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BATTLE OF LONG ISLAND. 245
General Sullivan having been surprised by the enemy, the contest upon the
left of the American line was no longer a battle, but a rout and a massacre.
Squads of the Americans were pouring in upon the left and rear of Stirling's
line, pursued closely by Cornwallis and the Hessians.
On all sides the enemy were now closing around the feeble band commanded by Stirling, with the intention to crush it, as they had done Sullivan's
unfortunate army. The situation was terrible, but Stirling did not lose his
self-possession. The remnant of Sullivan's forces were endeavoring to escape
through the morasses and thickets, and dense masses were crowding the dam
at Freeke's Mill. Many were shot while struggling through the mud and
water; and it is not improbable that some were
drowned. Cornwallis had taken possession of the
Cortelyou house, in the rear of Stirling, and the
latter saw that if he could not drive him back, or at
least hold him where he was, his whole command
would suffer death or capture. He resolved upon
a costly sacrifice to save his retreating columns,
which were now toiling through the salt marshes
and across the deep tide-water creek in their rear.
Changing his front and taking with him less than
four hundred of the Maryland regiment, under
Major Gist, Stirling ordered the rest of his force major gist.
to retreat across the Gowanus marsh and creek, which the rising tide was
making every moment less and less passable. Pie knew the quality of the
soldiers whom he had chosen for a perilous duty.
" This body of young men, sons of the best families of Catholic Maryland, had been
emulous of the praise of being the best drilled and disciplined of the revolutionary forces ;
and their high spirits, their courage, their self-devotion, as well as the discipline of which
they were proud, were now to be proved in the fierce furnace of battle. Flinging himself
at the head of these brave lads, who on that day for the first time saw the flash of an
enemy's guns, Stirling determined to stem the advance of the foe.
" The little band, now hardly numbering four hundred men, prepared for an assault
upon five times their number of the best troops of the invading army, who were inflamed
with all the arrogance of successful combat.
" Forming hurriedly on ground in the vicinity of Fifth avenue and Tenth street, the
light column advanced along the Gowanus road into the jaws of battle with unwavering
front. Artillery plowed their fast thinning ranks with the awful bolts of war; infantry
poured its volley of musket balls in almost solid sheets of lead upon them, and, from the
adjacent hills the deadly Hessian Jiigers sent swift messengers of death into many a
manly form. Still, above the roar of cannon, musketry and rifles was heard the shout of
their brave leaders, "Close up! close up!" and again the staggering yet unflinching files,
grown fearfully thin, drew together and turned their stern young faces to their country's
foe.
"At the head of this devoted band marched their general, to whom even victory had
now become less important than an honorable death, which might purchase the safe
retreat of his army. Amid all the terrible carnage of the hour there was no hurry, no
â– confusion, only a grim despair, which their courage and self-devotion dignified into
| Title | History of Maryland - 2 |
| Creator | Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas) |
| Publisher | J. B. Piet |
| Place of Publication | Baltimore |
| Date | 1879 |
| Language | eng |
| Type | Books/Pamphlets |
| Title | 00000276 |
| Type | Books/Pamphlets |
| Transcript | BATTLE OF LONG ISLAND. 245 General Sullivan having been surprised by the enemy, the contest upon the left of the American line was no longer a battle, but a rout and a massacre. Squads of the Americans were pouring in upon the left and rear of Stirling's line, pursued closely by Cornwallis and the Hessians. On all sides the enemy were now closing around the feeble band commanded by Stirling, with the intention to crush it, as they had done Sullivan's unfortunate army. The situation was terrible, but Stirling did not lose his self-possession. The remnant of Sullivan's forces were endeavoring to escape through the morasses and thickets, and dense masses were crowding the dam at Freeke's Mill. Many were shot while struggling through the mud and water; and it is not improbable that some were drowned. Cornwallis had taken possession of the Cortelyou house, in the rear of Stirling, and the latter saw that if he could not drive him back, or at least hold him where he was, his whole command would suffer death or capture. He resolved upon a costly sacrifice to save his retreating columns, which were now toiling through the salt marshes and across the deep tide-water creek in their rear. Changing his front and taking with him less than four hundred of the Maryland regiment, under Major Gist, Stirling ordered the rest of his force major gist. to retreat across the Gowanus marsh and creek, which the rising tide was making every moment less and less passable. Pie knew the quality of the soldiers whom he had chosen for a perilous duty. " This body of young men, sons of the best families of Catholic Maryland, had been emulous of the praise of being the best drilled and disciplined of the revolutionary forces ; and their high spirits, their courage, their self-devotion, as well as the discipline of which they were proud, were now to be proved in the fierce furnace of battle. Flinging himself at the head of these brave lads, who on that day for the first time saw the flash of an enemy's guns, Stirling determined to stem the advance of the foe. " The little band, now hardly numbering four hundred men, prepared for an assault upon five times their number of the best troops of the invading army, who were inflamed with all the arrogance of successful combat. " Forming hurriedly on ground in the vicinity of Fifth avenue and Tenth street, the light column advanced along the Gowanus road into the jaws of battle with unwavering front. Artillery plowed their fast thinning ranks with the awful bolts of war; infantry poured its volley of musket balls in almost solid sheets of lead upon them, and, from the adjacent hills the deadly Hessian Jiigers sent swift messengers of death into many a manly form. Still, above the roar of cannon, musketry and rifles was heard the shout of their brave leaders, "Close up! close up!" and again the staggering yet unflinching files, grown fearfully thin, drew together and turned their stern young faces to their country's foe. "At the head of this devoted band marched their general, to whom even victory had now become less important than an honorable death, which might purchase the safe retreat of his army. Amid all the terrible carnage of the hour there was no hurry, no â– confusion, only a grim despair, which their courage and self-devotion dignified into |
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