Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume X.djvu/632

 626 LONG ISLAND LONG ISLAND CITY claimed by the colonies of New England, and became the subject of frequent disputes until the final extinction of the Dutch authority by the English. During the troubles which pre- ceded the revolution the inhabitants of Long Island manifested a strong spirit of patriotism ; but the reverses of the American arms sup- pressed the active cooperation of the people in behalf of independence. After the evacu- ation of Boston by the British, strenuous ef- forts were made by Washington to fortify the city of New York and its approaches. Gen. Greene was intrusted with the defence of Long Island, and constructed a line of intrench- ments and redoubts from Wallabout bay to Gowanus cove, about a mile from the village of Brooklyn. The main works at the former end were on the hill afterward known as Fort Greene, on which the ditch and embank- ment still existed some years since, but which has been converted into an ornamental ground under the name of Washington park ; on the other extremity, a battery was erected at Red Hook, and a fort on Governor's island, nearly opposite. About 2 m. from the inirench- ments, between them and the S. side of the island, was a range of hills, then densely wood- ed, and crossed by three roads : one, on the right of the works, passing near the Narrows to Gravesend bay, the central one through Flatbush, and the third far to the left through Bedford to Jamaica. Much confusion was cre- ated by Gen. Greene falling sick, and the com- mand devolving upon Gen. Sullivan, then just returned from Lake Champlain, and unac- quainted with the ground and with Greene's plans. On Aug. 22, 1776, the British landed 9,000 strong at New Utrecht, on Gravesend bay, without resistance. They were command- ed by Sir Henry Clinton, assisted by Lords Cornwallis and Percy, Gen. Grant, and Sir William Erskine. Cornwallis, rapidly advan- cing to the central pass, found it occupied by the rifle regiment of Col. Hand, and, unwill- ing to risk an encounter, took post at Flat- bush. On the 24th Washington visited the American lines, and appointed Gen. Putnam to their command. On the 25th the British were reenforced by two Hessian brigades un- der Gen. De Heister, and on the 26th began to carry out their plan of operations, which was to menace the first two passes mentioned, while Sir Henry Clinton with a body of cho- sen troops was to take possession of the road leading from Jamaica to Bedford. While the works were strengthened and other prepara- tions made to resist attack, the pass by Bedford had been neglected, and only visited by an oc- casional patrol, who on this night failed to dis- cover the approach of the enemy. Gen. Clin- ton, accompanied by Gen. Howe, the comraand- er-in-chief, and by Lords Percy and Cornwal- lis, secured the defile and took possession of the heights without molestation or discovery, being guided by a tory of the neighborhood. The advance of Gen. Grant with the left wing along the road by Gravesend and the Narrows was resisted by Col. Atlee with a guard of Pennsylvania and New York militia. Atlee retired fighting until he had fallen back upon Lord Stirling, who with two regiments had hastened to his relief. Here active firing was kept up by both sides without an attempt at a general action. At the same time De Heister opened a cannonade from Flatbush upon Col. Hand and his riflemen, but without offering to advance, and the guns of the British men- of-war were brought to bear upon the battery at Red Hook. These, however, were mere di- versions. Clinton having descended the pass opened his guns on the Americans, and at this signal of his success De Heister ordered the redoubt, of which Gen. Sullivan had taken the command, to be stormed ; but the latter, who found his left flank engaged and himself in hazard of being surrounded, ordered a retreat, not soon enough however to escape the light infantry of the British, who drove him back upon De Heister. The Americans still fought bravely, a large body cutting their way through to the intrenchments, the rest who were not killed either escaping among the hills or sur- rendering as prisoners. Among the latter was Gen. Sullivan. On hearing the cannonade of Clinton, Stirling, who had maintained his po- sition in front of Grant, endeavored to return to the lines, but found himself cut off by Corn- wallis. He attacked the enemy with such de- termination that the British held their ground only by the assistance of reinforcements, until Stirling, seeing no further hope, surrendered. The enemy, having forced al] the approaches, were now before the American works, and soon proceeded to intrench themselves and plant their batteries. With this formidable force before him, and with indications that the British fleet intended moving up the river so as to cut the force in Brooklyn entirely off, Washington, who was now in personal com- mand, determined to recross with the Ameri- can army. This retreat was effected on the night of the 29th with complete success. Long Island from this time until the close of the war remained in the possession of the British. The whigs were subjected to much ill usage, and a partisan warfare between the tories and the whigs from Connecticut was kept up during the greater part of that period. LONG ISLAND CITY, a city of Queens co., New York, at the W. end of Long Island, op- posite the upper part of New York city ; pop. in 18V4, about 16,000. It extends 3m. E. and W. by 5 m. N. and S., and has a water front of 10 m., stretching along Newtown creek on the south, which separates it from Brooklyn, and thence N. along East river to Bowery bay. It is divided into five wards, and contains three post offices: Astoria in the north, Ravens- wood in the central portion, and Long Island City in the south. The S. W. portion is also called Hunter's Point. The N. portion is high and finely situated, and in Astoria and Ravens-