Conflict: American Revolution
Combatants: Americans vs. British
Location: New York (USA)
Outcome: British victory
Having abandoned Boston, General Sir William Howe set his sights on the city of New York. General George Washington responded by dispatching his troops to meet the invasion. On August 22 of 1776, Howe began landing 20,000 British soldiers on Long Island. An army of 7,000 Americans commanded by Israel Putnam lay ready to defend the port city. On the night of the 26th, Howe sent General Sir Henry Clinton in an encircling movement around the Americans' flank. Clinton struck the American left rear on the morning of the 27th forcing the Putnam to pull back to the defenses of Brooklyn Heights with 1500 casualties. The British lost 400 men and Howe chose to siege Brooklyn rather than engage in an assault. August on 29th, Washington withdrew the army to Manhattan Island and again two weeks later to Harlem Heights. even in defeat, Washington was as adept as ever at preventing the destruction of the American forces.
Points of Interest:
The American General William Alexander, who styled himself Lord Stirling, was captured in this battle along with General John Sullivan.
General Sir William Howe was aided in the landing of forces at Brooklyn by Admiral Lord Richard Howe, his brother.
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Sources:
Dupuy, R. Ernest & Dupuy, Trevor N. (1993). The Harper's Encyclopedia of Military History. New York: HarperCollins.
Eggenberger, David (1985). An Encyclopedia of Battles: Accounts of Over 1,560 Battles from 1479 B.C. to the Present. New York: Dover Publications, Inc.
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