Two hundred fifty years ago this month, the American Revolution nearly ended in the span of a few days.
In late August 1776, General George Washington's Continental Army was pinned at Brooklyn Heights, outnumbered by a British force more than twice its size. The Battle of Long Island had gone badly, and by the night of August 29 only about 9,000 American soldiers remained, trapped between the enemy lines and the mile-wide East River.
Rather than storm the trapped Americans, British General William Howe paused to dig in. That hesitation — bought partly by a desperate Maryland rear-guard stand that had covered the retreat — gave Washington an opening. Under cover of darkness, the Americans began ferrying troops, cannon, and supplies across the river in a flotilla of small boats rounded up from local sailors.
The crossing ran long, and daybreak threatened to expose the last men on the Brooklyn shore. Then, according to George Washington's Mount Vernon, a heavy fog rolled in at first light and hid the final boats from British sentries until everyone was across. Eyewitnesses said Washington was the last man to leave.
The army that slipped away in the fog would fight on for seven more years.
Briefs and quick reads selected and edited by The Smart Reader’s editorial team.
