me Lord Howe opened a direct communication with
Washington; but that general taking offence at the letter being simply
directed to "George Washington, Esq.," raised a cavil on that ground,
to prevent a conference which would have been embarrassing to him at so
critical a period. It was in vain that Adjutant-general Paterson, the
bearer of the letter, protested that no disrespect was intended, and
that Lord Howe and his brother, the general, could not depart from the
rules laid down for them: Washington rejected the letter, and refused
to let it lie on his table, which refusal was highly approved of by
congress. As a last resource, the British admiral entered into a
correspondence on the subject with Dr. Franklin, with whom he had been
on intimate terms in England; but the first letter which his lordship
received from that philosopher convinced him of the inutility of any
further efforts at negociation, and he prepared for the decision of the
sword.

{GEORGE III. 1776-1777}

DEFEAT OF THE AMERICANS ON LONG ISLAND.

Having at length been joined by Clinton and by nearly all the forces he
expected, General Howe, on the morning of the 22nd of August, commenced
operations. He first threw forward a division of 4000 men under
Clinton, who landed in Gravesend Bay, Long Island, without opposition;
their disembarkation being covered by three frigates and two bombs.
This division was soon followed by the rest of the British army and the
artillery; and upon their landing, Sullivan's advanced guard set fire
to all the houses and granaries and fled to the woody heights, through
which the English must pass. Washington had previously reinforced the
army of Sullivan, and calculating that Long Island must be held, he
threw over more reinforcements from New York, until the mass of his army
was concentrated on that spot. By his direction, the Americans to the
number of 15,000 were posted on a peninsula towards that end of the
island which faces the city of New York, and is not more than a mile
from it. They were commanded by Generals Sullivan, Putnam, and Lord
Stirling, and their object was to occupy these heights, and to defend
the defiles which led through the hills against the English. A severe
contest ensued; but the British right, under Sir Henry Clinton, having
outflanked the left of the enemy, while the Hessians, under General De
Heister, vigorously attacked the centre, the Americans were routed. Lord
Stirling, who commanded