USA > New York > Kings County > Brooklyn > A history of the city of Brooklyn and Kings county, Volume I > Part 15
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Washington, in a letter dated September 4, 1776, addressed to General Schuyler, fixes the number in killed, wounded, and prisoners on
4
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the American side in the Long Island battle at from seven hundred to one thousand men.1
In writing to the Massachusetts Assembly, under date of September 19, 1776, Washing- ton states that the number in killed and wounded of the enemy could not be ascer- tained, " but that it was pretty considerable and exceeded ours a good deal." He also says that the Americans lost eight hundred men, three fourths of whom were taken prison- ers, thereby leaving only two hundred killed.2
English writers upon this subject place the loss on the American side at between three and four thousand. These figures greatly over- step the mark, and were doubtless gathered from the reports of those commanding gen- erals who desired to make it appear to the home authorities that a substantial victory had been secured.
The loss in the battle of Brooklyn is fixed by the best authorities at not over a thousand men. This, as we have seen, is the number fixed by Washington himself, both in his letters and official reports. Johnson, in his admirable and exhaustive narrative of the campaign of 1776, concurs in this view. These figures appear to
1 Force, 5th series, vol. ii. p. 167.
2 Force, 5th series, vol. ii. p. 399.
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be a correct estimate of the loss sustained. Certainly if as many had been killed as re- ported by British officials, some tradition or evidence would exist as to the vast number re- quiring burial after the battle, and subsequent to the evacuation. The neutral inhabitants remaining on the island would have found abundant occupation in consigning so many to mother earth. This alone would have ren- dered the occasion memorable.
The loss on the Tory side appears from the returns made by General Howe to have been :- Commissioned officers : three generals, three colonels, four lieutenant-colonels, three majors, eighteen captains, forty-three lieutenants, and eleven ensigns ; staff officers: one adjutant, three surgeons, two volunteers ; privates : one thousand and six. This includes nine wounded officers and fifty-six wounded privates.1
In the annals of the Revolutionary period in Brooklyn, a conspicuous place is occupied by the famous Rising Sun tavern. It stood (and still stands) at the junction of the Bed- ford and Jamaica turnpikes in East New York, and was an old-fashioned farm-house of the Dutch type. This famous tavern, from its prominent position on the King's highway,
1 Force, 5th series, vol. iii. p. 1057.
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was a resort for the burghers and farmers of the island. The host, William Howard, was very popular amongst the people, and the old landmark, so prominent in the early history of Kings County, has long been an object of interest.
At this house, the day before the battle of Brooklyn, an important meeting in reference to the war was held. The house was situated within five miles of the American intrench- ments, which were in the neighborhood of Bridge and Fulton streets. The American army rested quietly, not dreaming of the im- pending danger. Meanwhile the British army was not inactive. It was encamped at Flatbush. Just after midnight it occupied the roads lead- ing to East New York, and pushed forward to that suburban spot. The guides who had been employed lost their way, and General Howe found it absolutely necessary to obtain more trustworthy leaders. In consulting upon the subject, it was determined that William How- ard, the keeper of the tavern, being familiar with the different passes, was the best man to secure in the emergency. The approach of the army had not been observed by the occu- pants of the wayside hotel. Suddenly the bar-room door was forced open, and the ter-
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rified family were aroused from their slumbers. The guard sought and found the astonished innkeeper, and quickly brought him before the august generals Howe, Cornwallis, and Sir Henry Clinton. It was their desire to use this man to guide them over the hills and through the woods to the little hamlet at Bed- ford, where it was supposed a large body of Americans were encamped, whom the invaders desired to outflank, and by a circuitous route, if possible, gain the plain beyond, and thus cut off their rear. Howard was perfectly familiar with the intricate pathways. The interview be- tween Howard and the British officers was brief and to the point. William Howard had a son then only fourteen years of age. The events of the evening left a vivid impression on the lad's mind. In after years, in referring to the adventures of that night, he said : " It was about two o'clock in the morning of the 27th of Au- gust that I was awakened by seeing a soldier by the side of my bed. I got up and dressed, and went down into the bar-room, where I saw my father standing in one corner, with three British soldiers before him, with muskets and bayonets fixed. The army (numbering about sixteen thousand men) was then lying in the fields in front of the house. General Howe
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asked for a glass of liquor, and, after receiv- ing it, entered into conversation with William Howard, and said: ' I must have some one to show me the Rockaway path around the pass.' "
To this remark Howard replied: " We belong to the other side, General, and can't serve you against our duty." General Howe then said : " That is all right, stick to your country, or stick to your principles ; but, Howard, you are my prisoner, and must guide my men over the hill." Howard, in the nobility of his nature, objected to being a party to the betrayal of his countrymen, but was silenced by the Gen- eral, who finally said: " You have no alterna- tive. If you refuse, I shall have you shot through the head." 1
It was a painful task for Howard to thus pave the way for the destruction of the Ameri- can army. He was led out under a guard, which was directed to shoot him should he attempt to make his escape. The entire march was conducted in a cautious, noiseless manner, and every precaution taken to be in readiness for an attack. They succeeded in reaching the road below the Bedford pass, and flanked the position supposed to be occupied by the American troops.
1 Corporation Manual of Brooklyn, 1866.
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Young Howard, who accompanied his father, in giving an account of the march, says : “ On reaching the turn in the Jamaica road, my father and myself were released and sent back to the tavern, which we found surrounded by the guard."
It may be well to state here that the Rock- away path was a narrow pass across the hill, forming now a portion of Evergreen Ceme- tery, and led from the Jamaica road to Bush- wick lane, now the main entrance to the cemetery.
In the legal documents of the time, the roads were called the King's highways. The Brooklyn and Jamaica road, which passed through the hills near East New York, was known as the King's highway. General Howe named it, " the pass through the hills."
The name of the Clove road originated from the fact that it passed through the clove or cleft of the hills. By the British army it was distinguished as the Bedford pass. The valley through which the Flatbush road passed, being densely covered with wood, was called Valley Grove.
The enemy, having crossed over from Long Island and effected a landing in New York city on the 15th of September, immediately
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pushed forward to meet and drive before them the forces of Washington, which movement on their part culminated in the battle of Har- lem Heights. In that engagement, which was short and fierce, the Americans lost, in killed, 16 privates, whilst the damage done to the en- emy was 74 killed and 274 wounded. Gov- ernor Clinton, who witnessed the battle, wrote of it : " It has animated our troops, given them new spirits, and erased every bad impression the retreat from Long Island had left in their minds. They find that they are able with inferior numbers to drive their enemy, and think of nothing now but conquest."
Shortly after the occupation of New York by the British, and on the 21st of September, the city was visited by a great fire, which quickly reduced a large part of it to ashes. It is estimated that 500 houses were obliterated. Trinity Church was destroyed, and the Lu- theran chapel, situated on the corner of Rector Street, met the same fate. St. Paul's Church, the oldest religious edifice now standing in New York city, was saved by the energy and superhuman exertions of the citizens. Long may this old landmark resist the vandalism of the age. The fire was looked upon as the act of an incendiary. The Tory element of the
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community, believing that it was caused by the Sons of Liberty, accused them of the act. Several citizens were arrested as accessories, but were subsequently discharged, as no evi- dence could be produced on which to hold them.
During this time the Continental Congress continued to hold its sessions in the city of Philadelphia.
On the 3Ist of August, Washington sent a letter to Congress wherein he gave an explicit statement of the result of the council of war held on Long Island, and the reasons which led him to withdraw the troops from that locality. By reason of this decision New York city, and all its fortifications, was ulti- mately given up to the British fleet and army. The new occupants, upon taking possession, adopted measures to fortify and strengthen it against invasion from the American forces.
After the occupation of New York by the British army, large numbers of Tories, who had been compelled to forsake the place by reason of the stringent measures adopted by the Committee of Safety against all who sided with royalty, again returned to the city and were warmly welcomed by the new authori- ties. Amongst the number who returned to
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their old haunts was Rivington the printer, whose vituperations against the Sons of Lib- erty had in former times called down upon him the wrath and enmity of the patriots. The returning Tories held high carnival in the city. They seemed to think that the cause of the Americans was lost, and that soon they would have undisputed control of public affairs.
Kings County, which never had manifested a strong patriotism, contained many who did not greatly lament the triumph of the British. The retreat of the American army from Long Island served to strengthen the convictions of the Tory adherents, and induced them to embrace the opportunity afforded of for- saking what they conceived to be the "lost cause," and give in their adhesion to the Crown of England. Moreover, as we shall see by later explanation, there was a peculiarly heavy pressure placed on the loyalty of Kings County.
It was under this pressure that in Novem- ber some of the largest freeholders in the county of Kings met together and resolved to accept the terms offered by Howe in his proclamations. In order to gain favor with the British authorities, an address was pre-
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pared in the Uriah Heep style, in which it was stated : -
" We, therefore, whose names are hereto sub- scribed, freeholders and inhabitants of Kings County, in the province of New York, reflect- ing with the tenderest emotions of gratitude on this instance of his Majesty's paternal good- ness and encouraged by the affectionate man- ner in which his Majesty's gracious purpose hath been conveyed to us by your Excellen- cies, who have thereby evinced that humanity is inseparable from that true magnanimity and those enlarged sentiments which form the most shining characters, they beg leave to represent to your Excellencies, that we bear true allegiance to our rightful sovereign George the Third, as well as warm affection to his sacred person, crown, and dignity, to tes- tify which we and each of us have voluntarily taken an oath (in the church at Flatbush) be- fore Wm. Axtell, Esq., one of his Majesty's council for this province, in the following words : 'I do solemnly promise and swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to his Majesty King George the Third, and that I will defend his crown and dignity against all persons whomsoever. So help me God. And that we esteem the constitutional supremacy of Great Britain over these colonies, and other depending parts of his Majesty's dominions, as
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essential to the union, security, and welfare of the whole empire; and sincerely lament the interruption of that harmony which formerly subsisted between the parent state and these her colonies. We therefore hereby pray that your Excellencies would be pleased to restore this country to his Majesty's protection and peace." 1
This was certainly a model epistle, and clearly demonstrated the character of the men who endorsed its sentiments, or pretended to endorse them, by appending to it their names. As the common people had expressed them- selves so freely, the leaders, not to be outdone in giving evidence of submission to royalty, a short time afterwards presented to Governor Tryon an address couched in terms of detesta- tion of the rebellion, and of warm admiration for the Crown. It was a craven document, evincing cowardice and lack of true manliness. It ran as follows : -
" We, the members of the Provincial Con- gress, the County Committee, and the Com- mittees of the different townships, elected by the inhabitants of Kings County, feel the high- est satisfaction in having it in our power to dissolve ourselves without danger of the county being dissoluted, as it was by repeated threats
1 Onderdonk, Kings County, sec. 829.
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some short time ago. We do hereby accord- ingly dissolve ourselves, rejecting and disclaim- ing all power of Congress and committees, totally refusing obedience thereto, and revok- ing all proceedings under them whatsoever, as being repugnant to the laws and constitution of the British Empire, and undutiful to our sovereign, and ruinous to the welfare and pros- perity of this county. We beg leave to assure your Excellency we shall be exceeding happy in obeying the legal authority of government, whenever your Excellency shall be pleased to call us forth, being of long experience well as- sured of your Excellency's mild and upright administration."
This paper was signed on December 3 and 4. Amongst the parties who appended their signatures to this obsequious missive are the following, many of whom will be recognized as prominent in the annals of the community : -
Philip Nagel
Denyse Denyce
Wm Johnson
Engelbert Lott
Evert Suydam
I. Hubbard
Richard Stillwell
Garret Wyckoff
Johannes E. Lott
Richard Stillwell, Jr.
Rem Cowenhoven Rutgers Van Brunt
Nich Cowenhoven
Adrien Hegeman
Joost Duryea Abram Laguare
Jeremiah Vanderbilt
Derick Remsen
Stephen Voorhies
Abram Voorhies
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Adrian Voorhies
Isaac Denyce
Petrus Van Pelt
Johannes Bergen
Leffert Lefferts
John Vanderbilt
Wilh& Stoothoof Theodorus Polhemus
Casper Crisper Wm Van Brunt
Isaac Cortelyou
Jacobus Vanderwenter
Petrus Lott
Cor® Wyckoff
Johannes De Bevoice Jeremias Remsen 1
That these men, who had served in official stations in councils of the state, and who had witnessed for a dozen years the aggressions of the Crown, should so far submit to British authority, and be willing to resume the yoke when an opportunity was presented by con- certed action to throw off the shackles which bound them to the mother country, is perhaps sufficient evidence of the strain produced by the peculiar situation in Kings County.
The militia, who had rendered but little ser- vice to the patriots, now followed the example set them by their leaders, and, to gain favor with the British officers, voluntarily raised and contributed the munificent sum of £310 8s towards defraying the expenses of raising and equipping a new battalion to be employed in the service of the Tories. Howe and Tryon rejoiced greatly over these manifestations on
1 Onderdonk, Kings County, sec. 830.
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the part of the people of Kings County. Such acts encouraged them greatly in their labors, and led them to suppose that the war was being carried on by a few zealous but hot- headed fanatics, who desired to enrich them- selves by a continuance of the rebellion. They believed that they could control the rich, who did not wish to part with their property to be used in a prolonged campaign, and the poor, who did not desire to be separated from their families by compulsory service in the army. General Howe and Governor Tryon, whose position of late years had become merely nomi- nal, gladly accepted these evidences of obedi- ence to their mandates, and were careful to scatter amongst them the assurance that "his Majesty has observed with great satisfaction the effusions of loyalty and affection which break forth in the address of his faithful sub- jects, upon their deliverance from the tyranny and oppression of the rebel committees; and the proof given by the inhabitants of Kings County of their zeal for the success of his Majesty's measures by so generously contrib- uting towards the expense of raising Colonel Fanning's battalion cannot fail of recommend- ing them to his Majesty's favor."1
1 Onderdonk, Kings County, sec. 830.
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No one, upon hearing of these manifestations on the part of the people of Kings County, would for a moment wonder that the leaders of the rebellion against kingly authority should at times feel discouraged and disheartened. However, with so many who were faithless, there were some who still were true to the honored cause. The name of Major Barent Johnson, father of the late General Jeremiah Johnson, stands conspicuously amongst those who were not ashamed to acknowledge alle- giance to the infant republic. Johnson was ever distinguished as a patriot, and attested his love of liberty, not only by words but also by actions. On every occasion he fearlessly and boldly advocated the revolutionary movement, and was one of the officers of the Kings County militia who would not truckle to power, and who refused "to sell his heritage for a mess of pottage." When the American army retreated from Brooklyn he followed their fortunes, and was encamped with them at Harlem in 1776, and ever testified his love of country by his willingness to serve her in her hour of danger and trial. In the early part of 1777 he was taken prisoner while accompanying the American army to New Jersey. Subsequently he obtained a parole
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from General Howe through assistance of a brother Mason, and returned to his home in Kings County. He resided on the old farm in the present nineteenth ward of the city, so long known as the residence of General Jeremiah Johnson. He did all he could to aid the American cause. "In order to help on the cause to which he was devoted, he shrank not from personal and pecuniary risks, but sug- gested loans from friends in his county to the American government, and himself set the example by loaning, first, £700, and afterwards sums amounting to $5000; all the security for which was a simple private receipt, given, too, in times of exceeding peril and discourage- ment, - a noble and memorable deed."1
There were many signs during 1776 that Kings County's disaffection was recognized. At the session of the Provincial Congress held June 21, the subject of preventing Kings County from giving aid to the enemy was dis- cussed, and resulted in the passage of the fol- lowing resolution : -
Resolved, That it be recommended to the general committee of Kings County, imme- diately to take effectual measures that all
1 Rev. Dr. S. R. Johnson's Memorial Discourse on General Jeremiah Johnson.
-
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boats and craft in the bay, on the south and southwest sides of said county, be drawn up or on the upland, to such a distance from the water as to prevent as much as possible the disaffected persons in that county from keep- ing up a communication with the enemy; and that the oars and sails belonging to the said boats and craft be secured in the most effec- tual manner.
At this session Kings County was repre- sented by Mr. Lefferts and Mr. Polhemus.
On the 10th of August the Provincial Con- vention (to which name that of the former Congress had been changed), directed that one half of the militia of Kings County and Queens County be "immediately ordered to march and put themselves under the command of the officer commanding the Continental troops on Nassau Island, to be continued in service until the first day of September next, unless sooner discharged by order of this Con- vention."
The Convention, having received informa- tion that the inhabitants of Kings County had determined not to oppose the enemy, there- upon adopted the following resolution : -
Resolved, That a committee be appointed to repair forthwith to said county, and enquire
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concerning the authenticity of such report, and in case they find it well founded, that they be empowered to disarm and secure the disaf- fected inhabitants; to remove or destroy the stock of grain; and if they shall judge neces- sary, to lay the whole country waste. And for the execution of these purposes, they are di- rected to apply to General Greene, or the commander of the Continental troops in that county, for such assistance as they shall want.
The committee appointed in accordance with this resolution consisted of Mr. Duer, Colonel Remsen, Mr. Hebert, and Colonel De Wit.1
On the 13th of August the Convention, in pursuance of the resolution passed on the Ioth of August, relative to the Kings County militia, appointed Colonel Jeromus Remsen of Queens County, Lieutenant-Colonel Nichs Cowenhoven of Kings County, and Major Richard Thorne of Queens County, as officers of the militia ordered to be drafted from Kings and Queens counties, and placed them under the command of the officer commanding the Continental troops on Nassau Island.
The Convention of Representatives of the State of New York met again on the 21st
1 Journal of Provincial Convention, p. 567.
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of August. The first subject which engaged its attention was the character of the creden- tials presented by the delegates from Kings County. The convention, upon examination and due deliberation, came to the conclusion that the same were defective, in that they did not state "whether any, or what power was given to the representatives therein named." Considering that the representatives so elected should be expressly authorized to assist in framing and establishing a new form of gov- ernment, and thereby give in their adhesion to the independence of America, the Conven- tion ordered that the said Committee of Kings County be immediately informed of said defect, to the end that a new election might be held, whereat delegates clothed with full power in the premises might be returned.
The Convention of Representatives on the 29th of August passed a resolution recom- mending to the inhabitants of Long Island " to move as many of their women, children, and slaves, and as much of their live stock and grain, to the mainland, as they can," at the same time "assuring them that Conven- tion would pay the expense of moving the same."
There is much significance in the letter of
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John Sloss Hobart to the Committee of Safety, dated October 7, 1776, fairly stating the causes which led to the apparent submission of the citizens of Long Island to the British Crown. He shows that the measures adopted were from necessity and not from choice. He says : -
" Upon the retreat of the army from the island they viewed themselves as abandoned by the Convention, and expecting the enemy hourly amongst them, a general removal ap- peared impracticable; besides, to quit their pleasant habitations, and throw themselves, with their tender connections, upon the charity of an unknown world, was a degree of apathy to which they had not yet arrived. In a fit of despair they laid down their arms, and made an unconditional submission to what they supposed the inquiring army;1 the people at large being thus brought to terms, they found it less difficult by threats to induce the indi- viduals who had formerly held commissions under the Crown of Great Britain to resume the execution of their offices; being well led into the snare, every measure tended to draw the net closer about them. Notwithstanding which, I am, from the best authority, informed that they are accused by Mr. Tryon and his minions of having submitted only the better
1 So in the original Journal of Committee of Safety, p. 671.
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to cover their intention of removing, and that, unless the young men do voluntarily take up arms against their country, an inveterate and disappointed soldiery will be let loose upon them. These considerations induce me earnestly to wish that some measure may be taken to induce the people to quit the island, by offering a support to those who cannot maintain themselves - the aged and infirm must be maintained at public expense."
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