The Campaign of 1776 around New York and Brooklyn Part 31

You must be sensible that hard money can only be of service in my present situation: The Politeness of several Gentlemen would have very fully supplied me with it, but I have only taken what will be immediately necessary for me. I should be much obliged to you if you could procure me a small Bill of Exchange in which perhaps Mr. Dundas of Reading could a.s.sist you, or Gold to the amount of about 20.

I can not learn the fate of poor Colo Hand or Jesse Ewing but believe they are not prisoners.

Colo Reed, the Adjutant Gen'l will be the only Person who can convey any thing to me, my Letter must be short, my Love to all the Family.

I am Dear Sir Your Affecte Brother [in-law]

EDW. BURD.

JASPER YEATES Esqr.

[Original among the Yeates papers.]

[No. 14.]

LIEUT. JASPER EWING TO JUDGE YEATES

NEW YORK Aug. 30, 1776.

HONOURED SIR:

After a very fatiguing march we are all safely arrived. The Genl.

yesterday gave orders for all the Regts on Long Island to hold themselves in readiness to march at the shortest notice, and evacuate our Lines for the enemy already had extended their advanced posts across the Island, & we were entirely surrounded, so that the only refuge he had left was New York--This morn'g a party about fifty men went a marauding and were surprised by the enemy, who after firing whole vollies secured one of the Boats, & then the Hessian Riflemen began to play upon them, so that our loss including that of the first engagement amounts to 500 men & upwards.

Lord Stirling & Genl. Sullivan are Prisoners, several officers are still missing amongst whom are Col. Miles and Atlee--The militia from Berks County are almost cut off. The inhuman wretches thrust their bayonets through our wounded men and refused that mercy to us, which we granted to them. The situation of New York is very critical, the enemy being in possession of Long Island may reduce it to a Heap of ashes in a days time.

The loss of the enemy amounts to 1500 men amongst whom are a Brigadier Genl. and several Field Officers.--The Idea which we at first conceived of the Hessian Riflemen was truly ridiculous but sad experience convinces our people that they are an Enemy not to [be]

despised, Several Companies of their Light Infantry are cloathed exactly as we are, in hunting s.h.i.+rts and trowers--Mr. Burd who commanded a detachment of 200 men is not yet returned, and sorry am I to say it, he is a Prisoner amongst them.--as this news must certainly afflict Aunt and the whole family, I have forwarned my Brother from making any mention of it.

Please to give my duty to Aunt, mammy, Kitty and my love to all the children,

I remain, Honrd Sir Yr dutiful & obliged Nephew J. EWING.

To JASPER YEATES, Esqr.

[Original among the Yeates papers.]

[No. 15.]

JOHN EWING TO JUDGE YEATES

"_To Jasper Yeates Esq. at Fort Pitt._"

LANCASTER Sept. 14, 1776.

HONRD SIR:

As it has pleased Divine Providence to spare my Life, I think it my Duty to send you as good an act. of the Engagement together with the enclosed Draught as lays in my power, as I had gone from Elizabeth Point New Jersey to Long Island to see my brothers I had an opportunity of seeing everything that occurred from the Time the Enemy landed on the Island untill a Day or two before we retreated from thence. Col. Hand's Regmt. had been on duty 2 days & the second Night were relieved between 12 and 1 o'clock in the morning and about Two it is thought the Enemy began their movements from Flat Bush to the Right, and Left, and at between 7 & 8 o'clock in the morning we had the mortification from our Lines to see our men commanded by Lord Stirling almost surrounded by the Regulars, as they kept their stand on a Hill without flinching an inch, The Regulars were firing at them like Fury they at last descended then there was a continual peal of Small Arms for an Hour or better, our men at last partly got off by the Marsh, as in the Draught inclosed, I have been very Ill of a Fever which I got by being cloathed too thin and lay at York about 2 Days before our People had made that Grand Retreat from the Island which will ever reflect honour to our Generals, from York I was removed to King's Bridge twelve or fifteen miles from thence, after I had recovered, my Health suffered from Travelling. The Colo. was good enough to send me Home in a Carriage which thank G.o.d I happily--and dont doubt of recovering Health shortly--I am Sir

Your affectionate Nephew JNO. EWING.

P.S.

I shall refer you to the papers for our Loss in the Battle though it is with infinite regret I must inform you of Major Burd's being among the prisoners who Lord How treats them with great politeness. Time will not permitt my saying so much as I would wish--I left the Colo. & all friends very well at King's Bridge where the Regt.

is Stationed as I only left them this day week.

[Original among the Yeates papers.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Reduction from Original Map. Drawn by J. Ewing Sept.

1776.

[Transcriber's Note: The following is transcribed from a handwritten legend beneath the map. Spelling and punctuation have been retained as they appear in the original. Missing words or letters are supplied in brackets.]

A.--The Hill on which Lord Stirling commanded the Brigade which stood a considerable time exposed to the Enemy's Fire from their Field-pieces & small-arms.

B.--Large Bodies of the Enemy marching round our people.

CCC.--Our Camps with the Forts GGG in front of them.

D.D.--The Road to the Red Lion, where the Enemy marched from Flat-bush along the River & got between our People and the Camps.

E.--Flat-bush Road.

F.--Where a considerable Number of our people were stationed with Several Field-pieces & Breast-Works made with Trees felled across the Road to defend themselves when attacked.

H.--Fort Putnam where part of Colo. Hand's men commanded by Lieut.

C. Chambers were detached from the Regt. to man the Fort.

I.--A small Upper Fort where [I] was with the Colo. the Day of the Engagement, where we saw the whole Action at A.A.A. Our people after standing their ground at the Hill, at last decended, and the[re] was an incessant Fire of Small-Arms for the best part of an Hour or longer, with little or no intermission, 'till our Men Retreated by the Mill "I," and in their Retreat "O.O." set fire to the house "M" the smoke of which prevented the Enemy at B.B. & K from seeing them retreat & then they came over the Marsh "Q" where several brave fellows were drowned in the Creek "P." in endeavoring to get over. We expected every Minute the Enemy would Storm the Forts & Lines "IH," as they were not above 400 or 450 Yards from Fort "I" to them at "KB,"

but our Cannon from Fort Putnam obliged them to lay close.

R.--The Enemies Camp the Day after the Battle.

"Draught of the Engagement at Long Island, Aug. 27th, 1776."

_J. Bien Photo. Lith. N.Y._]

[No. 16.]

COL. JOHN HASLET TO HON. CaeSAR RODNEY

PHILADELPHIA

HON'BLE SIR,

I recd. yours with pleasure because it was yours, all the Rest was Indignation--We went over to Long Island, a Genl. Engagement ensued, the Southern Troops i.e. Ld Stirlings Battalion bore the Violence of the Attack & repulsed the Enemy but were outnumbered at least three to one, & obliged to retire; the Delaware Battalion have been complimented as the finest in the Service, they stood unmoved in firm Array four Hours exposed to the fire of the Enemy, nor attempted to retire till they received Orders from the Genl, then effected a most H'oble Retreat up to the middle thro a Marsh of Mud & brought off with them 23 Prisoners--I fear we shall be outnumbered, expect every moment Orders to march off to Kingsbridge, to prevent the Enemy crossing the East River & confining us on another Nook, what the Event will be G.o.d knows--Lt. Stewart & Harney with 25 Privates fell in our Regiment--Ld. Stirling & Genl Sullivan Prisoners--Miles & Atlee the same Piper killed--250 of Smallmans (Swallwood's) missing--Atles cut to pieces--I fear Genl. Was.h.i.+ngton has too heavy a task, a.s.sisted mostly by Beardless Boys--if the Enemy can coop us up in N. York by Intrenching from River to River, horrid will be the Consequences from their command of the Rivers.