e Fort Washington, on the Jersey side, but returned to Long
Island on the landing of the enemy.]

AUG. 29th 1776.

The Wrench I recd in my Back by the Starting of my Horse at my Gun
just as I was mounting him, was so great that I scarcely got off from
my Bed next Day, but feel much better of it now; I hear the Regulars
have built a Fort on the Hill east of Fort Putnam; I am astonished
that our People are not building two Forts where you & I have always
contended for Forts to [be] built. For Heaven's Sake apply to the
Generals yourself & urge the Necessity of it; let two Forts be built
there, & another just such abbatee as is built between Forts Greene &
Putnam, from Water to Water; it can be done in a Day--cut every apple
tree down--if our People are in Spirits; between us, I think our
Salvation depends upon it for their Bombs will drive us out of Fort
Putnam, & if they attempt to force & should get thro', we have 'em
between two Fires.

[Originals in possession of Chas. J. Little, Esq.,
Cambridge, Mass.]

[No. 26.]

MAJOR TALLMADGE'S ACCOUNT OF THE BATTLES OF LONG ISLAND AND WHITE
PLAINS.

The movements of the enemy indicating an intention to approach New
York by the way of Long Island, Gen. Washington ordered about 10,000
men to embark and cross the East River at Brooklyn. The regiment to
which I belonged was among the first that crossed over, and, on the
27th of August, the whole British army, consisting of their own
native troops, Hessians, Brunswickers, Waldeckers, etc, to the number
of at least 25,000 men, with a most formidable train of field
artillery, landed near Flatbush, under cover of their shipping, and
moved towards Jamaica and Brooklyn. As our troops had advanced to meet
the enemy, the action soon commenced, and was continued, at intervals,
through most of the day. Before such an overwhelming force of
disciplined troops, our small band could not maintain their ground and
the main body retired within their lines at Brooklyn, while a body of
Long Island Militia, under Gen. Woodhull, took their stand at Jamaica.
Here Gen. Woodhull was taken prisoner and inhumanly killed. The main
body of our army, under Major-Gen. Sullivan and Lord Stirling, fought
in detached bodies, and on the retreat both of those officers were
made prisoners. I also lost a brother the same day, who fell into
their hands, and was afterwards literally starved to death in one of
their prisons; nor would the enemy suffer