posted. Greene's four old regiments
doubtless occupied the forts. Varnum was at Red Hook; Little at Fort
Greene; Hitchcock at Fort Putnam, and Hand with him there and in the
redoubt on the left. Forman's New Jersey had been at Fort Box. Three
of Scott's battalions were assigned to the centre, where the
breastworks crossed the Jamaica Road. Magaw, Shee, and Glover guarded
the line from Fort Putnam to the Wallabout; Silliman was at the
"northern part" of the works, probably on the right of Fort Putnam;
Gay's was between Fort Box and the Marsh; Douglas watched the extreme
right in the woods at the mouth of Gowanus Creek; and there was a
"reserve," which perhaps included among others the remnants of
Stirling's shattered brigade. Encircling them a mile or a mile and a
half distant in the edge of the woods, lay the British army with tents
already pitched in many places. North and south of the Jamaica Road,
just below Bedford, was Howe's main column; within and west of
Prospect Park were the Hessians; and on the right, Grant's division
bivouacked along the Gowanus Road.]

Had all things been relatively equal, the Americans within the lines,
according to military experience, should have been well able to hold
that front. But there was a total inequality of conditions. The enemy
were thoroughly equipped, disciplined, and provided for. They were an
army of professional soldiers, superior to any that could be brought
against them the world over. Thus far they had carried everything
before them, and were eager to achieve still greater victories. Behind
the Brooklyn works stood a poorly armed, badly officered, and for the
most part untrained mass of men, hurriedly gathered into the semblance
of an army. The events of the previous day, moreover, had greatly
depressed their spirits. Not a few of those who had been engaged in or
witnessed the battle were badly demoralized. To make matters worse,
the very elements seemed to combine against them. The two days they
were still to remain on the island were days of "extraordinary wet."
It rained almost continuously, and much of the time heavily. No fact
is better attested than this. August 28th, writes Colonel Little,
"weather very rainy;" "29th, very rainy." Major Tallmadge speaks of
the fatigue as having been aggravated by the "heavy rain." "The heavy
rain which fell two days and nights without intermission, etc.," said
the council which voted to retreat. Pastor Shewkirk in his diary note