The Battle of Long Island was an early defeat for the Continental army in the Revolutionary War (1775-83). The battle was the first major conflict in the state of New York, initiated as part of a British strategy to seize control of the central colony. A capture of all of New York would have allowed the British control of the Hudson River, an important water route to Canada, as well as enabled them to isolate New England from the rest of the colonies.
After the British evacuation from Boston in March 1776, the British general sir William Howe decided to move his troops to New York, where a British fleet commanded by his brother Lord Richard Howe controlled the surrounding waters. Before arriving in New York, however, General Howe sought to strengthen his forces by sailing to Halifax, Nova Scotia, where he was able to recruit thousands of new troops to join his army. Howe finally arrived in New York Bay on June 30 and immediately set up camp on Staten Island. For the next seven weeks, daily shipments of British troops arrived by boat, and Howe’s forces swelled to well over 30,000.
Anticipating that New York City would be the site of the next conflict, General George Washington, commander of the Continental army, sent word to New York warning them of Howe’s plan. The revolutionaries immediately began efforts to fortify their city. General Nathanael Greene planned a defense strategy for the Continentals, and General Israel Putnam organized the incoming regiments. With Washington’s arrival, the revolutionaries had amassed some 25,000 Continental soldiers, the largest number ever commanded by the general, and they began lining New York Harbor with the heavy cannons and mortars used in the fighting in Boston.
Washington, understanding that holding Brooklyn was essential to maintaining control of New York, stationed a force of about 19,000 men on the Long Island side of the East River to defend his left flank. There they quickly erected fortifications on Brooklyn Heights and created a defensive position behind a ridge running eastward from Gowanus Bay at the western end of Long Island. Washington’s eastern flank at Jamaica Pass, however, was left undefended.
Starting at dawn on August 22, General Howe landed 32,000 men in Gravesend Bay, Long Island. After four days’ reconnaissance, Howe attacked on August 27, eventually surrounding the revolutionary forces through the unprotected Jamaica Pass. The Continental army fought bravely, but they were outnumbered and simply no match for the better-trained British. Approximately 1,400 revolutionary and 400 British soldiers were wounded, captured, or killed during the battle, and the Continentals fell back to Brooklyn Heights.
Realizing the futility of his position on Long Island, Washington took advantage of Howe’s delay in attacking Brooklyn Heights to evacuate the Continental troops. During a storm on the night of August 29-30, Washington orchestrated an escape, moving the Continentals along with equipment and supplies across the East River into New York City. Thus, according to both territory acquired and casualties, the battle was a British victory. This battle
Also opened the way for the British to capture New York City and much of the lower Hudson River valley.
Further reading: Robert Middlekauff, The Glorious Cause: The American Revolution, 1763-1789 (New York: Oxford University Press, 1982 ); Barnet Schecter, The Battle for New York: The City at the Heart of the American Revolution (New York: Walker & Company, 2002).
—Amy Pharr
World History
