The Battle of Long Island (27 August 1776) was a major battle of the American Revolutionary War that occurred at the start of the New York City campaign of 1776. In the largest battle of the entire war, 20,000 British troops under William Howe defeated George Washington's 10,000 Continental Army troops, and the British would go on to capture the rest of New York City in the following months.
Background[]
After the Siege of Boston came to an end on 17 March 1776, George Washington brought the Continental Army to defend the port city of New York, then limited to southern Manhattan. On 4 July 1776, the US Declaration of Independence was ratified, with the Thirteen Colonies declaring their independence as the "United States". This declaration was partially in response to the news that King George III had been preparing a massive army to crush the colonial insurrection, with a total of 32,000 British troops under William Howe being readied for an invasion of New York. These troops included both redcoats and German mercenaries, the Hessians, who were known for their brutality due to their indifference towards the populace of the North American continent.
On 29 June 1776, 45 British Royal Navy ships dropped anchor in Lower New York Bay, and some eyewitnesses compared the sight to a forest of pine trees. Less than a week later, there were 130 British ships off Staten Island under the command of Admiral Richard Howe, General Howe's brother. On 2 July, the British began to land on Staten Island, and the citizens' militia defected to the British side rather than fight them. Howe attempted to convince the Americans to surrender, writing letters to Washington with the offer of pardons for the rebels. However, Washington refused to accept the pardons, necessitating a British invasion.
British plan[]
The British battle plan
By 12 August, the British fleet numbered over 400 ships, and 32,000 British and Hessian troops were camped on Staten Island. Washington, fearing that the British would attack Manhattan, divided his army between Manhattan and Long Island, with Nathanael Greene commanding the army on Long Island.
On 22 August, 15,000 British troops and 40 artillery pieces landed on Long Island at Gravesend Bay, and Charles Cornwallis and the advance guard encamped at the village of Flatbush. On 24 August, 5,000 Hessians arrived to reinforce the British, bringing their strength up to 20,000. The British were assisted by the American loyalists, who told General Henry Clinton of a weak point in the American line at the Jamaica Pass in what is now Jamaica, Queens. The British hatched a plan to defeat Washington's outnumbered forces: the British would send a portion of their force to attack the Americans from the front as the main force advanced through the Jamaica Pass to outflank the American army.
Battle[]
The battle of Long Island
Shortly after dawn on 27 August, the British and Hessians launched their diversion against the Americans. The Americans offered the British battle in the traditional style, and the British opened up fire with their cannon. The Americans stood amazingly well, but, one hour after the fighting began, the Americans heard the roar of cannon behind their lines, realizing that they were surrounded. The Hessians, with bayonets fixed, closed in on the Americans, who were historically unable to withstand such charges. The Hessians gave no mercy to the Americans, who were repulsed. To buy time for the rest of the army, General William Alexander and 400 Maryland troops counterattacked against the British. The Americans charged five times, being driven back each time. Washington sent in reinforcements, but the battle had turned into a rout, and the Americans suffered 20% losses. The remainder of the American army retreated to the main defenses on Brooklyn Heights, having lost 1,000 men, while the British lost just 400. The Americans were now trapped with their backs to the East River, and, on the night of 29-30 August 1776, John Glover's Marblehead boatmen evacuated the entire American army to Manhattan without the loss of supplies or a single life.
Aftermath[]
As Washington abandoned New York City, his officers debated burning it down, but both the commander and the Continental Congress refused. The British moved into their winter quarters, and, on 21 September, fire broke out in the city; no alarms could be rung, as the bells had been melted down into ammunition for the rebels. From his encampment in Harlem, Washington watched as the city was burnt to cinders, and the British blamed the patriot underground for the fire. In the following months, several more defeats forced the Americans to abandon New York and retreat into New Jersey.
Gallery[]
