It was perhaps
this "lightning change" of commanders that was responsible for the
bitter defeat of the Americans in that encounter known as the "Battle of
Long Island." By the third week of August, when this battle took place,
the British were near New York with more than three hundred ships and
thirty thousand troops, including those of Clinton, Cornwallis, and
Howe. The last named was in command, and on the 22d of August he landed
twenty thousand troops, including five thousand hireling Hessians, at
Gravesend Bay, with the intention of flanking the Americans out of their
positions at Flatbush and the Heights and then advancing across the
island to East River and New York.
It was not until two days later that (in the words of a soldier writing
to his wife at that time) "General Putnam was made happy by obtaining
leave to go over--the brave old man was quite miserable at being kept
here," in New York. Only three days after his arrival the battle was
fought, which (in brief) was brought about by the British surprising an
outpost at one of the three passes to the American rear, on the night of
the 26th of August and thus turning the patriots' position.
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