The Irish standard., 1890-04-05
THE1REvOLUT|ONARY PERIOD
English Atrocities Practiced in Amer
lea During the Struggle for
Freedom

! Freedom
PERILOUS UNDERTAKING # ANC
Capture -"I Regret That ] Have Bu1
One Life to Save for NY
| Country"
On the 10Th of June, 1875. ships from
| Halifax, bringing between nine and ten
thousand Of the troops recently expelled
from Boston anchored off Staten Island.
The troops began to disembark and
soon the neighboring hillsides were
whitened with their encamDments
Du,ing the latter part of July and the
early part Of August of the same year.
ships Of war continued TO ar,iye at the
same place, bringing Scotch Highland
-ers, Hessians, and other troops, who
also disembarked and encamped on
Staten Island. The battle Of Long
Island was fought on the 27th of Au-
gust. 1775 The disproportion between
the two armies IN this battle was as five
to one in favor of the Britishry: and
when we add to this fact that the
American troops, for the most part,
consisted of raw militia, poorly armed
and poorly equipped, whilst the enelny
was composed of veteran troops, splen.
didly armed and splendidly equipped,
and in the best possible condition for
warfare, the disproportion becomes still
greater. The Britishry possessed the
most perfect army Of that day in the
world for experience, discipline, equip
ments and artillery
AS every one knows the battle Of Long
Island was disastrous to the Americans.
Their left flank being turned, thew were
forced to re treat. The Hessians chased
them relentlessly through thickets,
where they we're stopped by other regi-
ments Of the enemy. and thrown back
upon the Hessians. For a long time, y
writes Bancroft, 'sthes forest rnng with
cries Of the pursuers and the pursued,
the crash ,,f arms,i the noise of musketry
and artillery, the notes of command
given by trumpets pantbOys the ground
was strewn with the wounded and the
dead. Here and there a Hesslan found
amusement IN pinning with his baYonet
rifieman to a tree; the British soldiers
were equally merciless." Parry, a lieu
tenant colonel, was shot through the
head whilst encouraging his men.
General Parsons, going IN quest OF
orders. was intercepted; his party being
abandoned, we're nearly all taken pris-
oners, rs,amongstthem was Captain Jewett
Of Syme. captain of volunteers. On
surrendering his sword, Captain Jewett
was run through the body by the officer
to whom he gave up his sword, After
the battle. the dead of the Americans
was left unburied IN the forest. tho
severely wounded langlished where
they fell, to suffer. uncared for and die
alone, under an incessant d0wnpour Of
rain; the captives were forced to endure
coarse revilings and .cowardlYl insults;
and, when consigned to the provost.
martial, were huddled together IN
crowded rooms Q. prison ships. cut of
from good air, and deprived Of whole
some food, to know the bitterness Of
bondage and to waste away and die
The commander in. chief Of the Brit
1snry was William Howe by name; and,
by illegitimate descent, uncle Of George
Ill, King of ENGLAND. Howe was
lethargic and wanting in alertness;
hating bueiness and impatient at being
forced to attend to it; which, joined
with a family gloom. made him difficult
OF access, and gained him the reputa
tion of being naughty and morose. His
Incidence was bis bane. He was not
w1lfullv merciless. but he permitted his
prisoners to suffer from atroci0us cruel
ties.~ s.
After the Battle of Long Island,
Washington, perceiving the Britishry
intended to force his lines bYregnlar
approaches; that all the island was in
their hands, except only the neck on
which he was entrenched; that his men
were cast down by misfortune. and fall
ing sick from exposure and bad food;
that his forces were divided bY 9 chan
mel more than half mile wide. and
swept 10y rapid tides; that there was
danger Of the. enemy conveYlng. troops
to Harlem or Fordham Heights and
thus cutting of this comm unication
with New York !, in q council OF war he
determined 10 retreat from Long Island,
and did 80, on the night Of the 18th Of
August, two days after the battle.
Never did q retreat require greater CIR
cumspection, and never Was Z retreat
moro successfully effected. Nine thous-
ana men with all their munitions of
war. were Withdrawn from before q
victorious army. encauped 60 near that
every stroke ofs their spade and pickaxe
could m heard rom their ltllsnches;
fl,ey M ~ neo