battle long island battle long island known fought august major battle american revolutionary war place united_states declared independence july victory british_army beginning successful campaign gave control strategically important city new_york terms troop deployment fighting largest battle entire war defeating british siege boston march general george_washington commander chief brought continental_army defend port city new_york limited southern end washington understood city harbor provide excellent base campaign established defenses waited british attack july british command general landed miles harbor manhattan sparsely populated month half slowly reinforced ships lower new york bay bringing total force troops british fleet control entrance harbor narrows washington knew difficulty holding city believing manhattan target moved bulk forces august british landed shores bay southwest narrows dozen miles south established crossings manhattan days waiting british attacked american defenses unknown americans howe brought main army rear attacked flank soon americans panicked resulting percent losses casualties captures stand maryland troops prevented larger portion army lost remainder army retreated main defenses british dug siege night august washington evacuated entire army manhattan loss supplies single life washington continental_army driven new_york entirely defeats forced retreat new_jersey pennsylvania background boston new_york stage war british_army trapped city boston march abandoned setting sail halifax nova scotia await reinforcements washington began transfer regiments new_york_city believed british attack strategic importance washington left boston april arrived new_york april established headquarters home broadway facing previously february washington sent second command ahead new_york establish city defenses lee remained new_york_city march continental congress sent south_carolina defenses construction left general lord troops limited supply washington found defenses incomplete lee concluded british commanding sea impossible hold city lee reasoned defenses located ability inflict british heavy casualties hold ground established city facing city lee saw immediate area cleared loyalists strategy washington began moving troops brooklyn early short time thousand brooklyn eastern forts construction support stood west hamlet fort named confused later fort west_point named named major lay north south fort north slightly southwest box slightly southwest defensive structures surrounded large ditch connected line total cannons pounders constructed time located southwest past near present day addition new forts mounted battery established cannons placed fort george facing bowling green cannons placed dock sat sunk strategic locations deter british entering waterways washington authorized congress recruit army troops troops reached new_york military discipline inadequate routine orders carried muskets fired camp ruined knives cut food readiness petty internal conflict common strain people different environments relative commander artillery persuaded washington transfer soldiers lacked muskets guns crew artillery early june inspected land north end manhattan decided establish fort washington fort fort constitution later renamed planned opposite fort washington hudson_river forts hoped discourage british ships sailing hudson_river opposing forces july months began recruiting men contribution manpower new_york low new revolution sided crown caused volunteers seen battle come new_england area upstate new_york new_jersey pennsylvania delaware maryland men colonial militia meant white male volunteers ages years old unlike trained british soldiers men citizen soldiers source immediate manpower colonial militia composed different states thirteen different authorities meaning regiment reflected different terms service regulations training experiences equipment majority militia composed men form standardized weapons uniform ammunition river british army growing day time battle continental_army compiled troops faced british mass nearly twice size british arrival june washington learned british fleet set sail halifax june heading new_york june signals sent men stationed indicating british fleet appeared hours british ships dropped anchor lower new york bay week later ships command brother general population new_york went panic sight british ships went troops immediately rushed posts july british troops began land continental regulars island took shots british fleeing citizens militia switched british july news reached new_york congress voted independence days earlier tuesday july washington brigades march city hear declaration independence read end reading mob ran ropes bars tore lead equestrian statue great_britain fury crowd cut statue head severed nose mounted remained head spike outside tavern rest statue dragged connecticut melted musket balls july british ships phoenix rose sailed harbor mouth hudson american batteries stationed fort george red hook opened fire british returned fire city ships sailed new_jersey shore continued hudson sailing past fort washington arrived nightfall widest hudson goals british ships cut american supplies encourage loyalist support casualties day americans killed cannon blew day july howe attempted open negotiations americans howe sent letter washington delivered lieutenant arrived flag truce letter addressed george_washington brown met washington orders waterfront accompanied washington asked officers received recognize rank general unanimously said brown told reed army address july howe tried time address george_washington etc etc declined day howe sent captain ask washington meet howe adjutant face face meeting scheduled july howe adjutant colonel told washington howe come powers grant washington said committed fault want pardon departed soon washington performance meeting praised parts colonies british ships continued arrive august ships generals arrived troops august british troops arrived point british fleet numbered ships including war ships troops camped faced large force washington unsure british attack reed thought british attack long_island washington felt british attack long_island diversion main attack manhattan washington broke army half half manhattan half long_island army long_island commanded august ill forced house manhattan rested recover placed command resume command invasion long island august advance guard british troops command clinton left land long_island troops landed shore bay unopposed colonel stationed shore oppose landings fell killing cattle burning way noon troops landed shore pieces artillery hundreds loyalists came greet british troops pushed advance guard advancing miles island establishing camp village given orders advance washington received word landings day occurred informed number troops convinced washington predicted sent troops brooklyn bringing total number troops long_island august washington replaced sullivan commanded troops long_island arrived long_island day battalions day british troops long_island received reinforcements bringing total little fighting days immediately landing small skirmishes place american armed rifles picking british troops time time american plan direct defenses sullivan troops stationed feet high blocked direct route washington believed men heights heavy casualties inflicted british troops fell main defenses main passes heights road west road slightly farther east center american line expected british attack road east responsible defending men sullivan defend roads men respectively thousand troops remain lesser known pass heights farther east called jamaica pass pass defended militia officers horses british general clinton learned local loyalists clinton drew plan gave propose howe clinton plan main army making night march going jamaica pass turn american flank troops americans busy august clinton received word howe plan clinton command advance guard main army men march jamaica pass night march general british troops total men attack americans distract main army coming flank howe told clinton ready night august battle night march british moved commanders knew plan clinton led crack brigade light infantry fixed followed battalions artillery pieces turn followed howe battalions artillery baggage column consisted men stretched miles loyalist farmers led column jamaica pass british left burning americans thinking happening column headed northeast reached later village headed directly north heights column run american troops reached known howard half way house yards jamaica pass tavern keeper son forced act guides british way old indian trail jamaica pass west located today cemetery minutes leaving tavern american militia officers stationed pass captured shot fired thought british americans clinton interrogated men informed troops guarding pass dawn british pass stopped troops rest fired heavy cannons signal troops begin frontal assault sullivan men deployed hills flanking pass clinton troops simultaneously flanked american positions east grant attack august shots fired near near present day 39th street 4th avenue american pennsylvania regiment fired british soldiers foraging patch near inn august british approached vicinity troops american troops fired british approximately fled major command captured lieutenant engagement fought vicinity 38th 39th streets 2nd 3rd avenues near swamp located adjacent newly promoted brigadier general lawyer connecticut recently secured commission continental_army colonel command veteran french indian war stationed north awakened guard told british attacking pass lit signals washington manhattan rode south warn attack led units colonel immediate command major colonel immediate command major courts martial duty manhattan following close connecticut regiment men led combined force reinforce parsons stop british advance total troops command placed men apple orchard owned south near present day 3rd avenue 18th street approach british americans took possession hill miles camp detached colonel meet road rods drew received enemy fire gave directed fire regiment great execution retreated hill general parsons delaware maryland regiments took positions north men slopes rise land 18th 20th streets maryland troops positioned small hill called dutch cube block hill local dutch near 23rd street base hill crossed small bridge ditch drained area british advanced american troops fired positions north ditch left colonel pennsylvania regiment southeast hills hill highest point feet came known today cemetery boundary 23rd street 7th avenue british attempted american positions taking hill americans trying prevent british sent troops parsons hill british got americans able fierce fighting site especially brutal fighting americans inflicting highest number casualties british troops entire battle long island killed british colonel led americans erroneously believe killed general alleged shot british tree american dead colonel killed rallying troops fighting number british troops engaged americans unaware main british attack center command general began bombard american lines stationed command general brigades waiting pre arranged signal british time process american lines attack americans assumption grant attack main thrust sullivan send men reinforce howe fired signal guns began attack main army came sullivan rear sullivan left advance guard hold turned rest force fight british heavy casualties mounted americans british men sides fled fear sullivan attempted calm men tried lead retreat point overrun advance guard heights american left completely collapsed hand hand fighting followed americans swinging muskets rifles like clubs save lives americans surrendered sullivan despite chaos managed evacuate men captured washington arrived manhattan washington realized wrong long_island ordered troops brooklyn manhattan washington location battlefield known accounts differ likely view battle american right west held line grant held hours unaware british flanking maneuver troops thought winning day british unable position grant reinforced marines hit center attacked left pulled british troops point coming rear south escape route left yards wide maryland ordered troops contingent maryland troops command cross creek group maryland troops known history maryland numbered men led troops rear guard action overwhelming numbers british troops surpassed supported cannons led attacks british fixed positions known today assault remaining troops retreated men tried cross marsh mud musket fire swim captured surrounded unwilling surrender broke british lines surrendered maryland troops killed assaults fewer dozen american lines washington watching nearby hill intersection today court street reportedly said good god brave day lose american troops killed captured escaped fortified american positions centered howe considered controversial day ordered troops halt attack despite officers command believed push howe decided direct frontal assault entrenched american positions choosing instead begin siege setting lines american positions believed essentially trapped troops blocking escape land royal_navy control cross reach howe failure press attack reasons disputed wished avoid casualties army suffered attacking similar circumstances battle bunker hill european gentleman officer tradition giving washington opportunity conclude position hopeless surrender howe told parliament essential duty avoid excessive british casualties insufficient purpose capturing likely meant capturing entire american army loss british troops carrying lines ill double number enemy supposed suffered proportion aftermath retreat manhattan washington army surrounded backs day went british began dig trenches slowly coming closer american defenses british cross open ground assault american defenses boston year despite situation washington ordered men manhattan brooklyn august men came pennsylvania regiments colonel regiment massachusetts command troops arriving volunteered inspect outer defenses report washington outer defenses small skirmishes taking place afternoon august began rain washington cannons bombard british night rain continued washington sent letter instructing general kings bridge manhattan send flat boat sloop delay case battalions infantry new_jersey came reinforce position august washington held meeting generals mifflin advised washington retreat manhattan mifflin pennsylvania regiments rear guard holding line rest army withdrawn generals agreed unanimously mifflin retreat best option washington orders evening troops told gather ammunition baggage prepare night attack sick wounded began brooklyn ferry preparation evacuation massachusetts men sailors fishermen began evacuate troops troops evacuated ordered withdraw lines march ferry landing wagon wheels men forbidden talk mifflin rear guard tending british convince going august mifflin informed unit turn evacuate mifflin told man sent order leave major mistaken insisted mifflin ordered troops mifflin troops half mile ferry landing washington rode demanded know defenses leading troops tried explain happened mifflin arrived shortly washington good god general mifflin afraid ruined mifflin explained told turn evacuate washington told mistake mifflin led troops outer defenses artillery supplies troops evacuated river time going fast washington anticipated soon came fog settled concealed evacuation british british patrols noticed american began search area washington man left stepped boat american troops landed manhattan troops evacuated loss life conclusion campaign british stunned find washington army escaped later day august british troops occupied american fortifications news battle reached london caused festivities place bells city candles lit windows king gave howe order bath washington defeat revealed deficiencies split forces inexperienced generals misunderstood situation raw troops fled disorder shots daring nighttime retreat seen historians greatest military feats historians concentrate failure british naval forces prevent withdrawal howe remained inactive half month attacking september landed force bay british quickly occupied city september fire uncertain origin destroyed quarter new_york_city immediate aftermath fire executed american troops delivered unexpected check british mid september howe defeated washington battle fort washington defeats washington army retreated new_jersey pennsylvania casualties time far largest battle fought north_america royal_navy included men took battle howe reported losses killed wounded missing casualties killed wounded americans suffered heavier losses killed captured half prisoners survived kept prison ships transferred locations denied medical attention weakened condition succumbed smallpox legacy significant legacy showed easy victory war long bloody battle include altar liberty monument battle commemorated monument includes bronze statue near highest point brooklyn statue sculpted unveiled statue stands northwest corner cemetery directly statue liberty statue invoked successful defense prevent building blocking line sight cemetery statue liberty harbor annual commemoration held inside main gothic arch entrance column died kept prisoner british ships shore brooklyn soldiers connecticut seriously ill prisoners dumped beach night january old stone house constructed farmhouse center delaying actions serves museum battle located street fifth avenue brooklyn features models maps brooklyn eastern center drive brooklyn large granite boulder brass plaque marker lies near road oak large old tree block pass british advance addition park resides line defense marker erected sons american revolution near eastern edge column thirty currently existing units colonial revolutionary eras units battalion 5th derived american units participated
Battle of Long Island