitude of a thousand. Our regiments, to be sure, could not arrogate such per- fection ; but that they were distinguished in our young army, may be inferred from an official letter from General Washington, wherein he states that ' they had been trained with more than common at- tention.' To sustain the duty now imposed upon us, required both strength of body and of mind. The spot at which we were posted, was low and unfavour- able for defence. There was a fraised ditch in its front, but it gave little promise of security, as it was evidently commanded by the ground occupied by the enemy, who entirely enclosed the whole of our po- sition, at the distance of but a few hundred paces. VOL. II .--- 9
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It was evident, also, that they were constructing bat- teries, which would have rendered our particular situation extremely ineligible, to say the least of it. In addition to this discomfort, we were annoyed by a continual rain, which, though never very heavy, was never less than a searching drizzle, and often what might, with propriety, be called a smart show- er. We had no tents to screen us from its pitiless pelting; nor, if we had had them, would it have comported with the incessant vigilance required, to have availed ourselves of them, as, in fact, it might be said, that we lay upon our arms during the whole of our stay upon the island. In the article of food, we were little better off. We had, indeed, drawn provisions, whose quality was not to be complained of. Our pickled pork, at least, was good ; but how were we to cook it ? As this could not be done, it was either to be eaten as it was, or not eaten at all ; , and we found, upon trial, that boiling it, although desirable, was not absolutely necessary; and that the article was esculent without culinary prepara- tion. I remember, however, on one of the days we were in this joyless place, getting a slice of a bar- bacued pig, which some of the soldiers had dressed at a deserted house which bounded our lines.
" There was an incessant skirmishing kept up in the daytime between our riflemen and the enemy's irregulars; and the firing was sometimes so brisk as to indicate an approaching general engagement. This was judiciously encouraged by General Wash- ington, as it tended to restore confidence to our men, and was, besides, showing a good countenance to the foc.
" On the morning after our first night's watch, Colonel Shee took me aside and asked me what I . thought of our situation. I could not but say, I thought it a very discouraging one. He viewed it
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in the same light, he said, and added, that if we were not soon withdrawn from it, we should inevitably be cut to pieces. So impressed was he with this con- viction, that he desired me to go to the quarters of General Reed, and to request him to ride down to the lines, that he might urge him to propose a re- treat without loss of time. I went, but could not find him at his quarters, or at any of the other places where it was likely he might be. It was not long, however, before he came to our station, and gave the colonel an opportunity of conferring with him. This day passed off like the last, in unabating skir- mishing and rain. After dark, orders were received and communicated to us regimentally, to hold our- selves in readiness for an attack upon the enemy ; to take place in the course of the night. This ex- cited much speculation among the officers, by whom it was considered a truly daring undertaking, ren- dered doubly so from the bad condition of our arms, so long exposed to the rain ; and although we had bayonets, this was not the case with the whole of our force, upon whom we must depend for support. It * was not for us, however, to object to the measure : we were soldiers, and bound to obey. Several nun- cupative wills were made upon the occasion, uncer- tain as it was whether the persons to whom they were communicated would survive, either to prove or to execute them. I was for a while under the impression that we were to fight; and, in the lan- . guage of the poet, was 'stiffening my sinews and summoning up iny blood,' for what, with the rest, I deemed a desperate encounter. But when I came to consider the extreme rashness of such an attempt, it suddenly flashed upon my mind, that a retreat was the object ; and that the order for assailing the ene- my, was but a cover to the real design. The more I reflected upon it, the more I was convinced that ]
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was right; and what had passed in the morning with Colonel Shee, served to confirm me in my opin- ion. I communicated my conjecture to some of the officers, but they dared not suffer themselves to be- lieve it well founded, though they gradually came over to my opinion ; and by midnight they were, for the most part, converts to it. There was a deep murmur in the camp which indicated some move- ment ; and the direction of the decaying sounds, was evidently towards the river. About two o'clock, a cannon went off, apparently from one of our redoubts, ' piercing the night's dull ear,' with a tremendous roar. If the explosion was within our lines, the gun was probably discharged in the act of spiking it ; and it could have been no less a matter of specu- lation to the enemy, than to ourselves. I never heard the cause of it ; but whatever it was, the effect was at once alarming and sublime; and what with the greatness of the stake, the darkness of the night. the uncertainty of the design, and extreme hazard of the issue whatever might be the object, it would be difficult to conceive a more deeply solemn and interesting scene. It never recurs to my mind, but in the strong imagery of the chorus of Shakspeare's Henry the Vth, in which, is arrayed in appropriate gloom, a similar interval of dread suspense and aw- ful expectation.
"As our regiment was one of those appointed to cover the retreat, we were, of course, among the last to be drawn off, and it was near daybreak, before we received orders to retire. We were formed without delay, and had marched near half-way to the river, when it was announced that the British lighthorse were at our heels. linprobable as was the circumstance, it was yet so strenuously insisted upon, that we were halted and formed, the front rank kneeling with presented pikes, which we had
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with us, to receive the charge of the supposed as- sailants. None, however, appeared ; and the alarm must have proceeded from the fear of those who gave it, magnifying the noise of a few of our own horsemen into that of squadrons of the enemy. We again took up the line of march, and had proceeded but a short distance, when the head of the battalion was halted a second time. The orders we had re- ceived were erroneous: we were informed that we had come off too soon, and were commanded with all expedition to return to our post. This was a trying business to young soldiers; it was, neverthe- less, strictly complied with, and we remained not less than an hour in the lines- before we received · the second order to abandon them. It may be sup- posed we did not linger ; but though we moved with celerity, we guarded against confusion, and under the friendly cover of a thick fog, reached the place of embarcation without annoyance from the enemy, who, had the morning been clear, would have seen what was going on, and been enabled to cut off the greater part of the rear. One of my soldiers being too feeble to carry his musket, which was too pre- cious to be thrown away. I took it from him, and found myself able to carry it, together with my own fasee. On attaining the water, I found a boat pre- pared for my company, which immediately embark- ed, and taking the helm myself, I so luckily direct- ed the prow, no object being discernible in the fog, that we touched near the centre of the city. It was between six and seven o'clock, perhaps later, when we landed at New York; and in less than an hour after, the fog having dispersed, the enemy was visi- ble on the shore we had left."
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John. Was not this a masterly retreat, sir ?
Un. Scarcely without a parallel. Now we have escaped so great a danger, let us take our daily walk.
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CHAPTER X.
WVm. Uncle, I wish we could go and walk over the ground of the battle of Brooklyn.
Un. It is not to be found, boy. All is now one great city. The hills and woods have vanished ; the creeks and marshes are converted to the solid foundations for palaces and temples, and Brooklyn now looks to' New York as Pera and Galata do to Constantinople. We could not even trace the roads which at that time led from the village of Brooklyn to the larger adjacent hamlets.
John. General Howe did not attempt to cross from Brooklyn, sir, or to cannonade the city.
Un. No. His object was to preserve the houses for his army, and to get between Washington and the main land. He pushed forward his forces to Hell-gate, occupying an extent of nine miles, and evidently intended to cross the East river or sound, so as to enclose the Americans on the island of Man- hattan. To guard against these indications, the con- tinental army was divided into three parts. Five
thousand men remained in the town. A body sup- posed to be nine thousand were near Kingsbridge, and the remainder lined the shores opposite to the enemy. While these military movements were go- ing on, Lord Howe, to take advantage of the recent victory, paroled General Sullivan, and attempted to negotiate with congress without acknowledging them as a political body. He, through Sullivan, expressed his desire to have a conference with some of the members, and offered to meet them where they should appoint. He said, that he and General Howe had powers to settle the dispute on terms ad- vantageous to both the contending parties. That he wished the compromise to take place before either
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