battle point battle point october known skirmish fought british american troops new_york new_jersey campaign american revolutionary war conflict took place new_york_city october british forces landed order execute flanking maneuver trap george_washington commander chief american revolutionary forces main body continental_army island manhattan americans thwarted landing sir commander chief british forces north_america looked location troops october landed men miles north inland men brigade command american col positioned troops series stone walls attacked british advance units british overran position american troops fell reorganized wall attacks british broke americans retreated battle delayed british movements long washington main army white plains avoid surrounded manhattan losing british battle losing washington retreated new_jersey pennsylvania background victory battle long island late august commander chief british forces north_america sir landed troops eastern shore present day manhattan september george_washington army retreated plateau situated north end washington good defensive position rear guarded sides rocky heights hudson harlem rivers rocky heights south forces british day british attacked americans defeated little action month forces remained fortified positions unable decide americans believed howe attack fort washington attempt flank americans landing point council war decided guard possibilities washington kept men defend took troops defend given troops defend hudson_river near fort constitution days howe decided frontal attack chose instead attempt flanking maneuver october leaving brigades command lord hugh howe embarked main army vessels proceeded hell gate landed originally known known narrow spit land sits howe road running directly american forces howe hoped use road flank americans pin hudson_river cover fog advance force men command general landed dismay found peninsula island separated mainland creek marsh ways mainland causeway bridge lower end ford americans guarding col detachment men 1st positioned length causeway having removed wood bridge surprised british troops fell attempt cross ford guarded detachment americans guarding positions quickly reinforced defenders soon numbered men howe decided better retreat land camp remained days supplies reinforcements including soldiers command brought new_york midnight october howe embarked army decided land near town miles north hearing landing washington knew manhattan decision army believed safe october continental_army way white plains leaving men garrison fort washington battle dawn british began land shore clinton advance guard british light infantry landing inland opposing brigade men command atop hill noticed british ships sent officer major report washington second command ask orders lee orders absence orders chose attack turned brigade consisted 14th 13th 3rd 26th continental regiments left men 14th reserve closed half distance ran approximately ordered captain man company forward advance guard hold british check organized rest force prepared ambush placing main body positions stone walls lined leading interior instructed regiments hold position long fall position rear unit took fighting rode command advance guard advance guard british began engage sides taking casualties little british reinforced ordered retreat confusion british troops began advance retreating americans troops 13th stationed stone wall stood fired british yards away ambush worked column british troops took heavy losses fell main body invading army british waited half hour attacking time attacked attacked men seven cannon british bombarded american position stone wall infantry advanced cannon fire ineffective british yards away americans fired volley stopped british infantry british returned fire musket rifle fire ensued minutes british supported cannon point lead american regiment fell cover reserve regiment stationed stone wall opposite road british attacked position 3rd engagement ensued sides kept constant fire americans breaking british lines times british numbers began americans ordered withdrawal stone wall crest hill regiment line 26th engaged british reconnaissance party men sent stone wall british try flank american position party ran british continued advance fell stone wall americans wall fired volley gave order retreat americans retreated bridge stream retreat covered men 14th engaged artillery duel british howe camped hill opposite stream attempt cross stream aftermath day force retreated town american casualties killed wounded british casualties known howe official dispatch listed british casualties killed wounded report include casualties majority landing force reasonable expect majority casualties days knowledge collected british americans estimated british lost killed wounded likely colonel present battle estimated americans killed british historian says undoubtedly historian argues support baldwin estimates admission british regardless combined british casualties certainly larger americans british advance delayed main american army washington able safely evacuate harlem island manhattan howe slowly moved army october sent men attack americans resulting minor victory washington battle white plains american stronghold manhattan fell november defeats washington army retreated new_jersey pennsylvania paving way battles princeton
Battle of Pell's Point