g Island kept on to be
engaged with one another; the firing was plainly heard. Bro. Shewkirk
met with a young man, who waited on Ensign Goodman, and who was come
back from Long Island. He told him that he, and a small number of his
regiment--Huntington's,--had escaped with their lives. It had been a
sight he should never forget; such as he never wished to see again.
This young man is of a serious turn, and religious more than common,
and promises to be the Lords'. In the afternoon we had extraordinary
heavy rains and thunder. From one of the Forts of the Continental army
on Long Island, two alarm guns were fired in the midst of the heavy
rain; supposing that the regulars would attack their line somewhere
between Flatbush and Brockland; all the men were ordered out though it
rained prodigiously; it was found, after some time, that it was a
false alarm. The sound of these alarm guns had just ceased, when,
immediately after, a flash of lightning came, followed by a clap of
thunder. It was awful. The very heavy rain, with intermixed thunder,
continued for some hours till towards evening. In the night the
battling on Long Island continued, and likewise,

_Thursday 29th_; and in the afternoon such heavy rain fell again as
can hardly be remembered; nevertheless the operations on Long Island
went on more or less; and behold, in the night, the Americans thought
it advisable to retreat, and leave Long Island to the King's troops.
They found that they could not stand their ground, and feared to be
surrounded, and their retreat cut off. The great loss they had
sustained, the want of provision and shelter, in the extraordinary
Wet; the unfitness of many of their troops for war, &c.; undoubtedly
contributed to this resolution.

_Friday 30th._--In the morning, unexpectedly and to the surprize of
the city, it was found that all that could come back was come back;
and that they had abandoned Long Island; when many had thought to
surround the king's troops, and make them prisoners with little
trouble. The language was now otherwise; it was a surprising change,
the merry tones on drums and fifes had ceased, and they were hardly
heard for a couple of days. It seemed a general damp had spread; and
the sight of the scattered people up and down the streets was indeed
moving. Many looked sickly, emaciated, cast down, &c.; the wet
clothes, tents,--as many as they had brought away,--and other things,
were lying about before the houses and in t