The Battle of Long Island
The Battle of Long Island was the first major battle to take place after the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. It was a victory for the British that gave them control of the strategically important city of New York. It was the largest battle of the entire war in terms of troop deployment and fighting. After defeating the British in the Siege of Boston on March 17, 1776, General George Washington brought the Continental Army to defend the port city of New York. Washington understood that the city's harbor would provide an excellent base for the British Navy during the campaign, so he established defenses there and waited for the British to attack.
Under the command of General William Howe, the British landed a few miles across the harbor from Manhattan on Staten Island. They were slowly reinforced by ships in Lower New York Bay during the next month and a half, bringing their total force to 32,000 troops. Washington knew the difficulty in holding the city with the British fleet in control of the entrance to the harbor at the Narrows. He moved the bulk of his forces to Manhattan, believing that it would be the first target.
On August 27th, the British attacked American defenses on the Guan Heights. The Patriots panicked, resulting in 20% losses through casualties and captures, although a reserve of 400 Maryland troops prevented a larger portion of the army from being lost. The remainder of the army retreated to the main defenses on Brooklyn Heights. On August 28th, severe rainstorms prevented any fighting between Washington and Howe. Both sides stayed in place. Also, because of the high winds, Howe was unable to move his warships behind Washington's position.
On the night of August 29th, while the British were digging in for a siege, General Washington evacuated the entire army to Manhattan without the loss of supplies or a single life. On August 30, around 6:00 AM, the last of the Patriots left the shore of Long Island. The withdrawal had worked without the British finding out. The heavy winds finally died down enough for the British warships to begin to move upriver at 11:00 AM. Thirty minutes later, the fog lifted. Howe ordered his troops to advance and take the Patriot works. When they arrived, they discovered that the Patriots were nowhere to be seen. Howe realized that he had let Washington and the Patriots slip through his grasp. The British warships were finally able to move upriver, just a few hours too late to stop the Patriots. If Howe had captured Washington and his troops, this would have effectively ended the war.
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Image Source: The Battle of Long Island, a National Guard Heritage Painting by 21st-century artist Domenick D'Andrea that was created for the National Guard Bureau. The painting depicts the Delaware Regiment at the Battle of Long Island on August 27, 1776. Created circa 2004. Public Domain