nine o'clock at night on August 26
Five thousand remained to guard this post , and 10,000 , under General Puttenham , advanced to hold the line of wooded hills which run across the island . In the center of the plain , at the foot of these hills , stood the village of Flatbush . The Hessian division of the British army , under General De Heister , advanced against this , while General Clinton , with the right wing of the English army , moved forward to attack the enemy 's left . This force marched at nine o'clock at night on August 26 ; General Sir William Howe himself accompanied it . The line of hills trended away greatly to the left , and the enemy had neglected to secure the passes over the hills on this flank ; consequently , at nine o'clock in the morning , the British passed the range of hills without resistance , and occupied Bedford in its rear . Had Sir William Howe now pushed on vigorously , the whole of Puttenham 's force must have been captured . In the meantime the Hessians from Flatbush attacked the center of the Americans , and after a warm engagement , routed them and drove them into the woods with a loss of three pieces of cannon .