The Battle of Long Island was a significant British victory in the early stages of the American Revolutionary War over American forces under the command of General George Washington, and the opening battle in a successful British campaign to gain control of New York City in 1776. The Americans had lined New York's harbor with various levels of entrenchment and fortification, which were defended by an array of Continental Army forces and militia companies from New York and nearby states.[1] After the British made an unopposed landing on Long Island in mid-August, Washington reinforced forward positions in the hills of central Brooklyn.[2]
The British forces were led by Lieutenant General William Howe, and included veterans of the Siege of Boston, new regiments from Ireland, and hired German troops from Hesse-Kassel. On August 27, 1776, Howe made a successful flanking maneuver around the American left while occupying the American right with diversionary battle. As a result, a significant portion of the American army became entrapped and surrendered after its retreat to the entrenched position was cut off.[3] With a siege of the position looming, General Washington successfully withdrew his remaining army to Manhattan in the early hours of August 29.[4]
Key
- Unit: this column identifies the unit being described or summarized. Divisions, the largest unit of aggregation (called "Lines" in the British order of battle) are identified by bold text centered in a darker background spanning the table. Brigades, the intermediate unit size, are identified only by bold text. The brigades are composed of smaller units, usually regiments or battalions, but sometimes including formations as small as companies. Unless otherwise noted, a smaller unit falls within the command hierarchy of a preceding larger unit.
- Commander: the field commander of the unit on the day of the battle.
- Unit size: the reported size of the unit. This number does not normally include the officers of the unit.
- Casualties: a listing of the casualties the unit incurred, to the level documented. In the Other column, number of captured are followed by the letter C, and number of missing by the letter M.
- Notes: other notes about the unit, possibly including further details about its place of origin and its movements in the battle theater.
British and Hessian forces
The British Army at the start of the campaign was drawn from three sources. The first was troops that had been in the Siege of Boston, which ended when the British evacuated their troops from the city to Halifax, Nova Scotia in March 1776.[5] The second was new levies raised in the British Isles, including a significant number of Irish troops. The third was troops provided by several small German principalities of the Holy Roman Empire.[6] After the war broke out in 1775, the British government realized that it would need more troops than it could raise on its own to fight the war, so it sought to hire troops from willing third parties in Europe. Only a few German rulers were willing to provide troops.[7] The single largest contingent, with more than 12,000 arriving in North America in 1776, came from the Landgraviate of Hessen-Kassel.[8] All of the German troops with the British at the start of the New York campaign were from Hesse-Kassel,[9] and were under the command of Lt. Gen. Leopold Philip von Heister.[10] A regiment from Waldeck that was also destined for the New York theater did not arrive until after Manhattan was occupied.[11]
Some of the troops sent from Europe had first been directed at operations in the southern colonies, under the direction of Lt. Gen. Henry Clinton. The expedition attempted to occupy Charleston, South Carolina, but was repulsed in the June Battle of Sullivan's Island; it then sailed for New York to join the army as it gathered on Staten Island in July and August.[12] Clinton served as General Howe's second in command.[13]
It was common practice at this time for regiments of the British Army to include companies of light infantry and grenadiers, composed of troops with specialized abilities and training. When an army was assembled, these companies were often separated from their regiments and formed into separate light infantry and grenadier battalions.[14]
The Royal Navy, despite dominating the harbor, played only a limited role in the battle. HMS Roebuck penetrated as far as Red Hook on August 26, but her guns never came within range of American positions.[15] The navy did provide some logistical support for the battle. It resupplied General James Grant's troops with gunpowder and ammunition late in the battle, and also landed 2,000 Royal Marines to share in the victory.[16]
The primary source for this data is a return of troops prepared by General Howe on August 22, 1776, five days before the battle, and presented by historian David Hackett Fischer. Howe's report did not include a breakdown of individual unit sizes.[13] Although a more detailed return for August 27 appears to have once existed,[17] none of the listed sources reproduces it. According to a summary of that return, the strength of the British land forces under Howe's command was 24,464 fit for duty. This number does not include a brigade of Loyalists raised by Oliver De Lancey, Sr.,[17] or the marines, who were not under Howe's command. Howe's headcount, including officers and those unfit for duty, came to 31,625.[18] The casualty figures for British units are from a casualty-only return prepared by General Howe, reprinted by Field. It includes a detailed breakdown by unit of British casualties, and a summary of Hessian casualties.[19]
British units
| Unit | Commander | Casualties | Notes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Killed | Wounded | Other | Total | |||
| Light Infantry Brigade | Brigadier General Alexander Leslie | 11 | 61 | 1M | 73 | This brigade led Clinton's column that flanked the American left.[20] These troops were the first to occupy the unguarded Jamaica Pass.[21] |
| 1st Battalion Light Infantry | Major Thomas Musgrave | 4 | 24 | 1M | 29 | |
| 2nd Battalion Light Infantry | Major John Maitland | 4 | 31 | 0 | 35 | |
| 3rd Battalion Light Infantry | Major Henry Johnson | 3 | 6 | 0 | 9 | |
| Royal Artillery | Brigadier General Samuel Cleaveland | 2 | 5 | 0 | 7 | |
| Dragoons | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | The dragoons were at the head of Clinton's column in the attack.[20] |
| 16th Light Dragoons (The Queen's) | Lieutenant Colonel William Harcourt | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 17th Light Dragoons | Lieutenant Colonel Samuel Birch | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| First Line | ||||||
| Commander | Lieutenant General Henry Clinton | 18 | 49 | 0 | 67 | |
| 1st Brigade | Major General James Robertson | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | This brigade was the first formation of regular infantry in Clinton's flanking column after Cornwallis's reserve force.[20] |
| 4th Regiment of Foot (The King's Own) | Major James Ogilvie | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 15th Regiment of Foot | Lieutenant Colonel John Bird | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | |
| 27th Regiment of Foot | Lieutenant Colonel John Maxwell | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 45th Regiment of Foot | Major John Saxton | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2nd Brigade | Major General Robert Pigot | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 5th Regiment of Foot | Lieutenant Colonel William Walcott | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 28th Regiment of Foot | Lieutenant Colonel Robert Prescott | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 35th Regiment of Foot | Lieutenant Colonel Robert Carr | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 49th Regiment of Foot | Lieutenant Colonel Sir Henry Calder | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 5th Brigade | Brigadier General Francis Smith | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 54th Regiment of Foot | Lieutenant Colonel Alured Clarke | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | This regiment remained on Staten Island, and was not in the battle.[22] |
| 22nd Regiment of Foot | Lieutenant Colonel John Campbell | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 43rd Regiment of Foot | Lieutenant Colonel George Clerke | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 63rd Regiment of Foot | Major Francis Sill | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 6th Brigade | Brigadier General James Agnew | 18 | 47 | 0 | 65 | This brigade was placed on the British left, near The Narrows. Agnew's brigade served under Major General Grant in the battle.[23] |
| 23rd Regiment of Foot | Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin Bernard | 7 | 28 | 0 | 35 | |
| 44th Regiment of Foot | Major Henry Hope | 10 | 19 | 0 | 29 | |
| 57th Regiment of Foot | Lieutenant Colonel John Campbell | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 64th Regiment of Foot | Captain Robert McLeroth | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Second Line | ||||||
| Commander | Lieutenant General Hugh, Earl Percy | 7 | 44 | 1M | 52 | |
| 3rd Brigade | Major General Valentine Jones | 1 | 11 | 1M | 13 | |
| 10th Regiment of Foot | Major John Vatass | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 37th Regiment of Foot | Lieutenant Colonel Robert Abercromby | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 38th Regiment of Foot | Lieutenant Colonel William Butler | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | |
| 52nd Regiment of Foot | Lieutenant Colonel Mungo Campbell | 1 | 7 | 1M | 9 | |
| 4th Brigade | Major General James Grant | 6 | 33 | 0 | 39 | This brigade was placed on the British left, near The Narrows. In the battle, Grant commanded a division that also included Agnew's 6th Brigade.[23] They made an attack on the American right as a distraction from the British move around their left flank.[24] |
| 17th Regiment of Foot | Lieutenant Colonel Charles Mawhood | 3 | 21 | 0 | 24 | |
| 40th Regiment of Foot | Lieutenant Colonel James Grant | 2 | 5 | 0 | 7 | Grant was killed in the early diversionary attack.[25] |
| 46th Regiment of Foot | Lieutenant Colonel Enoch Markham | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | |
| 55th Regiment of Foot | Major Cornelius Cuyler | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4 | |
| 7th Brigade | Brigadier General William Erskine | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | This brigade marched behind Pigot's in Clinton's column.[20] It was among those surrounding Stirling's force from behind.[26] |
| 1st Battalion 71st Regiment of Foot | Major John Macdonnell of Lochgary | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2nd Battalion 71st Regiment of Foot | Major Norman Lamont of Lamont | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Reserve corps | ||||||
| Commander | Lieutenant General Charles, Earl Cornwallis | 14 | 69 | 23M | 106 | This division followed the light infantry in Clinton's column.[20] After flanking the American left, these troops drove the retreating Americans before them, toward Brooklyn Heights or the Hessian brigades arriving from the American right.[27] |
| Grenadier Brigade | Brigadier General John Vaughan | 14 | 55 | 23M | 92 | |
| 1st Battalion Grenadiers | Lieutenant Colonel William Medows | 1 | 4 | 0 | 5 | |
| 2nd Battalion Grenadiers | Lieutenant Colonel Henry Monckton | 12 | 38 | 22M | 72 | This unit was among those surrounding Stirling's forces from behind.[26] |
| 3rd Battalion Grenadiers | Major James Marsh | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 4th Battalion Grenadiers | Major Charles Stuart | 1 | 12 | 1M | 14 | |
| 33rd Regiment of Foot | Lieutenant Colonel James Webster | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | |
| 42nd (Royal Highland) Regiment of Foot | Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Stirling | 0 | 10 | 0 | 10 | |
| Royal Marines | ||||||
| Royal Marines | Commander not identified in sources | 1 | 0 | 12C | 13 | These marines, numbering 2,000, were landed between 10:00 and 11:00 am to support General James Grant.[16] One company of marines mistook an American unit for Hessians and was captured; one of these was killed by gunfire en route to the American lines.[28] |
| British casualties | 53 | 228 | 37 | 318 | ||
| Unless otherwise cited, the information in this table is provided by Fischer, pp. 388–390, or Field, pp. 416–419. | ||||||
Hessian units
| Unit | Commander | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mirbach's Brigade | Major General Werner von Mirbach | This brigade participated in the frontal attack through the Flatbush Pass timed to coincide with the attack by the British flanking force of Clinton and Howe.[29] |
| Knyphausen Regiment | Colonel H. C. von Borck | |
| Rall Regiment | Colonel Johann Rall | |
| Lossberg Regiment | Colonel H. A. von Heringen | |
| Stirn's Brigade | Major General J. D. von Stirn | This brigade participated in the frontal attack through the Flatbush Pass timed to coincide with the attack by the British flanking force of Clinton and Howe.[29] |
| Donop Regiment | Colonel D. E. von Gosen | |
| Mirbach Regiment | Colonel Johann von Loos | |
| Hereditary Prince (Erbprinz) Regiment | Colonel C. W. von Hachenberg | |
| Donop's Brigade | Colonel Carl von Donop | This brigade participated in the frontal attack through the Flatbush Pass timed to coincide with the attack by the British flanking force of Clinton and Howe.[29] These men, including the jäger corps, were in the lead of the Hessian column.[27] Many Americans surrendered to these units, driven by the British.[30] |
| Bloch Grenadier Battalion | Lieutenant Colonel Justus von Bloch | |
| Minnigerode Grenadier Battalion | Lieutenant Colonel Friedrich von Minnigerode | |
| Linsing Grenadier Battalion | Lieutenant Colonel Otto von Linsing | |
| Feldjäger Corps | Colonel Carl von Donop | This unit was under Donop, but not organized within his brigade. |
| Lossberg's Brigade | Colonel A. H. von Lossberg | This brigade remained on Staten Island to guard the British and German camps there, and had no part in the action.[23] |
| Ditfurth Regiment | Colonel Carl von Bose | |
| Trumbach Regiment | Colonel C. E. von Bischauen | |
| Hessian casualties: 2 killed, 26 wounded (all participating units) | ||
| Unless otherwise cited, the information in this table is provided by Fischer, pp. 388–390, or Field, pp. 416–419. | ||
Although the Royal Navy squadron in New York were not directly involved in the battle, the ships in the area were:
- Royal Navy Squadron in New York[31]
American forces
The troops arrayed to oppose the British were primarily from regiments of the Continental Army, although there were a large number of militia units from New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania in the field as well.[32] A significant number of the Continentals had participated in the Siege of Boston, after which they had moved to join troops already in New York preparing its defenses.[33] Some troops had participated in the expeditions against Quebec begun in fall 1775.[34] That attempt ended in June 1776 after a disastrous retreat to Fort Ticonderoga prompted by the arrival of a large British force at Quebec City, and some of those troops were then rushed south to assist in New York.[35] The American defense of Long Island became complicated when Major General Nathanael Greene fell ill on August 15. He had directed the defense work on Long Island, and was thus the general most familiar with the terrain. Washington replaced him on August 20 with Major General John Sullivan, lately returned from Ticonderoga.[35] After sending reinforcements onto Long Island on August 25, Washington replaced Sullivan with the ranking major general, Israel Putnam.[36] David Hackett Fischer observes that the American command situation was "[s]o tangled [...] that units were uncertain about their commanders and not sure of the positions they were to defend."[37]
The basis for this order of battle is a return prepared by General Washington on August 3. It encompasses all of the units stationed in the New York area, not only those involved in the battle. The total provided is a listing of all troops, not just those listed as ready for duty. A substantial number of troops were sick during July and August. For example, General William Heath, writing in his memoirs, recorded that about 10,000 men were sick on August 8, and Washington reported on September 2 having fewer than 20,000 men present and fit for duty.[38] Later returns were apparently impossible: Washington wrote to Congress on August 26 that "[t]he shifting and changing which the regiments have undergone of late has prevented their making proper returns, and of course puts it out of my power to transmit a general one of the army."[39]
The notes for each unit give some indication of where it was stationed, and what sort of movements it made, especially between August 22 and 29, a time period in which there were several significant movements and reassignments of troops. A number of units were moved from Manhattan to Long Island after the British landing on Long Island, and more were sent over during and after the fighting to bolster the defenses before they were finally abandoned on August 29.[40]
Detailed American casualties are not available because many of the relevant records were destroyed by fire in 1800.[41] British and Hessian estimates placed the total American losses at around 3,000, and a return prepared by General Howe listed 1,097 prisoners, including Generals John Sullivan, Lord Stirling, and Nathaniel Woodhull. Casualty numbers for specific units are rare; historian John Gallagher has compiled a partial listing confirming 1,120 killed or missing, noting that returns for 52 of 70 units under Washington's command are missing.[42] The Maryland Regiment of William Smallwood was virtually wiped out, suffering 256 killed and more than 100 captured out of a unit numbering nearly 400.[43] Casualty figures are listed as notes if they are available for a given unit.
| Unit | Commander | Unit size | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Putnam's Division | |||
| Commander | Major General Israel Putnam | 5,615 | This division was stationed on Manhattan during the battle.[44] |
| Read's Brigade | Colonel Joseph Read | 1,997 | This brigade was actually assigned to Brig. Gen. James Clinton. Read commanded it in the general's absence.[45] |
| 3rd Continental Regiment | Colonel Ebenezer Learned | 521 | |
| 13th Continental Regiment | Colonel Joseph Read | 505 | |
| 23rd Continental Regiment | Colonel John Bailey | 503 | |
| 26th Continental Regiment | Colonel Loammi Baldwin | 468 | |
| Scott's Brigade | Brigadier General John Morin Scott | 1,527 | This unit was originally stationed in lower Manhattan.[46] It was sent to Long Island before the battle.[47] |
| New York militia | Colonel John Lasher | 510 | |
| New York levies | Colonel William Malcolm | 297 | |
| New York militia | Colonel Samuel Drake | 459 | |
| New York militia | Colonel Cornelius Humphrey | 261 | |
| Fellows' Brigade | Brigadier General John Fellows | 2,091 | This brigade was stationed on Manhattan, and did not participate in the battle.[48] |
| Massachusetts militia | Colonel Jonathan Holman | 606 | This unit was from Worcester County.[49] |
| Massachusetts militia | Colonel Simeon Cary | 569 | This unit had men from Bristol and Plymouth Counties.[49] |
| Massachusetts militia | Colonel Jonathan Smith | 551 | This unit was from Berkshire County.[49] |
| 14th (Marblehead) Continental Regiment | Colonel John Glover | 365 | Glover's regiment, stationed on Manhattan during the battle, was sent over to Brooklyn on August 28, and was instrumental in evacuating the army on the night of August 29–30.[50] |
| Heath's Division | |||
| Commander | Major General William Heath | 4,265 | Heath, based at King's Bridge, was responsible for the northernmost defenses, on the Hudson just above Manhattan. Most of his units were not involved in the battle.[51] |
| Mifflin's Brigade | Brigadier General Thomas Mifflin | 2,453 | This brigade was stationed at Harlem Heights, and did not participate in the battle.[52] Mifflin went to Brooklyn with some of his troops, and commanded the rear of the retreat to Manhattan.[53] |
| 5th Pennsylvania Battalion | Colonel Robert Magaw | 480 | These units was sent to Brooklyn on the morning of August 28.[52] |
| 3rd Pennsylvania Battalion | Colonel John Shee | 496 | |
| 27th Continental Regiment | Colonel Israel Hutchinson | 513 | This unit (along with John Glover's) manned the boats during the retreat.[54] |
| 16th Continental Regiment | Colonel Paul Dudley Sargent | 527 | |
| Ward's Connecticut Regiment | Colonel Andrew Ward | 437 | |
| Clinton's Brigade | Brigadier General George Clinton | 1,812 | This unit was stationed in upper Manhattan before the battle.[48] |
| New York militia | Colonel Isaac Nichol | 289 | This unit was from Orange County.[55] |
| New York militia | Colonel Thomas Thomas | 354 | This unit was from Westchester County.[55] |
| New York militia | Colonel James Swartwout | 364 | This unit was from Dutchess County.[56] |
| New York militia | Colonel Levi Paulding | 368 | This unit was from Ulster County.[56] |
| New York militia | Colonel Morris Graham | 437 | This unit was from Dutchess County.[56] |
| Spencer's Division | |||
| Commander | Major General Joseph Spencer | 5,889 | Initially stationed in lower Manhattan, some of these units were sent over to Long Island before the battle.[48] |
| Parson's Brigade | Brigadier General Samuel Holden Parsons | 2,469 | This brigade was sent to Long Island on August 25, when it was clear that was the British target.[57] Parsons had overall command of the Gowanus Heights defenses.[58] |
| 10th Continental Regiment | Colonel John Tyler | 569 | |
| 17th Continental Regiment | Colonel Jedediah Huntington | 348 | This unit suffered heavy casualties: 199 killed or missing.[59] |
| 20th Continental Regiment | Colonel John Durkee | 520 | |
| 21st Continental Regiment | Colonel Jonathan Ward | 502 | |
| 22nd Continental Regiment | Colonel Samuel Wyllys | 530 | This regiment was assigned to guard the Bedford Pass the night before the battle.[60] |
| Wadsworth's Brigade | Brigadier General James Wadsworth | 3,420 | |
| Silliman's Battalion | Colonel Gold Selleck Silliman | 415 | This unit was initially stationed on Manhattan, but was transferred to Long Island before the battle.[61] |
| Gay's Battalion | Colonel Fisher Gay | 449 | |
| Sage's Battalion | Colonel Comfort Sage | 482 | This unit was initially stationed on Manhattan, but was transferred to Long Island before the battle.[61] |
| Selden's Battalion | Colonel Samuel Selden | Selden was captured during the chaotic retreat following the Battle of Kip's Bay. Lieut. Colonel Jonathan Latimer assumed command following the battle. | |
| Douglas' Battalion | Colonel William Douglas | 506 | |
| Chester's Battalion | Colonel John Chester | 535 | This unit was initially stationed on Manhattan, but was transferred to Long Island before the battle.[61] It was assigned to guard the Bedford Pass the night before the battle.[60] |
| Bradley's Battalion | Colonel Phillip Burr Bradley | 569 | This unit was originally raised for defense of the state of Connecticut. But in June it was added to Wadsworth's Brigade and sent to New York. It was stationed at Bergen Heights and Paulus Hook in New Jersey during the summer. In October, it was moved to Fort Lee. In November, Bradley was on sick leave and Lieut. Colonel Thomas Hobby assumed command when a large part of the unit was sent across the Hudson River to reinforce Fort Washington, where it surrendered with the garrison. |
| Sullivan's Division | |||
| Commander | Major General John Sullivan | 5,688 | Sullivan took command of this division on August 20, when Maj. Gen. Nathanael Greene fell ill.[62] The division was on the far left of the American line, and suffered the most from the British onslaught. Sullivan was the most senior Continental officer taken prisoner in the battle. |
| Stirling's Brigade | Brigadier General William Alexander (Lord Stirling) | 3,700 | This brigade was sent to Long Island on August 25, when it was clear that was the British target.[57] Stirling was stationed on the right side of the American line on the Gowanus Heights.[58] His command was almost wiped out after becoming surrounded, and he was taken prisoner.[63] |
| 1st Maryland Regiment | Colonel William Smallwood | 400[43] | This unit anchored the right against British General Grant's diversionary attack.[64] Some of its men, the Maryland 400, fought a vicious rearguard action that secured the escape of much of Stirling's command.[65] More than 100 men were captured and 256 killed, practically wiping the regiment out.[43] |
| 1st Delaware Regiment | Colonel John Haslet | 750 | This unit fought in the center against British General Grant's diversionary attack.[64][66] |
| Pennsylvania State Rifle Regiment | Colonel Samuel Miles | 650 | This unit was responsible for guarding the hills at the far left of the American line.[67] It suffered heavy casualties: 209 killed or missing.[59] |
| Pennsylvania State Battalion of Musketry | Colonel Samuel John Atlee | 650 | This unit fought against British General Grant's diversionary attack,[66] and suffered 89 casualties.[59] |
| Pennsylvania militia | Lieutenant Colonel Nicholas Lutz | 200 | This militia unit was a part of the Pennsylvania "Flying Camp" and was attached to Lord Stirling's force. It suffered heavy losses.[citation needed] |
| Pennsylvania militia | Lieutenant Colonel Peter Kachlein[citation needed] | 200 | This militia unit was a part of the Pennsylvania "Flying Camp" and was attached to "Lord Stirling's" force. It suffered heavy losses.[citation needed] |
| Pennsylvania militia | Major William Hay | 200 | 1st Reg. Flying Camp of Lancaster Co. (Pa.) |
| McDougall's Brigade | Brigadier General Alexander McDougall | 1,988 | Originally stationed in lower Manhattan, some of these troops were sent to Long Island before the battle.[48] |
| 1st New York Regiment | Colonel Goose Van Schaick[68] | 428 | This was McDougall's regiment prior to his promotion. |
| 2nd New York Regiment | Colonel Rudolphus Ritzema | 434 | |
| 19th Continental Regiment | Colonel Charles Webb | 542 | This unit was sent to Long Island before the battle.[47] |
| Artificers | Colonel Jonathan Brewer | 584 | |
| Greene's Division | |||
| Commander | Major General Nathanael Greene | 3,912 | Greene was taken ill on August 15; his division was commanded by John Sullivan. It was the principal force defending Long Island.[35] |
| Nixon's Brigade | Brigadier General John Nixon | 2,318 | This brigade was sent to Long Island on August 25, when it was clear that was the British target.[57] |
| 1st Pennsylvania Regiment | Colonel Edward Hand | 288 | |
| 9th Continental Regiment (a.k.a.Varnum's Rhode Island Regiment) | Colonel James Mitchell Varnum | 391 | |
| 11th Continental Regiment (a.k.a. Hitchcock's Rhode Island Regiment) | Colonel Daniel Hitchcock | 368 | |
| 4th Continental Regiment | Colonel Thomas Nixon[48] | 419 | |
| 7th Continental Regiment | Colonel William Prescott | 399 | |
| 12th Continental Regiment | Colonel Moses Little | 453 | |
| Heard's Brigade | Brigadier General Nathaniel Heard | 1,594 | This brigade was sent to Long Island on August 25, when it was clear that was the British target.[57] |
| New Jersey State Troops | Colonel David Forman | 372 | |
| New Jersey militia | Colonel Philip Johnston | 235 | Johnston's unit was on guard duty on the Flatbush Road the night before the attack. Johnston was mortally wounded in the battle.[69] |
| New Jersey militia | Colonel Ephraim Martin | 382 | |
| New Jersey militia | Colonel Silas Newcomb | 336 | |
| New Jersey militia | Colonel Phillip Van Cortlandt | 269 | |
| Other units | |||
| Connecticut militia brigade | Brigadier General Oliver Wolcott | 4,200 | This brigade was stationed on Manhattan, and did not participate in the battle.[48] The unit strengths are described in surviving documents as an average.[70] |
| 2nd Regiment of Connecticut Militia | Lt. Colonel Jabez Thompson | 350 | |
| 13th Regiment of Connecticut Militia | Colonel Benjamin Hinman | 350 | |
| 18th Regiment of Connecticut Militia | Colonel Jonathan Pettibone | 350 | |
| 16th Regiment of Connecticut Militia | Colonel Joseph Platt Cooke[71] | 350 | |
| 23rd Regiment of Connecticut Militia | Colonel Matthew Talcott[72] | 350 | |
| 22nd Regiment of Connecticut Militia | Colonel Samuel Chapman | 350 | |
| 10th Regiment of Connecticut Militia | Lt. Colonel Jonathan Baldwin | 350 | |
| 9th Regiment of Connecticut Militia | Lt. Colonel John Mead | 350 | |
| 4th Regiment of Connecticut Militia | Lt. Colonel Ichabod Lewis | 350 | |
| 19th Regiment of Connecticut Militia | Lt. Colonel George Pitkin | 350 | |
| 15th Regiment of Connecticut Militia | Lt. Colonel Selah Heart (taken prisoner 9/15/1776) Major Simeon Strong | 350 | |
| 1st Regiment of Connecticut Militia | Major Roger Newberry | 350 | |
| Long Island militia | Brigadier General Nathaniel Woodhull | 450 | These units performed "fatigue" work, principally driving cattle. Stationed on the American left, it included small cavalry units familiar with the area, but these were not used for guard duty.[73] |
| Long Island militia | Colonel Josiah Smith | 250 | This unit was from Suffolk County.[74] |
| Long Island militia | Colonel Jeronimus Remsen | 200 | This unit was mainly from Queens County,[74] and included men from Kings County.[55] |
| Artillery | Colonel Henry Knox | 403 | |
| Total size | 30,434 | ||
| Unless otherwise cited, the information in this table is provided by Fischer, pp. 385–388. | |||
Notes
References
- Carrington, Henry Beebee (1876). Battles of the American Revolution, 1775–1781. New York: A. S. Barnes. OCLC 1362214.
- Eelking, Max von (1893). The German Allied Troops in the North American War of Independence, 1776–1783. Rosengarten, J. G. (translator). Albany, NY: Joel Munsell's Sons. p. 5. OCLC 1591841.
eelking germans revolution.
- Field, Thomas Warren (1869). The Battle of Long Island. Brooklyn: The Long Island Historical Society. p. 1. OCLC 3633542.
battle of long island.
- Fischer, David Hackett (2004). Washington's Crossing. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-517034-4. OCLC 186017328.
- Gallagher, John J (1995). The Battle of Brooklyn 1776. Edison, New Jersey: Castle Books. ISBN 978-1-885119-69-8. OCLC 53003329.
- Heitman, Francis Bernard (1914). Historical Register of Officers of the Continental Army During the War of the Revolution, April 1775 to December 1783. Washington, DC: Rare Book Shop Publishing. ISBN 9780806301761. OCLC 1069079.
- Johnston, Henry Phelps (1898). The Campaign of 1776 Around New York and Brooklyn. Brooklyn: The Long Island Historical Society. p. 110. OCLC 234710.
- Reno, Linda Davis (2008). The Maryland 400 in the Battle of Long Island, 1776. Jefferson, NC: McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-3537-1. OCLC 188535862.
- Schecter, Barnet (2002). The Battle for New York. New York: Walker and Co. ISBN 978-0-8027-1374-2. OCLC 50658296.
- Smith, David; Turner, Graham (2008). New York 1776: The Continental's First Battle. New York: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84603-285-1. OCLC 181422963.