eral times by two regiments, ye 44th and 23d and repulsed
them in every attack with considerable loss. The number of dead we had
collected together and the heap the enemy had made we supposed
amounted to about 60. We had 12 or 14 wounded prisoners who we caused
to be dressed and their wounds put in the best state our situation
would admit."--_Document_ 5.

See Colonel Atlee's journal in _Force's Archives_ for a full account
of the part his battalion took in this fighting.]

* * * * *

While, now, Stirling and Parsons seemed to be effectually blocking the
advance of the British by the lower road and the Greenwood hills, what
was the situation at the other passes?

Up to eight o'clock, some five hours after Grant's appearance at the
Red Lion, no determined attack had been reported from either the
Flatbush or Bedford roads. The Hessians had made some show of
advancing from Flatbush at an early hour, but they had not as yet
driven in our pickets, although approaching near enough for the guns
at the breastwork on the road to fire upon them. No word had come from
Miles; nothing had been heard from the patrol of officers at the
Jamaica Pass. Whatever tactics the enemy were pursuing, it was evident
that at this hour they had not developed indications of a simultaneous
advance "all along the line." Were they making their principal push
against Stirling? Were they waiting for the fleet to work its way up
to co-operate? or would they still attempt to force the passes and the
hills at all points and overcome the American outguards by sheer
weight of numbers? Whatever theory our generals may have entertained
at this time as to the intentions of the British--a point which we
have no means of determining--it is certain that at about half-past
eight or nine o'clock Major-General Sullivan rode out from the
Brooklyn lines to the Flatbush Pass, with the evident purpose of
examining the situation at that and other points, and of obtaining the
latest information respecting the enemy's movements. We have this
substantially from his own pen: "I went," he says, "to the hill near
Flatbush to reconnoitre the enemy."[145] Nothing more natural, and
nothing more necessary; the situation at that hour required that some
responsible general officer should be in this vicinity to direct the
disposition of the troops the moment the enemy uncovered their plan.
Stirling on the lower road had his hands full, and it became