Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1856-02-09

surrender as prisoners but On our advancing
within sixty yards, they presented their pieces
and fred, which we returned with 81 much
warmth that they soon quilted their post and
retired to large body that was lying in am.
bUscade"
The enemy rallied and returned to the com
bat with additional force. Only FIVE compan-
les Of Smalwood's battalion were now in ac-
tion. There was a warm and close engage
ment for nearly ten minutes. The struggle
became desperate on the pat ofihe Americans
Broken and disordered," they rallied in piece
Of woods, and made second attack. they
we're again o,erpowered with numbers. Sume
were surrounded and bayoneied il a field of In
dian corn others joined their comrades who
were reireaiing across the marsh. Lord Stir
ling had encouraged aud animated his Young
soldiers by his voice and example, hut VIXEN all
was lost. he sought out Gen. DE Hester, and
surrendered himself as his prisoner.
More than two hundred and iiiy brave fcl.
lows, most Of them Smlllvood's $ req gimeni. per-
shed in this deadly struggle, within sight Of
the lines Of Brooklyn That part Of the Della
ware troops who had first crossed the creek and
swamp made Rood their retreat to the lines
with trifng loss and entered The camp GOV.
cred with mud and drsnched with water. bot
bringing with them iweniy-ihree prisoners, and
their standard lanered BY grape-sho,.
The enemy now concentrated their forces
within few hundred yards Of the redoub,s.
The grenadiers were within mnskei. shot -
Washington expected they would storm the
Wpfls sud al f. 4 I.l
The discharge Of cannon and yoleys OF mus
kerry from the part ofihe lines nearest to them
seemel 10 bring them to pause
1t was, in truth, the fprbearaace Of the Brit
ish commander that prevented bloody conflict.
His lrnops, heated with action and flushed with
success, were eager to storm the work. but
be was unwilling 10 risk the luss Of life that
must attend an assault, when the obiect miphi
be attained at cheaper rate by regular ap-
proaehes. Checking the ardor Of hts men.
therefore, though with some difficulty. he drew
them OF TO hollow.wsy, IN front of The lines.
but oui Of reach Of the muskelry, and Gu
eamped there for the night,
The lass Of the Americans n,his disastrous
battle has been variously stated but il is thought
in killed, wounded aud prisoners, to have been
nearly 2.oo0-a large number, considering that
not ahuvc 5000 were engaged. The enemy
ackno~ ledsed loss Of $50 killed and wound
ed
The retreat from Long Island is viyidly de-
scrihed.
The nighi aiier the bltile was 4 weary. vet
almost slerpless one to the Americans. Fa-
Iiaued, displrited, many Of them sick and woun-
ded, yei they were, for the most part. without
tent or other shelter. To Washington il was
a night Of anxious vigil. Everything boded
close and deadly conflict The enemy had
pitched number 0f tents about mile distant.
oclock in the morning, Washington went the
round Of the works, 10 see that all was right,
and 10 speak words Of encouragement. The
mnrning broke lowering and dreary. Large
encampmenis were gradually deserted; To ap-
peamnce, the enemy were twenty thousand
slrpng. As the day advanced. their ordnance
hogan to play upon the works. They were pro-
ceeding 10 iniiench themselves, but were dris-
en- into their tents by drenching rain.
Early in the morning Gen. Mifllin arrived
Ia camp, win part OF the troops which had
been stationed al For Washington and Kings
Bridge. lie brought with him Shee's prime
Philadelphia Regiment. and Magaw's Penn
sylvana Regiment, both well disciplined and
differed, aud accustomed to act iogeiher.--
They were 50 much reduced in number, how
ever, by sickness, that they did rot amount in
the whole 10 more than eight hundred men,
With Mifflin came also CD. Gloyer's Massa-
chuse,ts regiment, composed chiefly Of Marble
head fisheTmea and sailors. hardy. adroit, and
weather-proof; triInly clad 10 hue jackets and
trUwsers. The detachment numbered, in the
whole, about thirteen hundred men. all fresh
and full of spirits. Every eye frightened as
they marched brskly along The line with aleri
step and CHEEKY aspect, They we're posted a,
the left extremity Of the inirenchmenis, toward
the Wallahoul.
There were skirmishes ihrnughoui the day
between the riiemen on the advanced posts and
the British "irregulars. which at times were
quite severe but no decided attack was at
tempted The main body Uf the enemy kept
within their tents until the latter paIt Of the
day, when they heqan to break ground At about
five hundred yards distance from The works, as
- ~ eNAf AhNW " AN6NiNf "ll'NoNh-
es.
On the Goth there was dense fog over the
island, that wrapped everything in mystery
In the course of the morning General Mifln
with Adiuiani, General Reed, and Colonel Gay
son of Virginia, one OF Washineion's ades-de-
camp, rode To the western ouiposis in the neigh
borhood Of Red Hook. While they were
there light breeze lifted the fog from a part
Of the New-York Bay, and revealed the Brit
ish ships at their anchorage opposiie Staten
Island. There appeared to be an unusual bus
tlu among them, Boats were passing TO and
from the Admirals ship, as if seeking or car
rying orders. Some movement was apparently
in agitation. The idea occurred 10 the recon-
noitering party that The feet was preparing,
should the Mind hold and the fog clear away,
to come up the bay at The turn of the tide, ST.
ence ihe feeble batteries at Red Hnok and the
city, and anchor in the East River. In that case
a.. az, I o,, I.l ,,...,l1 ~.