The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-08-27
TODAY IN HISTORY
SATURDAY, AUGUST 27, 1910.
The Battle of Lona Island.


About the middle OF the summer OF
1l76 there was every evidence that Howe,
the British general. had decided upon
the taking OF New York. The Americans
vicinity OF the city, Howe left Halifax
on the llth Of June and arrived at sandy
Hook on the 10Th. On the 2nd OF July
he took possession Of Staten Island,
where he was joined by Sir Henry Clin-
ton. from the south. and his brother. Ad-
miral Lord Howe. with a fleet and
large land force from England,
Before the lst OF August other vessels
troops. and on that day almost 10000
soldiers, many OF them tried veterans
stood ready To fall upon the republican
army OF 1900 men. mostly militia, which
lay intrenched In New York and vicinity
less than a dozen miles distant. The
British made full preparations to strike
a decisive blow The British army was
accordingly put in motion on the 22nd
OF August and forty pieces OF cannon
and 10000 effective men were landed on
the western part of Long Island near
Fort Hamilton.
Already "A detachment OF Americans
under General Sullivan occupied fortified
camp at Brooklyn, opposite New YORK.
and guarded seven passes on range OF
hills which extended from the Narrows
to the village of Jamaica. When intelli-
gence OF the invading army reached
Washington he sent General Putnam with
large reinforcements to take the chief
command OF Long Island and to prepare
TO meet the enemy. The American troops
on the islands now numbered 5000, The
British moved In three divisions. The
left, under General Grant, marched
along the shore towards GoWanus, the
right, under Clinton and Cornwallis, TO-
ward the Interior of the Island, and the
center composed chiefly OF Hessians, un-
der De Holster, marched up the Flatbush
road south of the hills.
Clinton moved under cover Of night
and before dawn on the morning of the
27th he had gained the Jamaica pass
near the present East New York. Az
the same time Grant was pressing for
ward along the shore of New York bay,
and at daybreak he encountered Lord
Stirling where the monuments Of Green
wood cemetery now dot the hills DE
Hester advanced from Flatbush at the
same hour and attacked Sullivan, who.
having no suspicious OF the movements
OF Clinton, was watching Flatbush pass,
bloody conflict ensued here on the 9th,
and while IL was progressing Clinton de-
scended from the wooded hills 10 gain
Sullivan's rear.
AS soon as Sullivan perceived his peril
he ordered a retreat to the American
lines at Brooklyn. II was too late, Clin
ton drove him back upon the Hessian
bayonetS, and after fighting desperately,
hand TO hand. with foe in front and rear,
and losing n greater portion OF his men.
Sullivan was compelled to surrender AS
usual, mistortuntes did not come sim
gly. While these disasters were occur
ring on the left Cornwalls descended the
made prisoner, Many of his troops were
drowned while endeavoring to escape
across the Gowanus creek, as the tide
was rising, and large number We're cap
tured. About 500 Americans were killed
or wounded and 100 were made prison
ers. These were soon suffering dreadful
horrors In prisons and prison ships at
New York. The British lost in killed,
wounded and prisoners about 367
1t was with deepest gloom that Wash
ington had viewed from New York the
destruction Of his troops. yet he dared
not weaken his power in the city by
sending reinforcements to aid them. He
crossed over on the following morning
with Mlfflin, who had come down from
the upper end Of York Island with a
thousand troops, and was gratifed to find
the enemy encamped In front OF Putnam's
lines. and delayed an attack until the
British fleet should cooperate with him,
This delay allowed Washington time
TO form and execute plan for the sal
walton of the remainder of the army,
now too weak 10 resist an assault with
any hope of success Dnuer cover of
heavy fog which fell upon the hostile
camps at midnight on the 29th. and con-
tinued until the morning of the 30th. he
silently withdrew from the camp, ana.
unperceved by the British crossed over
TO New York in safety, carrying every
thing with them but their heavy cannon.
Then followed the struggle for New York
and the Hudson.