The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1856-07-18
Retreat from Long Island.

,s;,hdravn from before victorious army,
enc.mpcd so near that every stroke OF spade
and pick.axe from their trenches could be
heard. The reireaiing troops, moreover,
were TO be embarked and conveyed across
strait threr-quariers OF a mile wide, swept
by rapid tides. The leas, alarm Of their
movem.nt, would bling the encmy upon
,h.u, anil ,,oducs , ,.,tible scene OF con-
6,.;on and ca,,,,s n, N. Mace Of cmbarka-
,;on
w,.h;,,,o, u,ao The o,eoaraiory arrange.
,,..,. wi,h o,.o, ols,,ne.s. We, profound
secrecy. Verbal orders were sent 10 Col
on., u,,s, who acted a, cuarie,m MASTER
general to impress all waier.c;afl, large and
small from Spytuden Dnivel, on the HID
son, round to Hell Gate. on the Sound, and
have them on The East side OF The city 10y
evening. The order was issued a, noon.
and 40 nromrtly executed that, although
som, of The vessels had 10 be brought a
distance of fifteen miles. they were all at
Brooklyu nj 8 O'Clock in the evening, and
MN, u,J., ,hs uar,,ausr, of Col Gloyer's
auo,;h;o,. Marbl.head regiment.
r, r,.,o,, The army for a general move.
man, w;,hon. b.,-ayiny the object. orders
,.o,. ;..,..a far IN, ,roons TO hold them
IT,. a. readiness. for n nirht attack upon
,ho snsrv The orders caused surprise for
the moor fellows were exhausted, and theiI
arm, rendered nearly useless by The rain |;
all. however, prepared TO obey, bit several
made nuncupaliye wills, as is customary
among solliers on the eve Of sudden and
deadly feril.
According to washington's plan Of 70,
,,ea, TO keen tho enemy from discovering
,bs withdrawal OF The Americans until their
main b,Jv should have embarked Ia the
boat. and pushed oil frosl the shore, Gen.
,r,lI;n was IN remain n, The lines with the
p.n,.vlv,ni, room. and the gallant re.
main. Of Hasle., Sna!lwood and Hands
regiments, with guards posted and sentinels
alert, as II nothing extraordinary was taking
place: when tho main cmbarkalion was
effected. they were themselves to move of
ouie,ly. march briskly to the ferry, and
embuk In case @, any alarm that might
J;.c,ncert the arrangements, Brooklyn
Church wa. 20 be the railyins place, whilher
all should repair, 80 as uniedly 10 resist
any attack.
Il was lac in the evening when the troops
begla 10 retire from the brcas,works. AS
one re. inen, quietly Withdrew from ;heir
station ON guard, tho troops on the leh
moved m and filed tho vacancy. There
wa. n sitting murmur in the camp, unayOid:
able in n moment or the kind bu, it grad
ually died away in the direction OF the river,
n, The main body moved on in silence aud
orisr. Tie you,hiu! Glamiltou, whose mil
i,arv merits had won The favor Of General
Greone, and who hal lost his baggage aud a
fell nice. in the hattie. brought IN the
rear Of the rs,rea,irr marty. Ia the dead Of
tho uiph, and in tho midst OF this hushed
o,d onxio,s rovemsp, n caonon went OF
with n tremendous roar. "The effect"
s,r. an ,ms,;c,, who WIS nyesept. was
n, orcs oI,rmin, and sublime. II This ox-
,,os;o, r.s With, MIR lines. the Gun was
n,oh,h,, J;s,b,,,cJ !, tho aet of sinking
!, o,J c,,,I have b,sn No less matter of
.na,,,I,,;,n % ,h,o,.ny ,b,, n opr.sIvcs -
:, W., ii A., $50. - s,,L,
..,t'.....,. - a., '7,.L, a., ,,..,,,;o,,
- 80 - - a., 80, h,,,,,J os
49,, ;.,n. - ala. ,h,, .,mo y,,;,o, q. !, would
~ 4 R,n,, 10 corro,yc NOR, deeply SOL
om, onJ ;r,s,..,iD, ,c.ns"
III. u,oni,, Of hi. m;loi,b, cum was
,,,o, ..,,;,,1. c,r,,,o,.Iy ,b,n,b !,
-,,.,,,, ~, -. :, ,,;,ai n ror,o ,hc
p,;,i.h c,rrn
r. ,ha maa,,;,,o H.. omh,.,0,;o, wont
IN with al no.,ible d;.,,,eh. under the yiri-
Ian, ey, OF Washington. who stationed him.
self at the ferry, superintending every move
men,. In his anxiety for dispatch, no sent
back Col Scanned, one Of his aids-de-camp
TO hasten forward all the troops ,ha, were
on the march. scamme, bluude-ed in exc.
cutting his Grand, and gave tho order 10
Mhflin likewise. The General instantly
called in his picke,s and sen,iucls. and Sc,
or for tho ferry.
By this time the tide had turned there
was strong wind from the Northeast; the
boats with oar, were insufficient to convey
the troops; those with sails could no, make
Roadway against wind and tide. There was
some confusion q, the Terry, and in the midsl
oft, Gen, MifTlin came down with the whole
covering garty, aiding 10 tie embarrassment,
and uprOar.