keep the rebels within bounds, in the city as well as in
their redoubts thrown up on the side of the city, for which end 1
Captain and 100 men, towards noon on the 2nd. of September, were
obliged to occupy Gouverneurs Island, upon which were found 10 iron
cannons spiked, 4 18- and 6 32-pounders, many unfilled bombs, some
thousand bullets, flour and salt meat in barrels. Every 24 hours this
post was relieved by the pickets of the English and Hessian regiments;
the shore was occupied from Helgatte to Reed-Hurck. Before Helgatte 2
frigates lay at anchor: la Bruene and Niger, both of 32 guns, with a
bombarding vessel, and on terra firma, just to the left side of these
vessels, a battery was erected of 2 24-pounders, 4 12-pounders and 2
howitzers. Blockwell Island was occupied by 1 Captain and 100 men of
the English infantry, and in the night of the 3d. of September the
frigate Rose of 32 guns sailed out of the fleet up the East River,
with 30 boats, leaving New York on the left, and without the slightest
difficulty anchored in Whall Bay [Wallabout] and Buschwickfeste. All
the enemy's cannon were put into a serviceable condition and conveyed
to the batteries, which were found in part and also erected on the
rising ground to the left of the village ferry as far as to
Gouverneurs Island.... Often in the night rebels came over to the
English camp in small boats, asked to serve, and enlisted in the newly
raised brigade, 2000 men strong, of a Colonel de Lancy, whose
ancestors settled on York Island, and who had much to suffer from the
present rebels. Some 100 men, from the prisoners of the attack of
August 27th., are also enrolled in this brigade. On the 4th. of
September, the English left their post on Blockwells Island, the
rebels occupied it in force, and so strong, that the outposts on the
main shore were exposed to a continuous fire, which even the great
battery could not silence. The 5th. of September, 5 wagons and the
requisite draught horses were furnished to every regiment, in New
Thown also a forage magazine was erected, and the inhabitants of Long
Island recognized the royal authority, excepting the county of
Suffolck, in which several thousand rebels still remain, not collected
together but scattered, ready to fight against us everywhere on the
first opportunity; why now Brigadier General Erkskine with his strong
detachment advanced no farther than 9 English miles beyond Jamaika and
the 6th of September was obliged to