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The Campaign of 1776 around New York and Brooklyn: Including a new and circumstantial account of the battle of Long island and the loss of New York, with a review of events to the close of the yearJohnston, Henry Phelps

History

The Campaign of 1776 around New York and Brooklyn: Including a new and circumstantial account of the battle of Long island and the loss of New York, with a review of events to the close of the year

Name: The Campaign of 1776 around New York and Brooklyn: Including a new and circumstantial account of the battle of Long island and the loss of New York, with a review of events to the close of the year
Author: Johnston, Henry Phelps

Johnston, Henry Phelps

Long Island, Battle of, New York, N.Y., 1776; New York (N.Y.) -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783

Yesterday at 7 o'clock in the morning we were alarmed with the sight
of a considerable number of the enemy on the Plains below us about a
mile distant.--Our Brigades which form a line across the Island where
I am were immediately ordered under arms--but as the enemy did not
immediately advance we grounded our arms & took spades & shovels &
went to work & before night had thrown up lines across the
Island--There was nothing before but three little redoubts in about a
mile & we are at work this day in strengthening them. But yesterday a
little before noon we heard a strong firing about half a mile below us
in the woods near where we had two Brigades lying as an advanced
guard. The enemy in a large body advanced in the woods a little before
12 o'cl & began a heavy fire on those two Brigades who maintained the
fire obstinately for some time & then they were reinforced by several
regiments & the fire continued very heavy from the musketry & from
field pieces about two hours--in which time our people drove the
regulars back from post to post about a mile & a half & then left them
pretty well satisfied with their dinner since which they have been
very quiet. Our loss on this occasion by the best information is
about 25 killed & 40 or 50 wounded. The enemy by the best accounts
have suffered much more than we.

A prisoner we have I am told says that Genl. Howe himself commanded
the regular & Genl. Washington & Genl. Putnam were both with our
Troops. They have found now that when we meet them on equal ground we
are not a set of people that will run from them--but that they have
now had a pretty good drubbing, tho' this was an action between but a
small party of the army.

CAMP AT WHITE PLAINS Oct. 29th 1776.

... Yesterday about 10 o'clock in the morning we had news that the
enemy were approaching, when I with my regiment & 3 others were
ordered out about 1-1/2 miles below our lines to take post on a hill
to gall them in their march as they advanced. We accordingly took our
post & mine & one other regiment had the advantage of a stone wall
right in front at which we had been waiting but little time before the
enemy came up within 6 or 8 rods,--when our men rose from behind the
wall, poured in a most furious fire.

The enemy retreated & came on several times & were so hotly received
every time that finally we drove them off from the hill. We killed
some they did not carry off & some they did.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

History

The Campaign of 1776 around New York and Brooklyn: Including a new and circumstantial account of the battle of Long island and the loss of New York, with a review of events to the close of the year

Johnston, Henry Phelps

Long Island, Battle of, New York, N.Y., 1776; New York (N.Y.) -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783

Yesterday at 7 o'clock in the morning we were alarmed with the sight
of a considerable number of the enemy on the Plains below us about a
mile distant.--Our Brigades which form a line across the Island where
I am were immediately ordered under arms--but as the enemy did not
immediately advance we grounded our arms & took spades & shovels &
went to work & before night had thrown up lines across the
Island--There was nothing before but three little redoubts in about a
mile & we are at work this day in strengthening them. But yesterday a
little before noon we heard a strong firing about half a mile below us
in the woods near where we had two Brigades lying as an advanced
guard. The enemy in a large body advanced in the woods a little before
12 o'cl & began a heavy fire on those two Brigades who maintained the
fire obstinately for some time & then they were reinforced by several
regiments & the fire continued very heavy from the musketry & from
field pieces about two hours--in which time our people drove the
regulars back from post to post about a mile & a half & then left them
pretty well satisfied with their dinner since which they have been
very quiet. Our loss on this occasion by the best information is
about 25 killed & 40 or 50 wounded. The enemy by the best accounts
have suffered much more than we.

A prisoner we have I am told says that Genl. Howe himself commanded
the regular & Genl. Washington & Genl. Putnam were both with our
Troops. They have found now that when we meet them on equal ground we
are not a set of people that will run from them--but that they have
now had a pretty good drubbing, tho' this was an action between but a
small party of the army.

CAMP AT WHITE PLAINS Oct. 29th 1776.

... Yesterday about 10 o'clock in the morning we had news that the
enemy were approaching, when I with my regiment & 3 others were
ordered out about 1-1/2 miles below our lines to take post on a hill
to gall them in their march as they advanced. We accordingly took our
post & mine & one other regiment had the advantage of a stone wall
right in front at which we had been waiting but little time before the
enemy came up within 6 or 8 rods,--when our men rose from behind the
wall, poured in a most furious fire.

The enemy retreated & came on several times & were so hotly received
every time that finally we drove them off from the hill. We killed
some they did not carry off & some they did.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

The Campaign of 1776 around New York and Brooklyn: Including a new and circumstantial account of the battle of Long island and the loss of New York, with a review of events to the close of the year

The Campaign of 1776 around New York and Brooklyn: Including a new and circumstantial account of the battle of Long island and the loss of New York, with a review of events to the close of the year

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