New York 1776 by David Smith

Author:David Smith
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: New York 1776: The Continentals’ First Battle
ISBN: 9781782004431
Publisher: Osprey Publishing

In Smallwood’s absence, Major Mordecai Gist led the Marylanders at Long Island and also stepped in after Smallwood was injured at White Plains. One of his sons, States Rights (brother to Independence), fought and died as a Confederate general at the battle of Franklin in 1864. (LOC, LC-USZ62-68208 5)

The fact that Grant had no intentions of pressing a serious attack must be borne in mind, but the courage under fire of Stirling’s command, notably the Maryland and Delaware regiments, is remarkable nonetheless.

“The Delawares drew up on the side of a hill,” their commander, Colonel Haslet, later wrote, “and stood upwards of four hours, with a firm, determined countenance, in close array, their colours flying, the enemy’s artillery playing on them all the while, not daring to advance and attack them.”

Grant’s main objective, to create a diversion, had worked. Men in the Brooklyn lines and New York itself heard the lively artillery bombardment and the best reinforcements available had been drawn to the right flank. Apart from a show of movement from the Hessians in the center, nothing else seemed to be happening. Sullivan had reason to be satisfied with events when he toured the American center at Flatbush Pass. He was concerned by events on the right flank, but the calm elsewhere appears to have convinced the Americans that Grant’s attack was the main thrust. Sullivan is reported to have inspected the lines at the Flatbush Pass between 0830hrs and 0900hrs. It is impossible not to wonder if it was while he was considering with some satisfaction the state of affairs along the Gowanus Heights that he heard two cannon shots from his left. He may have turned toward the village of Bedford, where the shots appeared to come from.

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