army, Washington thought it inexpedient to try to
hold the works at Brooklyn, and seeing that the
English fleet was preparing to occupy the East River and
cut off his retreat, he abandoned Long Island on the
night of August 29th-30th, and crossed over to New
York, bringing off all his stores and cannon, except a
few heavy pieces which stuck in the mud. A myth
was current among the Hessians, to the effect that an
order of Washington had been found in the deserted
camp, stating that, whereas it was impossible to resist
such cruel and terrible enemies as the Hessians, one
must make the best of one's way off. Thus had the
German troops seen their first battle in the New World.
It had added to the contempt they had already felt
for a rebellious and undisciplined enemy, a contempt
which it was to take long years of war and of disaster
wholly to eradicate.[1]
- ↑ For the Battle of Long Island, see the authorities above quoted and the MS. journals of the Grenadier Battalion von Minnigerode, the Regiment von Lossberg (Heusser), and the same regiment (Piel). For the Evacuation of Long Island, see “Washington's Writings” (Sparks's ed.), vol. iv. p. 69.
