In the American Revolutionary War, the Battle of Long Island was fought on the western border of Long Island, what is now Brooklyn, New York, on August 27, 1776. After defeating the Americans, the British took control of a crucial strategic location - the Port of New York - which they kept for the rest of the war. It was the war's first major conflict after the US declared independence on July 4, and it was also the war's most significant in terms of force deployment and combat.
The battle kicked off the British campaign of 1776, which aimed to take control of New York and isolate New England from all of the colonies. Following the British departure of Boston in March, Lord William Howe went to seize New York City under the cover of a British navy commanding the surrounding seas. George Washington, the defending American general, stationed one-third of his forces (no more than 20,000 skilled soldiers) on the Long Island side of the East River, where they erected fortifications to cover his left flank. On Long Island's Brooklyn Heights, across the East River from New York City, a Continental Army division led by Major General Nathanial Greene occupied a line of fortifications.
Howe planned to attack by land from his encampment on Staten Island while warships blocked the river, trapping the Americans. On August 22, his force of about 30,000 British regulars and German mercenaries arrived on Long Island's south beaches. The Americans increased their force to 9,000 troops, but Greene became ill and was replaced by a less effective soldier, Major General Israel Putnam. The prominent American positions were covered by about 6,500 soldiers, while the rest were stationed ahead to block the three access roads up to the Heights. Howe organized his troops into three assault columns, one for each route.
Howe's left and central columns marched forward after midnight on August 27, forcing Putnam to move soldiers to meet the threat. Meanwhile, the leading British offensive turned right and struck the American rear, finding the route undefended. The American forces, surprised and outnumbered, retreated to the front lines of resistance. Several regiments fought valiant rearguard actions but were ultimately defeated. Despite his initial victory, Howe took two days to organize a decisive assault in front of the American defenses. When the British warships were forced downriver by a storm, Washington took advantage of the chance to depart Long Island. The bulk of the American troops crossed the East River to Manhattan on the night of August 29, a successful escape that helped to boost American morale.
Commanders:
American: George Washington British: William Howe |
Armies:
American troops: 10,000 British and Hessian troops: 20,000 |
Casualties:
Americans: 300 dead, 650 wounded, and 1,100 captured British and Germans: 63 dead and 314 wounded |
Result:
British Victory |
references
- Battle of Long Island. British Battles. (n.d.). Retrieved April 4, 2022, from https://www.britishbattles.com/war-of-the-revolution-1775-to-1783/battle-of-long-island/
- Stockwell, M. (n.d.). Battle of Long Island. George Washington's Mount Vernon. Retrieved April 4, 2022, from https://www.mountvernon.org/library/digitalhistory/digital-encyclopedia/article/battle-of-long-island/
- Brooklyn Long Island. American Battlefield Trust. (n.d.). Retrieved April 4, 2022, from https://www.battlefields.org/learn/revolutionary-war/battles/brooklyn
- Bluhm, R. K. (n.d.). Battle of Long Island. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved April 4, 2022, from https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-Long-Island
- Stockwell, M. (n.d.). Battle of Long Island. George Washington's Mount Vernon. Retrieved April 4, 2022, from https://www.mountvernon.org/library/digitalhistory/digital-encyclopedia/article/battle-of-long-island/
- Brooklyn Long Island. American Battlefield Trust. (n.d.). Retrieved April 4, 2022, from https://www.battlefields.org/learn/revolutionary-war/battles/brooklyn
- Bluhm, R. K. (n.d.). Battle of Long Island. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved April 4, 2022, from https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-Long-Island