l three miles
to make; and after encountering the enemy once or twice in the woods,
he, with many of his men, was compelled to surrender. Brodhead, while
marching through the woods in Indian file to join him, was also
attacked and his men dispersed, though most of them, with the
lieutenant-colonel himself, escaped to the lines. The rout was
speedily communicated to the guards at the two remaining points. At
the Bedford Pass the detachments under Colonel Wyllys and
Lieutenant-Colonel Wills appear to have realized their danger about
the time the British reached Bedford village. Finding Miles' troops
broken up and flying, they too, through fear of being intercepted,
took up the retreat. Finally, at the Flatbush Pass--the last point in
the outpost line to be attacked--the peril was still greater, for now
the Hessians were moving up in front. Here, as we have seen, General
Sullivan had just arrived to examine the situation. He had not long to
wait, however, before the nature of that situation fully dawned upon
him and the troops at the pass. While watching the Hessians at
Flatbush they suddenly hear the rattle of musketry on the left of
their rear, where British light infantry and dragoons are beginning to
chase and fire upon Miles, Brodhead, and Wyllys, and their broken
detachments. The Flatbush Pass was a point to be held, for it was the
centre of the outpost line, and retreat therefrom would endanger
Stirling; but Sullivan and his men must act promptly if they would do
no more even than save themselves, for the enemy by this time are much
nearer the Brooklyn lines than they. Just what occurred at this
juncture the records fail to tell us clearly. Did Sullivan, as one
letter states, immediately send word to Stirling to retreat?[150]
This would have been the first and natural step. Whoever the
commanding officer might be at the Flatbush Pass, it was for him to
watch the situation at the outpost line and give orders to the right
and left. All depended on what was done at that pass. If the guards
there gave way all the others must give way instantly. Whether the
word, therefore, reached Stirling or not, we must believe that
Sullivan sent it, as he ought to have done, and is reported to have
done. As for the general himself and his party, retreat was the only
alternative. Leaving the advanced pickets to fall back before the
Hessians, they turned towards the British in their rear. Very soon
they encountered the light infantry a