They fought desperately, until Stirling was made prisoner. Many of his troops were drowned while endeavoring to escape across the Gowanus Creek, as the tide was rising; and a large number were captured. At noon the victory for the British was complete. About 500 Americans were killed or wounded, and 1,100 were made prisoners. These were soon suffering dreadful horrors in prisons and prison-ships, at New York. The British loss in killed, wounded, and prisoners, was 367. It was with the deepest anguish that Washington had viewed, from New York, the destruction of his troops, yet he dared not weaken his power in the city, by sending reinforcements to aid them. He crossed over on the following morning [August 28], with Mifflin, who had come down from the upper end of York island with a thousand troops, and was gratified to find the enemy encamped in front of Putnam's lines, and delaying an attack, until the British fleet should co-operate with him. This delay allowed Washington time to form and execute a plan for the salvation of the remainder of the army, now too weak to resist an assault with any hope of success. Under cover of a heavy fog, which fell upon the hostile camps at midnight of the 29th, and continued until the morning of the 30th, he silently withdrew them from the camp, and, unperceived by the British, they all crossed over to New York in safety, carrying everything with them but their heavy cannons. … Howe, who felt sure of his prey, was greatly mortified, and prepared to make an immediate attack upon New York, before the Americans should become reinforced, or should escape from it." _B. J. Lossing, Family History of the United States, period 5, chapter 3._ ALSO IN: _H. P. Johnston, The Campaign of 1776 around New York and Brooklyn, chapters 1-5, (Members of Long Island History Society, volume 3)._ _T. W. Field, The Battle of Long island (Members of Long Island History Society, volume 2)._ _W. A. Duer, Life of Wm. Alexander, Earl of Stirling, chapter 5._ _J. Fiske, The American Revolution, chapter 5 (volume 1)._ UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: A. D. 1776 (September). Quiet death of proprietary government in Pennsylvania and adoption of a State Constitution. See PENNSYLVANIA: A. D. 1776. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: A. D. 1776 (September-November). The struggle for New York and the Hudson. Successes of the British. Washington's retreat into New Jersey.