hrough as
a body, I directed the men to make the best of their way as well as
they could; some few got in safe, but there were 159 taken prisoners.
I was myself entirely cut off from our lines and therefore endeavored
to conceal myself, with a few men who would not leave me. I hoped to
remain until night, when I intended to try to get to Hell Gate and
cross the Sound; but about 3 o'clock in the afternoon was discovered
by a party of Hessians and obliged to surrender--thus ended the career
of that day.

[Penn. Archives, Second Series, Vol. I.]

[No. 21.]

LIEUT.-COL. DANIEL BRODHEAD TO ----

CAMP NEAR KINGSBRIDGE, 5th Sep'r, 1776.

DEAR SIR,

I doubt not the Hon'ble the Convention of the State of Penn'a, is
anxious to know the state of the Provincial Troops since the Battle on
Long Island, and as I have now all the information to be expected
concerning it for the present, will give them every circumstance that
occurs to me. On the 26th of last month, Gen'ls Putnam, Sullivan and
others came to our camp which was to the left of all the other posts
and proceeded to reconnoitre the enemie's lines to the right, when
from the movements of the enemy they might plainly discover they were
advancing towards Jamaica, and extending their lines to the left so as
to march round us, for our lines to the left, were, for want of
Videttes, left open for at least four miles where we constantly
scouted by Day, which beside mounting a Guard of one hundred men & an
advance party of subaltern and thirty to the left of us, was hard Duty
for our Reg't: during the night of the 26th, we were alarmed three
Different times and stood to our Arms. As soon as it was light, Col.
Miles, from the right of our first Battn, sent me orders to follow
him with the second, to the left of our lines; when I had marched
about half a mile, I was ordered to the right about to join Col.
Willis's regt of New England troops, but by the time I returned to
the camp, Major Williams on horseback, overtook me with orders from
Col. Miles, to march Obliquely & join him, but could not say where I
might find him; I Observed the orders and directed a Subaltern from
the front of the Battn (which was marching in Indian file) with a
small party to the left of the Battn, and desired Major Patton to
send a Subaltern & small party from the rear to the right of the front
of the Battalion, which he mistook and took the one-half of the
Battn to the right, about two hundre