USA > New York > Kings County > Revolutionary incidents of Suffolk and Kings Counties; with an account of the Battle of Long Island and the British prisons and prison-ships at New York > Part 12
USA > New York > Suffolk County > Revolutionary incidents of Suffolk and Kings Counties; with an account of the Battle of Long Island and the British prisons and prison-ships at New York > Part 12
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From a British Officer of rank.
" The Americans fought bravely, and (to do them justice) could not be broken till they were greatly outnumbered and taken in flank, front, and rear. We were greatly shocked at the massacre made by the Hes- sians and Highlanders after victory was decided."
Lord Percy writes from camp at Newtown, Sep. 4, " It was the General's orders that the troops should receive the rebels' first fire, and then rush on them, before they had recovered their arms, with our bay- onets, which threw them into the utmost confusion."
" General Robertson says: " The battalion of grenadiers led by Col. Stuart, and 33d reg., ran across a field beyond the Flatbush road to- wards the principal redoubt. Gen. Vaughan asked if he should attack the lines, (which were semicircular and the parapets lined with spears and lances,) but he was ordered back." The London Chronicle says : "Col. Monckton and Gen. Vaughan led the grenadiers and light infantry. They saw the advantage, and told Howe the rebels were shut up be- tween the British and the sea. Vaughan stormed with rage at being stopped, and sent word to Howe that he could force the lines with incon- siderable loss." The American cannon were not well pointed ; a great number of shot came over the British, but some were killed and some wounded by small arms from the lines. [One of the L. I. militia says he heard the bullets whistle over his head as he stood in the ditch. Putnam rode along the lines and ordered them not to fire till they could see the whites of the enemies' eyes. A British officer was brought wounded into Boerum's bolt-house, which was used as a hospital, where were several rows of beds occupied by the wounded.
Wm. Howard, aged 87, says the British army was guided by N. W
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along a narrow road across Schoonmaker's bridge, (where a small force might easily have brought the whole British army to a stand.) Thence they turned off east of Dan'l Rapalje's and crossed the fields to the south of Howard's half-way house, where they halted in front of his house. About 2 o'clock in the morning, after the market wagons had passed, Howe, [?] with a citizen's hat on and a camblet cloak over his uniform dress, entered Wm. Howard's tavern, attended by Clinton and two aids, and asked for something to drink, conversed with him, and asked if he had joined the association ? Howard said he had. " That's all very well. Stick to your integrity. But now you are my prisoner, and must lead me across these hills out of the way of the enemy, the nearest way to Gowanus." Howard accordingly conducted the army by a passage way between his house and horse shed over the hills and woods east of his house, till they came to the cleared land north of the woods. The horses drew the artillery up the hill in a slanting direction, and halted on the brow to breathe a little. The army then proceeded west and came out at Baker's tavern by the Gowanus road. The British took Adj. Jeromus Hoogland [Lt. Troup] and Lt. Dunscomb, American patroles, at the big white oak (since struck by lightning) in the middle of the road by the mile post, a little east of Howard's. Isaac Boerum, a trooper, of New Lots, was also taken in Bushwick, and died of small-pox in prison. -Ed.]
806. R. H. Harrison to the President of Congress.
New-York, 8 o'clock P. M., Aug. 27, 1776.
Sir-I have this minute returned from our lines on Long Island, where I left his Excellency, the General. From him, I have it in command to inform Congress, that yesterday he went there, and con- tinued till evening, when, from the enemy having landed a consid- erable part of their forces, and from many of their movements, there was reason to apprehend they would in a little time make a general attack. As they would have a wood to pass through before they could approach the lines, it was thought expedient to place a number of men on the roads leading from where they were stationed, in order to harass and annoy them in their march. This being done, early this morning a smart engagement ensued between the enemy and our detachments-which being unequal to the force they had to con- tend with, have sustained considerable loss. At least, many of our men are missing. Among those that have not returned, are Gen. Sullivan and Lord Stirling. The enemy's loss is not known cer- tainly ; but we are told by such of our troops as were in the engage-
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ment, and have come in, that they had many killed and wounded. Our party brought off a lieutenant, sergeant and corporal, with 20 privates, prisoners. While these detachments were engaged, a column of the enemy descended from the woods, and marched toward the centre of our lines, with a design to make an impression, but were repulsed. This evening they appeared very numerous about the skirts of the woods where they have pitched several tents ; and his Excellency inclines to think they mean to attack and force us from our lines by way of regular approaches, rather than in any other manner. To-day five ships of the line came up toward the town, where they seemed desirous of getting, as they tacked a long time against an unfavorable wind ; and on my return this evening, I found a deserter from the 23d Regt., who informed me that they de- sign, as soon as the wind will permit them, to come up to give us a severe cannonading, and silence our batteries if possible. I have the honor to be, in great haste, sir, your most obedient.
Sparks, IV. 513.
807. Gen. Sullivan to the President of Congress.
Whitemarsh, Oct. 25, 1777.
I know it has been generally reported that I commanded on Long Island when the action happened there. This is by no means true. Gen. Putnam had taken the command from me four days before the action. Lord Stirling commanded the main body without the lines. I was to have commanded under Gen. Putnam within the lines. I was uneasy about a road through which I had often foretold that the enemy would come, but could not persuade others to be of my opin- ion. I went to the hill near Flatbush to reconnoitre, and with a picket of 400 men was surrounded by the enemy, who had advanced by the very road I had foretold, and which I paid horsemen $50 for patrolling by night while I had the command, as I had no foot for the purpose. What resistance I made with these four hundred men against the British army, I leave to the officers who were with me to declare. Let it suffice for me to say, that the opposition of this small party lasted from half past 9 to 12 o'clock. The reason of so few troops being on Long Island was because it was generally supposed that the enemy's landing there was a feint to draw our troops thither, that they might the more easily possess themselves of New-York. I often urged, both by word and writing, that, as the enemy had doubtless both these objects in view, they would
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first try for Long Island, which commanded the other; and then New-York, which was completely commanded by it, would fall of course. But in this I was unhappy enough to differ from almost every officer in the army, till the event proved my conjectures were just.
808. Lord Stirling to Gen. Washington. Eagle, Aug. 29, 1776.
MY DEAR GENERAL : I have now an opportunity of informing you of what has happened to me since I last had the pleasure of seeing you. About 3 o'clock in the morning of the 27th, I was called up, and informed by Gen. Putnam that the enemy were ad- vancing by the road from Flatbush to the Red Lion, and ordered me to march with the two regiments nearest at hand to meet them ; these happened to be Haslet's and Smallwood's, with which I accord- ingly marched, and was on the road to the Narrows just as the day- light began to appear. We proceeded to within about half a mile of the Red Lion, and there met Col. Atlee, with his regiment, wlio informed me the enemy were in sight ; indeed, I then saw their front between us and the Red Lion. I desired Col. Atlee to place his regiment on the left of the road, and to wait their coming up, while I went to form the two regiments I had brought with me along a ridge from the road up to a piece of wood on the top of the hill ; this was done instantly on very advantageous ground. Our oppo- nents advanced, and were fired upon in the road by Atlee's regi- ment, who after two or three rounds, retreated to the wood on my left, and there formed. By this time Kichline's riflemen arrived ; part of them I placed along a liedge under the front of the hill, and the rest in the front of the wood. The troops opposed to me were two brigades, of four regiments each, under the command of Gen. Grant, who advanced their light troops to witliin one hundred and fifty yards of our right front, and took possession of an orchard there, and some hedges which extended towards our left; this brought on an exchange of fire between those troops and our rifle- men, which continued for about two hours, and then ceased, by those light troops retiring to their main body. In the meantime Capt. Carpenter brought up two field-pieces, which were placed on the side of the hill so as to command the road and the only approach for some hundred yards. On the part of Gen. Grant there were two field-pieces ; one howitzer advanced to within 300 yards of the front
7+
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of our right, and a like detachment of artillery to the front of our left, on a rising ground, at about 600 yards distance. One of their brigades formed in two lines opposite to our right, and the others extended in one line to the top of the hills in front of our left; in this position we stood cannonading each other till near 11 o'clock, when I found that Gen. Howe, with the main body of the army, was between me and our lines, and saw that the only chance of escaping being all made prisoners, was to pass the creek near the Yellow Mills ; and in order to render this the more practicable, I found it absolutely necessary to attack a body of troops commanded by Lord Cornwallis, posted at the house near the Upper Mills ; this I instant- ly did, with about half of Smallwood's regiment, first ordering all the other troops to make the best of their way through the creek. We continued the attack a considerable time, the men having been rallied and the attack renewed five or six several times, and were on the point of driving Lord Cornwallis from his station, but large suc- cors arriving rendered it impossible to do more than provide for safe- ty. I endeavored to get in between that house and Fort Box ; but on attempting it, I found a considerable body of troops in my front, and several in pursuit of me on the right and left, and a constant firing on me. I immediately turned the point of a hill, which cov- ered me from their fire, and was soon out of reach of my pursuers. I soon found it would be in vain to attempt to make my escape, and therefore went to surrender myself to Gen. De Heister, commander- in-chief of the Hessians.
Grant had said that with 5000 men he could march from one end of the continent to the other. Stirling after forming his troops said, " Grant may have his 5,000 men with him, we are not so many, but I think we are enough to prevent his advancing further than that mill-pond." Stirling, at the head of 400 Maryland troops, attacked a corps under Cornwallis, stationed in a house at some short distance above the place at which he proposed to cross Gowanus Creek .- Duer's Life of Stirling, p. 163.
[Was this the old Cortelyou brick house ?- Ed.]
809.
Col. Halset to Thos. Rodney.
Camp at Mt. Washington, 4th. Oct., 1776.
On Sunday 25th of Aug. last, my regiment was ordered to L. I., in Lord Stirling's Brigade, composed mostly of the southern troops, by
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whom we were much caressed, and highly complimented on our ap- pearance and dexterity in the military exercise and manœuvres. On Tuesday 27th, his brigade, consisting of 5 regiments, and a few of Sulli- van's, not exceeding 5,000 men, were ordered to advance beyond the lines and repulse the enemy. To oppose this small band were 17,000 regulars, much better furnished with field-pieces and every other mili- tary appointment than we. Several of the regiments were broken and dispersed soon after the first onset. The Delawares and Marylanders stood firm to the last; and, after a variety of skirmishing, the Dela- wares drew up on the side of a hill, and stood upwards of four hours with a firm, determined countenance, in close array, their colors flying, the enemy's artillery playing on them all the while, not daring to ad- vance and attack them, though six times their number and nearly sur- rounding them. Nor did they think of quitting their station, till an ex- press order from the general commanded their retreat through a marsh and over a creek, the only opening left, which they effected in good order, with the loss of one man drowned in passing. The Delawares alone had the honor of bringing off 23 prisoners. I must also do Col. Smallwood's battalion the justice to say, that the spirited attack made by them on the enemy at the time the Delawares and themselves were retreating, greatly facilitated the escape of both. 27 of the Delawares next morning were missing. In that number were Lieuts. Stewart and Harney, the latter a prisoner, and the other not yet heard of. Major McDonough was wounded in the knee : a ball passed through the sleeve of his coat without wounding the arm or his body. Lt. Anderson had a ball lodged in his throat, Lt. Corn a ball still in his back : they are recovered. The standard was torn with grape-shot in Ensign Stephen's hand. In the retreat from L. I., which was conducted with great pru- dence, Cols. Shee, Smallwood, Hand, and some others I do not recol- lect, were called into council, and requested to take the defence of the lines upon us, while the main body of the army crossed the East River to N. York, which was accepted ; and last of all crossed ourselves, thank God, in safety.
810. From an American Officer, dated Aug. 28, 1776.
Yesterday's occurrence, no doubt, will be described to you various ways: I embrace this leisure moment, to give as satisfactory an ac- count as I am able. A large body of the enemy, that landed some time since on L. I., at the end of a beautiful plain, had extended their troops about six miles from the place of their first landing. There were, at this time, 11 regiments of our troops posted in different parts of the
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woods, between our lines and the enemy, through which they must pass, if they attempted any thing against us. Early in the morning, our scouting parties discovered a large body of the enemy, both horse and foot, advancing on the Jamaica road towards us : I was dispatched to Gen. Putnam, to inform him of it. On my way back, I discovered, as I thought, our battalion on a hill coming in, dressed in hunting shirts, and was going to join them, but was stopped by a number of our soldiers, who told me they were the enemy in our dress,-on this I pre- vailed on a sergeant and two men to halt, and fire on them, which pro- duced a shower of bullets, and we were obliged to retire. In the mean time the enemy, with a large body, penetrated through the woods on our right and centre or front ; and about nine o'clock, landed another body on our right, [at Bennet's Cove ?] the whole stretching across the field and woods, between our works and our troops, and sending out parties, accompanied with light horse, which harassed or surrounded fand surprised our new troops, who, however, sold their lives dear. Our orces then made towards our lines, but the enemy had taken possession of the ground before them by stolen marches. Our men broke through parties after parties, but still found the enemy's thousands before them. Cols. Smallwood's, Atlee's, and Haslet's battalions, with Gen. Stirling at their head, had collected on an eminence and made a good stand ; but the enemy fired a field-piece on them, and being greatly superior in number, obliged them to retreat into a marsh ; finding it out of their power to withstand about six thousand men, they waded through mud and water to a mill opposite them ; their retreat was covered by the second battalion, which had reached our lines. Col. Lutz's and the N. England regiments after this made some resistance in the woods, but were obliged by superior numbers to retire. Cols. Miles's and Brod- head's battalions, finding themselves surrounded, determined to fight and run : they did so, and broke through English and Hessians, dis- persed the horse, and at last came in with considerable loss. Col. Parry was, early in the day, shot through the head, encouraging his men. Eighty of our battalion came in this morning, having forced their way through the enemy's rear, and come round by the way of Hellgate : we expect more, who are missing, will come in the same way.
811. Extract from Col. Smallwood's Letter, Oct. 12, '76.
The enemy from the 21st to the 27th of Aug , were landing their troops on the lower part of L. I., where they pitched a large encamp- ment, and ours and their advanced parties were daily skirmishing
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at long shot, in which neither party suffered much. On the 26th, the Delaware and Maryland troops, which composed part of Lord Stirling's brigade, were ordered over. Col. Haslet and myself were detained on the trial of Lt. Col. Tedwitz. After our dismission, it was too late to get over, but pushing over early next morning we found our regiments engaged ; Lord Stirling having marched them off before day to take possession of the woods and difficult passes between our lines and the enemies' en- campment. But the enemy, overnight, had stole a march on our gen- erals, having got through those passes, met and surrounded our troops on the plain grounds within two miles of our lines. Lord Stirling drew up his brigade on an advantageous rising ground, where he was attacked by two brigades in front, headed by the Gens Cornwallis [Cornwallis was in his rear .- Ed ] and Grant, and in his rear the main body stood ready drawn up to support their own parties, and intercept the retreat of ours : this excellent disposition, and their superior numbers, ought to have taught our generals there was no time to be lost in securing their retreat, which might at first have been effected, had the troops formed into a heavy column and pushed their retreat ; but the longer this was delayed it became the more dangerous, as they were then landing more troops in front from the ships. [Bennet's Cove ?] Our brigade kept their ground for several hours, and in general behaved well, having received some heavy fires from the artillery and musketry of the enemy, whom they repulsed several times ; but their attacks were neither so vigorous or lasting as was expected, owing, as it was imagined, to their being cer- tain of making the whole brigade prisoners of war, for by this time they had so secured the passes on the road to our lines, (seeing our parties were not supported from thence, which indeed our numbers would not admit of,) that there was no possibility of retreating that way. Between the place of action and our lines there lay a large marsh and deep creek, not above 80 yds. across at the mouth, (the place of action upon a direct line did not much exceed a mile from a part of our lines,) towards the head of which creek there was a mill and bridge, across which a certain Col. Ward, from New England, who is charged with having acted a bashful part that day, passed over with his regiment and then burnt them down, though under cover of our cannon, which would have checked the enemy's pursuit at any time, otherwise this bridge might have afforded a secure retreat. There then remained no other prospect but to surrender, or attempt to retreat over this marsh and creek at the mouth, where no person had ever been known to cross. In the interim I applied to Gen. Washington for some regiments to march out
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to support and cover their retreat, which he urged would be attended with too great risk to the party and the lines. He immediately after- wards sent for and ordered me to march down a New England regiment, and Capt. Thomas's company, which had just come over from N. York, to the mouth of the creek opposite where the brigade was drawn up, and ordered two field-pieces down to support and cover their retreat, should they make a push that way. Soon after our march, they began to retreat, and for a short time the fire was very heavy on both sides, till our troops came to the marsh, where they were obliged to break their order, and escape as quick as they could to the edge of the creek, under a brisk fire, notwithstanding which they brought off 28 prisoners. The enemy taking advantage of a commanding ground, kept up a continual fire from four field-pieces, which were well served and directed, and a heavy column advancing on the marsh must have cut our people off, their guns being wet and muddy, not one of them could have fired, but having drawn up the musketry and disposed of some riflemen conveniently, with orders to fire on them when they came within shot. However, the latter began their fire too soon, being at 200 yds. distance, which notwithstanding had the desired effect, for the ene- my immediately retreated to the fast land, where they continued parad- ing within 600 yds. till our troops were brought over. Most of those who swam over, and others who attempted to cross before the covering party got down, lost their arms and accoutrements in the mud and creek, and some fellows their lives, particularly two of the Maryland, two of the Delaware, and one of Astley's Pennsylvania regiments, and two Hessian prisoners were drowned. Thomas's men contributed much in bringing over this party. I have inclosed a list of the killed and missing, amounting to 256, officers included. It has been said the enemy during the action also attacked our lines, but this was a mistake. Not know- ing the ground, one of their columns advanced within long shot, without knowing they were so near, and upon our artillery and part of the mus- ketry's firing on them, they immediately fled. The 28th, during a very hard rain, there was an alarm that the enemy had advanced to attack our lines, which alarmed the troops much, but was without foundation. The 29th, it was found by a general council of war, that our fortifica- tions were not tenable, and it was therefore judged expedient that the army should retreat from the Island that night. To effect which, not- withstanding the Maryland troops had but one day's respite, and many other troops had been many days clear of any detail duty, they were ordered on the advanced post at Fort Putnam within 250 yds. of the
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enemy's approaches, and joined with two Pennsylvania regiments on the left, were to remain and cover the retreat of the army, which was happily completed under cover of a thick fog and a southwest wind, both which favored our retreat, otherwise the fear, disorder, and confu- sion of some of the eastern troops must have retarded and discovered our retreat, and subjected numbers to be cut off.
[See also Col. Graydon's Memoirs .-- Ed.]
812. N. York, Sep. 1,'76. Last Monday we went over to L. I., and about midnight were alarmed by some of our scouting parties, who advis- ed us that the enemy were coming up the Island with several field-pieces. Upon which near 3,000 men were ordered out, chiefly of Marylanders and Pennsylvanians, to attack them on their march. About sunrise we came up with a large body of them. The Delaware and Maryland bat- talion made one part. Col. 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 for a considerable time, till they were near surrounding him, when he retreated to the woods. The enemy then advanced to us, when Lord Stirling, who commanded, immediately drew up in a line, and offered them battle in the true Eng- lish taste. The British then advanced within about 300 yards of us, and began a very 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 amazingly well, not even one showed a disposition to shrink. Our orders were not to fire till the enemy came within 50 yards of us ; but when they perceived we stood their fire so coolly and resolute- ly, they declined coming any nearer, though treble our number. In this situation we stood from sunrise till 12 o'clock, the enemy firing on us the chief part of the time, when the main body of British, by a route we never dreamed of, had surrounded us, and driven within the lines, or scattered 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 road and field between us and our lines. We had not retreated a quar- ter of a mile, before we were fired on by an advanced party of the enemy, and those in the rear playing their artillery on us. Our men fought with more than Roman valor. 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 narrow river, all the while exposed to the
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