el _Huntington's_,
of _Connecticut_.

As to the retreat from the Island, it was effected without loss of
men, and with but very little baggage. A few heavy cannon were left,
not being moveable on account of the ground's being soft and miry
through the rains that had fallen.

The enemy's loss in killed we could never ascertain; but have many
reasons to believe that it was pretty considerable, and exceeded ours
a good deal. The retreat from thence was absolutely necessary, the
enemy having landed the main body of their army there to attack us in
front, while their ships of war were to cut off the communication with
the city, from whence resources of men, provisions, &c., were to be
drawn....

I have the honour to be, &c.,
GO. WASHINGTON.

To the Hon. _Jeremiah Powell_, Esq., President, &c.

[Force, 5th Series, Vol. II., p. 399.]

[No. 5.]

BRIG. GEN. PARSONS TO JOHN ADAMS

PHILADELPHIA

LONG ISLAND 29 Aug 1776.

... Before this reaches you the account of the battle of Tuesday last
will arrive--'tis impossible to be particular in a narrative of the
matter as many are yet missing, who we hope may come in. In the night
of the 26th nine Regiments of the English troops perhaps about 2500
with Field artillery &c passed the Western road near the Narrows from
the flat land, for our lines. We had a guard of 400 or 500 men posted
in the wood, who about three o'clock Tuesday morning gave notice of
the enemy's approach, a body of about 1500. We immediately marched
down to oppose the progress of the enemy. We took possession of a hill
about two miles from camp and detached Col Atlee with a Reg't of
Delaware [Penn.] to meet them further on the road; in about 60 rods he
drew up & received the enemy's fire & gave them a well directed fire
from his Reg't, which did great execution & then retreated to the
hill; from thence I was ordered with Col Atlee & part of his Reg't &
Lt Col Clark with Col Huntington's Reg't to cover the left flank of
our main body.

This we executed though our number did at no time exceed 300 men & we
were attacked three several times by two Regiments ye 44th &
23d and repulsed them in every attack with considerable loss. The
number of dead we had collected together & the heap the enemy had made
we supposed amounted to about 60. We had 12 or 14 wounded prisoners
who we caused to be dress'd & their wounds put in the best state our
situation would admit. About 10 o'clock we found a large body