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Lord Howe attempts pacification.-American disaster at Long

Island.

1. CONSIDERED as a step in the great march of PT. III. human society, no one can be fixed upon of more P'D. II. importance, than the solemn promulgation of the wri- CH. I. ting, which contained the grievances of America, and July 6. declared her freedom. It embodied also, the universal 1776. wrongs of the oppressed; sent forth a warning voice to the oppressor; and declared the common rights of importall mankind.

The De

claration

ant to the world.

With

2. The signing of this declaration, by the members of the American congress, who were the leading men of the nation, was doing that, which, if Great Britain the final should prevail, would subject every signer to the decision.

CHAPTER I.-1. Why may the Declaration of Independence be properly regarded as an era in the history of mankind? - 2. Why did the people of the United States consider the signing of the declaration as their final decision?

9*

[blocks in formation]

America

210

GREAT DISPARITY OF FORCE.

PT. III. penalty of death. As these patriots had thus exposed themselves for the sake of their country, all now reCH. II. garded the grand decision as unalterably made.

P'D. II.

3. The British troops from Halifax, under the command of General Howe, took possession of Staten July 2,to July 12. Island on the 2d of July; and those from England, British commanded by Admiral Howe, landed at the same force at place on the 12th. These, with other English, and several Hessian regiments, would make 35,000 of the best troops of Europe.

in great

Staten

Island.

up an

army

of

4. Lord Howe, who was a man of kind disposition, hoped that the Americans, would be so much afraid of this great force, that they would submit, without his employing it against them. He took Howe various measures to appeal to the people against the attempts decision of Congress, but he did not succeed.

Lord

peace

able ex

pedients

Per

ceiving Washington's great influence, he wrote him a too late, letter, directing it to Mr. Washington. The General sent it back unopened; for he said that he was not addressed in his public capacity; and as an individual, he would hold no intercourse with the enemies of his country.

Grand

plan

5. General and Admiral Howe now determined to attack New York. From this point they might, they hoped, proceed with their grand scheme, which was of the to divide New England from the south. Carleton, with 13,000 men, was to make a descent from Canada, by the way of Lake Champlain, and form a junction with Howe, who was to ascend the Hudson.

British.

6. Thirteen thousand of the militia were ordered to join the army of Washington, which, thus increased, amounted to twenty-seven thousand; but a fourth of Wash- these were invalids, and another fourth were poorly army. provided with arms. From these and other causes,

ington's

the force fit for duty did not exceed ten thousand; and of this number the greater part was without order or discipline.

3. How large a British army was in or near the United States? 4. What hopes had Lord Howe? What measures did he take? What occurred between him and Washington ?-5. What appears to have been the grand scheme of the English? What city did they wish to make their head quarters?-6. What was the number and condition of Washington's army?

DISASTROUS BATTLE.

211

1776.

7. These inconveniences proceeded, in part, from P'T. III. want of money, which prevented congress from paying P'D. II. regular troops, and providing for their equipments; and CH. I. partly from parsimonious habits, contracted during peace, which withheld them from incurring, with promptitude, the expenses necessary to a state of war; while their jealousy of standing armies inspired the hope, that they could, each year, organize for the occasion, an army sufficient to resist the enemy.

Its infe

riority to the

British.

British

8. On the 22d of August, the English landed without opposition on Long Island, between the villages of New Utrecht and Gravesend. They extended Aug. 22. themselves to Flatlands, distant four miles from the land on Americans, and separated from them by a range of wood-covered hills, called the heights of Gawanus, running from east to west.

L.Island.

The two

9. Washington had made the best disposition of his forces in his power, to guard the city of New York. The main army was on the island of New York, with detachments sent out to the most exposed points. Of these, the largest was on Long Island, extending from armies Wallabout Bay westward, and were under command of Generals Putnam, Sullivan, and Stirling. They were opposed to the vastly superior force of the British, under the experienced Generals Clinton, Percy, Cornwallis, and Grant, and the Hessian commander, de Heister.

are

posed

Brook

10. Over the heights of Gawanus, there were but Aug. 27. three roads. With such a force opposed to them, how Defeat at could the American generals neglect to guard these lyn. passes, and watch them closely? Yet one of these roads, the most easterly, or Jamaica road, was left so care- Am. loss lessly guarded, that while a part of the British probably army 2000. were taking up the attention of the Americans, with a British great noise and show of attack, another portion march- loss 400.

7. From what did this unhappy state of things proceed? -8. Where did the English army land? How were they arranged? -9. What disposition of his troops was made by Washington?

10. What carelessness were some of the American officers

guilty of? What disaster was the consequence? What was the loss on both sides in the battle of Brooklyn?*

* N. B. The questions sometimes refer to the side notes.

212

P'D. II.

NEW YORK RELINQUISHED.

PT. III. ing easterly passed the heights through that road, and thus placed the Americans between two fires. They CH. II. could not then win the battle, though they fought bravely. It proved the most bloody and the most disastrous defeat of the whole war.

11. In the height of the engagement, General Washington crossed to Brooklyn from New York. He saw with anguish that his best troops were slaughtered or Wash- taken prisoners. Had his object been his own glory, ington's he would probably have drawn all his troops from the anguish. encampment; and also called over all the forces from

His pru

and self

posses

New York, to take part in the conflict: but victory dence having declared in favour of the English, his judgment decided, that the courage with which it inspired them, sion. and the superiority of their discipline, destroyed all just hope of recovering the battle. And, with true heroism, he preserved himself and his army, for a happier future.

Aug. 28.

He re

moves

12. On the night of the 28th, Washington cautiously withdrew the remainder of his troops from Brooklyn to New York; to which place the detachment from Governor's Island, also retired. Finding, troops. however, a disposition in the British to attack the city, and knowing that it would be impossible to defend it, he removed his forces to the heights of Harlaem.

the

Capt.

CHAPTER II.

Disasters following the defeat on Long Island.

1. ABOUT this time, Captain Hale, a highly inteHale ex- resting young officer from Connecticut, learning that Washington wished to ascertain the state of the British

ecuted as

a spy.

10. At what time, year, month and day, did the Americans meet this dreadful reverse? Show the position of the armies by the map.-11. What was Washington's conduct?-12. What changes in the position of his army did he now make?

CHAPTER II-1. Who was Captain Hale? On what service was he sent ?

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