battle island battle island raid continental_army troops major general british forces august american revolutionary war british lieutenant general sailed army new_york july americans recognized british position vulnerable planned attack sullivan raid executed suffered shortage boats effect crossing detachments guide enemy position rear result sullivan prisoners expected men taken prisoner lack boats sullivan accused raid court martial held later sullivan charges background march british forces general withdrew boston fortified high ground threatening city harbor army augmented reinforcements europe general howe captured new_york_city forcing washington retreat way new_jersey end washington crossed surprised german troops new_jersey eventually regained control state armies settled winter quarters campaign got underway july following months preparation preliminary maneuvers new_jersey general howe brother admiral launched fleet carrying new_york based army south plan capture american capital philadelphia landing army upper end chesapeake_bay marching north general washington notified promptly fleet departure unaware destination heard august fleet appeared moving south philadelphia possibly heading charleston south_carolina result prepared north assist general gates defend hudson_river lieutenant general march south quebec august alerted fleet spotted week earlier mouth chesapeake_bay realizing danger philadelphia immediately issued orders entire army south speed orders major general commanded line defenses eastern new_jersey rejoin main army convenient speed prelude sullivan meantime learned departure howe army left vulnerable planned execution raid british targets learned bulk british regulars near northern end island new_jersey loyalist militia scattered western shore facing new_jersey mainland plan cross groups island points present day elizabeth new_jersey capture prisoners isolated militia outposts destroy supplies old star ferry present day new_jersey return mainland british defenses island overall command brigadier general consisted regular army elements 52nd foot regiments called german states loyalist new_jersey militia known command skinner campbell men including german troops numbered stationed near northeastern tip island skinner men numbering according campbell report stationed outposts western shore ferry ward point general sullivan base new_jersey ordered commanders august prepare troops march day sources describe precise composition troops chosen drawn sullivan division consisted brigades comprised regiments additional troops chosen operation included companies 2nd company new_jersey militia afternoon august columns numbering left camp column led headed sullivan consisted troops led french officer given continental_army brigadier commission reaching late evening rested hours began crossing early morning detachment led colonel crossed opposite rowed kill order approach target militia brigade rear remaining troops crossed near run north island split groups sullivan led columns away attack specific targets leaving regiment cover line retreat battle attacked lawrence outpost dawn surprising routing militia company minutes battle taken prisoners moved outpost lieutenant colonel commanding 3rd battalion men stiff resistance mortal wound prompted retreat waiting long thought crossed men mainland sullivan arrived sullivan moved attack skinner 5th battalion command lieutenant colonel troops alert fled sullivan forces advanced sullivan placed troops intercept men tried away men escaped crossing jersey shore hiding woods swamps area sullivan took prisoners including men advanced skinner headquarters force strong americans retreated general column led guide loyalist battalion instead rear ordered attack men fled rallied general skinner tables turned americans beat hasty retreat time destroy camp supplies equipment managed seize battle standard sullivan joined forces near richmond village center island way sullivan sent boats speed crossing arrived began crossing troops prisoners boats cross earlier skinner company approached accompanied forces campbell 52nd regiments sullivan ordered companies majors stewart cover retreat numbering roughly men successfully held accumulated british forces american troops crossed mainland determined attempts break line covering line managed escape number men killed sizable number surrendered ran ammunition british began firing shot british loss given loyalist publication mercury september killed wounded missing sir wrote british took prisoners engagement historian gives number men captured american prisoners officers wounded ranking officer captured lieutenant colonel aftermath sullivan forces marched south battle able join washington defensive arrangements south philadelphia time participate key battle september general sullivan later subjected court martial accusations expedition variety ways court charges
Battle of Staten Island