USA > New York > Kings County > Brooklyn > A history of the city of Brooklyn and Kings county, Volume I > Part 14
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NEW YORK, September 1, 1776.
HONORED SIR, - We have been obliged to retreat from Long Island and Governor's Island, from both of which we got off without
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loss of men. We left a great part of our heavy artillery behind. The field train is off. We are in hourly expectation that the town will be bombarded and cannonaded, and the enemy are drawing their men to the eastward of Long Island, as if they intended to throw a strong party over on this island, near Hell Gate, so as to get on the back of the city. We are preparing to meet them. Matters appear to be drawing near a decisive engagement. General Sullivan is allowed to come on shore, upon his parole, and go to Congress, on the subject of exchange of himself, Lord Stirling, and a large number who are prisoners ; by the best accounts we yet have, we have lost in last week's defeat about 800 men killed and missing; how many of each is not yet known. I rather expect that they will push in a body of troops between the town and our party at and near Kingsbridge. If they do, we shall have them between two fires, and must push them to the last extremity, or be killed or taken prisoners. The result is in the hands of the Almighty Disposer of all events.
I am, honored sir, your dutiful son, JOSEPH TRUMBULL.
While the battle was raging with so much fury, Washington was in New York, watching the movements of the British fleet. He was filled with anxiety and alarm, as he considered
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that an important crisis had arrived. Becom- ing satisfied during the day that there was no intention on the part of the fleet to attack the city, he passed over to Brooklyn and took his station at Fort Putnam.
Here he witnessed the terrible rout and slaughter which befell Sullivan, with no means at his command to send succor or assistance. He also beheld the heroic conduct of the men under Stirling, and was convinced that resist- ance on their part was in vain. As Wash- ington noticed the bravery of the Maryland troops in the bayonet charge, he exclaimed, " Good God, what brave fellows I must this day lose."
Thus terminated the battle on the 27th. The slaughter had been terrible on both sides. The flower of the American army was de- stroyed, and many valuable and efficient offi- cers were taken prisoners. General Howe felt jubilant over his success, and made prepa- rations to advance upon the American lines. Within those lines were 3000 brave men who were encouraged by the presence of Washing- ton. Had an attempt been made to take their fortifications, they would not have been yielded without the destruction of hosts of the invaders. As Howe did not know the strength of the
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Americans, he deemed it prudent not to make the attempt, and encamped for the night. It was not singular, under the circumstances, that Washington should feel alarmed. He was satisfied that resistance would be useless, and that something must be done to save the remnant of his army.
The Hessians, who had been hired by the British Government, were trained soldiers. Of the men so procured the Landgrave of Hesse Cassel furnished 12,000 infantry, the Duke of Brunswick 3900, and the Count of Hanau 360. War was their profession, and in its destructive work they seemed to take great delight. In the engagements on Long Island they took an active part, and manifested their disposition by showing no quarter. The sight of blood served to madden them, and led them on to renewed acts of diabolism and ferocity. Nothing satisfied their rapacity. After the retreat of the Americans from Long Island, and its occupation by the British, many of these Hessians took possession of and were quartered in the large old-fashioned Dutch houses, and made themselves free with every- thing on which they could lay their hands.
The morning of the 28th of August arrived. A thick mist enshrouded the earth with gloom.
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Washington did not manifest any despondency, and as he inspected the works and defenses had a cheerful word of encouragement for the men. Early in the morning several regiments of Massachusetts soldiers crossed to the is- land, and were received with manifestations of joy by the weary toilers of the day and night past. With this addition the force of the Amer- icans numbered 9000 men. The battle was now renewed by the British, who commenced a heavy cannonade on the American works. Providence seemed to smile upon the Ameri- can cause. The clouds poured forth rain in torrents, which, while it produced much phy- sical discomfort to the patriots, who were com- pelled to stand knee deep in water, served also to restrain and prevent the enemy from enga- ging in the conflict.
Washington realized the necessity of imme- diate action. A council of officers was sum- moned, and by his advice the conclusion was reached to evacuate the island. The coun- cil convened by Washington to deliberate upon this important subject was composed of the commander-in-chief, General Washington; major generals Putnam and Spencer, brigadier generals Mifflin, McDougall, Parsons, Scott, Wadsworth, and Fellows. In Stiles's account
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of the battle of Long Island, he says that " the old Cornell House, afterwards known as the Pierrepont Mansion, which formerly stood on the line of the present Montague Street, near the little iron footbridge which spans the carriageway, was the headquarters of Washington during this important contest. It was a spacious and costly house having large chimneys, from which it was known as the 'Four Chimneys;' and upon its roof a telegraph was arranged by which communica- tion was held with New York."
Stiles maintains that both Lossing and Onderdonk erred in stating that the council met in the Dutch church on Fulton Street, but that they met in this old house. In sup- porting his opinion he quotes the authority of Colonel Fish, the father of Governor Hamil- ton Fish, and one of Washington's military family, who in 1824, during Lafayette's visit to Brooklyn, called the attention of the distin- guished visitor to the fact, and designated the very positions in the room occupied by the members of that council.
The business brought before the council was very important, and the execution of the scheme adopted required military skill and strategy to insure success. It would not have
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answered to retreat during the day, as their movements would have been noticed and checkmated by the enemy. It was resolved to effect the withdrawal of the troops that night. Every move required the utmost cau- tion and secrecy. As boats were needed to transport the troops, and the collecting to- gether of them might excite the suspicion of the British, it was reported that the Ameri- cans intended to attack the enemy in the rear, and to accomplish this end had determined to transport troops to the line of Queens County at Hell Gate. This plan was adopted to de- ceive the enemy. In pursuance of the resolu- tion of the council, orders were issued to move every available boat to Brooklyn, and have them in readiness for embarkation at midnight. So cautious were the officers con- ducting this retreat that all orders were given in whispers, and communicated to the men in the same manner. The state of the weather favored the movements of Washington. Dur- ing the day rain had fallen in copious showers. As the mantle of night covered the earth, a heavy fog appeared, which, with the drizzling mist, served to deceive the enemy, and render them less vigilant. In order to mislead the British officers and soldiers, Washington kept
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several companies marching to and from the ferry landing, while their associates were em- barking. Washington himself superintended the embarkation of the troops, who began to move about ten o'clock. The darkness of the night aided materially in the accomplishment of the work. To add to the deception, fires were kept burning until the last moment. All the troops were safely embarked. The boatmen labored cheerfully during the night watches, and when at last the fog passed away, and they beheld the clear cerulean sky above them, they also rejoiced that a kind Providence had directed their boats to a safe harbor on the shores of the upper part of the city of New York.
The elements, time, and circumstances, fav- ored Washington in his masterly retreat. On one side he had to fear the forces of Howe, who might pursue and cut off his retreat, and on the other hand, if he succeeded in putting off from the land, he stood in imminent dan- ger from the British fleet, which, if his move- ments were discovered, would soon send him and his faithful band to a watery grave. Again, he was liable to be exposed by some stray British soldier or spy.
A woman Tory, Mrs. Rapalje, living near
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the ferry, noticing the collection of boats and the movements of the troops, suspected that a retreat had been determined. Anxious to ap- prise her friends, the Tories, of the undertak- ing, she at once sent her negro slave to give General Clinton the information. Fortunately for Washington, the slave was captured by a Hessian soldier, who, not understanding the English language, could not comprehend the importance of the message, and kept the slave in the guard-house until morning, when he sent him to Clinton's headquarters. When Clin- ton received the message the birds had flown.
The story was communicated to Howe, who received it with blank astonishment. At first he could not accept it as true. The scouts reported that a dead silence rested upon the American camp. Howe now feared that the story might be too true, and that, " while he slumbered and slept," Washington had es- caped. At last one of the guard crept close to the works, and found that they had been abandoned. The alarm was given, the crest- fallen British took possession, and, like Pha- raoh of old, pursued, to find that those they sought had landed safely on the other side.1
1 The wife of John Rapalje was a well-known Tory. So far did she manifest her predilections in favor of the Tory
BATTERY
3
H
0
GOVERNOR'S In
--
STUYVESANT BAY.
RED HOOK OR BUTTERMILK CHANNEL
ABRITISH Ship Yard
.
Summer Anchoring Station far the British Shpping during the Revolutionary Was.
..
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STUYVESANTS MEADOWS
.
RLEANS
GREENPOINT
Place where t.
CHAS TITUS PE
MILLEn' PL
AMERICAN RIVAS
med pat bare caly
WALLALEUF
BIDONS
LING
GOWANUS BAY
BUSHWICK CREEK
BROOKLYN DURING THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR From the map by Gen. Jeremiah Johnson
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Howe now took possession of the deserted works. All the towns of Kings County were in possession of the army, who had strong garrisons in each. Meantime Howe made his headquarters at Newtown. During the con- tinuance of the war thereafter, and for a period of over seven years, Kings County remained under the absolute control and domination of the British.
Howe now made another effort to restore the colonies to the mother country. The dis- aster and repulse which the Americans re- ceived in Brooklyn led him to suppose it a favorable opportunity to accomplish his mis- sion of peace. He communicated with the Continental Congress, and opened negotia- tions with a promise of pardon to all who cause as at all times to boldly proclaim her sympathies for the King. At the time the act was passed prohibiting the use of tea, she, with her proverbial pertinacity and obstinacy, persisted in its use, and so continued while the American army was in the occupation of Brooklyn. On this account she became a marked woman. Her conduct caused much discussion, and drew down upon her the umbrage of the Whig militia, who fired a cannon ball into her home while she was drinking her favorite beverage. The ball passed close to her head and lodged in the wall. This action not only seriously annoyed the lady, but served to stir within her bosom the spirit of revenge, and she eagerly awaited an opportunity to gratify her spite. When she saw the preparations for the retreat of the army her heart rejoiced, for she fancied that the moment had arrived when she could mete out punishment to her enemies. - S. M. O.
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would lay down their arms. He also added a promise that the obnoxious laws which had led to the struggle should be repealed.
The proposition came too late. No conces- sion but acknowledgment of independence would satisfy the people. A conference was held at Staten Island, whereat Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Francis Rutledge, the commissioners appointed by Congress to attend the negotiations, refused to listen to any terms of peace, except such as should recognize the full and complete independence of the colonies. Howe, having failed in his effort, issued another proclamation to the peo- ple, and resolved to proceed and take the city of New York.
The battle of Brooklyn cost the Americans the loss of that brave general, Nathaniel Wood- hull, who for nearly a year had acted as the President of the Provincial Congress of New York. He was in command of a part of the forces, and was captured on the 28th of August by a party of Tories under command of Captain De Lancey, near the village of Jamaica. Notwithstanding the fact that he was a prisoner, and entitled to respectful treat- ment, he suffered great indignities at the hands of his captors, who inflicted numerous sabre
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wounds, which resulted in his death. He was at first taken to the Presbyterian Church in Jamaica, where for the night he was confined with other patriots. In the morning he was placed on a hay-boat, and taken down Jamaica Bay to New York Bay, and landed at New Utrecht. Reaching the latter place he began to fail very rapidly, and the officers, seeing his days were numbered, allowed him to be car- ried to the house of Nicasius De Sille, where he died as a true soldier, breathing blessings on his countrymen, and willingly giving his life in the cause he loved so well.
Woodhull was the hero of Long Island. He rendered important service in the forma- tion of the state government, and was always a leader who secured and retained the respect and confidence of his constituents.
The occupation of Long Island by the Brit- ish did not accomplish the results anticipated. The victory gained was barren. The authori- ties at home did not see in it anything to com- mend. In the light of present knowledge it was passing strange that Generals Howe and Clinton and Admiral Howe should have com- mitted so fatal a blunder as to attempt the subjugation of the city of New York by a pas- sage of the army across Long Island. The
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situation of Manhattan Island, extending into the bay, with a wide expanse of water on each side, presented an inviting field for an attack upon the city. Admiral Howe, with his large and well-equipped fleet, could have readily be- sieged New York, and forced Washington with his little band of patriots to evacuate the place. As it was he weakened his force, and enabled Washington to concentrate his army. Long Island being isolated from the main land was of but little consequence to either side. Had Howe with his fleet besieged the city, and landed the military forces, their suc- cess would have been complete, as the Ameri- cans were not prepared to resist the invasion. Such a policy would have resulted disastrously to the patriotic cause. As we have already stated, the battle of Brooklyn was never looked upon by British authorities as at all creditable. Whatever glory gathers round the engage- ment centres in the exhibition of military skill displayed by Washington in the management of the masterly retreat of the American army from Long Island, and its safe arrival in the city of New York.
Yet Washington was greatly distressed and disheartened by the defeat at Brooklyn. In referring to the battle in one of his letters
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written shortly after the disaster, he expressed his feelings in unmistakable terms. He says : " The check our detachment sustained on the 27th has disappointed too great a proportion of our troops and filled their minds with appre- hension and despair. The militia, instead of calling forth their utmost efforts to a brave and manly opposition, in order to repair our losses, are dismayed, intractable, and impatient to return. Great numbers of them have gone off ! in some instances by whole regiments, by half ones, and by companies, at a time." Washington was well-nigh discouraged by the state of affairs. He had enlisted with the purest motives, and ever manifested a spirit of self-sacrifice. He regretted that the same spirit did not abide with those who had with him enlisted in the service.
Howe, having full possession of the Ameri- can fortifications on Long Island, determined to use the fleet under command of his brother, Admiral Howe. The vessels were brought within gunshot of the city. The Rose, carry- ing forty guns, passed through Buttermilk Channel and anchored in Turtle Bay, in the neighborhood of Forty-second Street and East River, to aid the other vessels then in the Sound by a concert of action against the city.
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Washington, noticing the movements of the ships of war, and foreseeing that the condition of his army would not permit a defense, re- solved to leave the city. Before doing so he summoned a council of his officers, who coin- cided with him in his views of the situation. This was on the 12th of September. An or- der was issued at once for the removal of the military stores across the Harlem River, and a force was stationed at Kingsbridge.
General Putnam was left in command of the city with about 4000 men. The main body under Washington was stationed at Har- lem Heights. Washington was now sur- rounded with difficulties which required great ability to overcome. The enemy had the men and means to move on his works, and against their attack he could offer but feeble resist- ance. It was a dark and doleful hour in our history. In order to make no mistake it be- came necessary to adopt a decisive policy, and to arrange plans whereby the advance move- ments of the enemy might be circumvented. He considered it of the utmost importance to ascertain the intentions of Howe and Clinton. A council of war was called, and it was re- solved to send a man who could be trusted into the enemy's ranks to gain the desired information.
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In this emergency Nathan Hale, a young and brilliant officer, volunteered his services. Procuring the necessary disguise, Hale started on the mission fraught with so much danger. Passing over to Long Island, he entered unno- ticed and unobserved the enemy's line, suc- ceeded in making drawings of their works, and gained full and complete information as to all their intended movements.
As he was returning, he was recognized as belonging to the rebel army, and was arrested, and conveyed to the Beekman house, on the corner of Fifty-first Street and First Avenue, where General Howe had his headquarters. He was at once tried, convicted as a spy, and sentenced to be hung on the following day at daybreak. It was a mercy to him that his exe- cution was fixed so speedily, as in the mean time he was placed in the keeping of that heartless scoundrel, Cunningham, whose after deeds as provost marshal of New York have rendered his name forever infamous. Hale was kept in confinement during the night by the marshal, who refused to give him a light and writing materials to enable him to send a last message of love to his aged parents and friends. A kindly disposed lieutenant afterwards fur- nished him with pen and paper. Cunning-
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ham, however, in the morning manifested the natural atrocity of his disposition by rudely tearing into pieces before his eyes the letters which he had written, and at the same time declaring " that the rebels should never know that they had a man in their army who could die with so much firmness."
On the morning of September 22, 1776, Cunningham ordered the execution to pro- ceed, and at the same time required Hale to make a dying confession. In the nobility of his liberty-loving nature, Hale said: "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country." These brave words were his last. He was suspended on an apple-tree, and his remains were committed to the grave without any ceremony. He did not perish; his name will live as that of one of the heroes of the Revolution. In the American army he was universally beloved, and his untimely end filled the hearts of his friends with deep-seated hatred to their foes, and a renewed determina- tion to be avenged.
In this connection the following may not be uninteresting. It is an extract from a letter from New York, dated September 1, 1776:1
" Last Monday we went over to Long Island,
1 Force's 5th series, vol. ii. p. 107.
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and about midnight we were alarmed by the return of some of our scouting parties, who advised us that the English were in motion, and coming up the island with several field pieces ; it was generally thought not to be the main body, but only a detachment, with a view to possess themselves of some advan- tageous heights, upon which near three thou- sand men were ordered out, consisting chiefly of the Pennsylvania and Maryland troops, to attack them on their march. The Delaware and Maryland battalions made one party. Colonel Atlee with his battalion, a little before us, had taken post in an orchard, and behind a barn, and on the approach of the enemy he gave them a very severe fire, which he bravely kept up for a considerable time, until they were near surrounding him, when he retreated to the woods. The enemy then advanced towards us, upon which Lord Stirling, who commanded, immediately drew us up in line, and offered them battle in the true English taste. The British army then advanced within three hundred yards of us, and began a heavy fire from their cannon and mortars, for both the balls and shells flew very fast, now and then taking off a head. Our men stood it amazing well; not even one of them showed a disposition to shrink.
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"Our orders were not to fire until the enemy came within fifty yards of us; but when they perceived we stood their fire so coolly and resolutely, they declined coming any nearer, though treble our number. In this situation we stood from sunrise to twelve o'clock, the ยท enemy firing upon us the chief part of the time, when the main body of their army, by a route we never dreamed of, had utterly sur- rounded us, and drove within the lines or scat- tered in the woods all our men except the Delaware and Maryland battalions, who were standing at bay with double their number. Thus situated, we were ordered to attempt a retreat by fighting our way through the enemy, who had posted themselves and nearly filled every field and road between us and our lines. We had not retreated a quarter of a mile before we were fired upon by an advanced party of the enemy, and those upon our rear were playing upon us with their artillery. Our men fought with more than Roman courage, and I am convinced would have stood until they were shot down to a man. We forced the advanced party which first attacked us to give way, through which opening we got a passage down to the side of a marsh, seldom before waded over, which we passed, and then swam a nar-
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row river, all the time exposed to the fire of the enemy. The companies commanded by Captains Ramsey and Scott were in the front, and sustained the first fire of the enemy, when hardly a man fell.
" The whole right wing of our battalion, thinking it impossible to pass through the marsh, attempted to force their way through the woods, where they were almost to a man killed or taken. The Maryland battalion has lost two hundred and fifty-nine men, amongst whom are twelve officers : Captains Veazey and Bowie, the first certainly killed; Lieutenants Butler, Sterritt, Dent, Coursey, Muse, Prawl; Ensigns Coates and Fernandez; who of them killed or who prisoners is yet uncertain. Many of the officers lost their swords and guns. We have since abandoned Long Island, bringing off all our military stores.
" Generals Sullivan and Stirling are both prisoners. Colonels Atlee, Miles, and Piper are also taken. There are about one thou- sand men missing in all. We took a few prisoners. By a lieutenant we took, we un- derstand they had about twenty-three thou- sand men on the Island that morning. Most of our Generals were upon a high hill, in our lines, viewing us with glasses. When we
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began our retreat, they could see the enemy we had to pass through, though we could not. Many of them thought we would surrender in a body without firing. When we begun the attack, General Washington wrung his hands and cried out, Good God ! What brave fellows I must this day lose. Major Guest commanded the Maryland battalion, the Colonel and Lieu- tenant Colonel being both at York. Captains Adams and Lucas were sick. The Major, Captain Ramsey and Lieutenant Plunkett were foremost and within forty yards of the enemy's muzzles, when they were fired upon by the enemy, who were chiefly under cover of an orchard, save a force that showed them- selves, and pretended to give up, clubbing their firelocks until we came within that dis- tance, when they immediately presented, and blazed in our faces; they entirely overshot us, and killed some men away behind in our rear. I had the satisfaction of dropping one of them the first fire I made. I was so near I could not miss. I discharged my rifle seven times that day, as deliberately as I ever did at a mark, and with as little perturbation."
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