Battle of Long Island

The Battle of Long Island was a major 1776 American Revolutionary War battle in which British forces defeated George Washington’s Continental Army in Brooklyn, New York.

Battle of Brooklyn Heights: The main fighting phase of the Battle of Long Island, fought on August 27, 1776, around Brooklyn’s defensive heights. British forces used a flanking march to overwhelm American positions before the defenders withdrew toward these heights.
New York and New Jersey campaign: The 1776–1777 campaign in which British forces captured New York City and pursued the Continental Army through New Jersey. The battle opened this campaign and exposed the strategic stakes of holding New York.
Evacuation of Long Island: The Continental Army’s nighttime withdrawal from Brooklyn across the East River on August 29–30, 1776. The evacuation turned a battlefield defeat into a successful escape from British encirclement.
Heights of Guan: A ridge of hills in present-day Brooklyn that formed a natural barrier across Long Island. The Americans relied on these heights but failed to guard every route through them.
Battle Pass: A low route through the Heights of Guan that crossed the American defensive line on Long Island. The British flanking column passed through this weakly guarded route to strike the American rear.
British evacuation of Boston: The British withdrawal from Boston in March 1776 after American forces fortified Dorchester Heights. After leaving Boston, Britain shifted its main effort toward capturing New York.
British occupation of New York City: The British military control of New York City from 1776 until the end of the American Revolutionary War. The victory on Long Island enabled Britain to seize the city soon afterward.
Old Stone House (Brooklyn): A stone farmhouse in Brooklyn that became a focal point of fighting during the Battle of Long Island. Maryland troops repeatedly attacked around this site to delay the British.
Maryland 400: A group of Maryland soldiers who fought a rear-guard action at the Old Stone House during the 1776 battle. Their repeated attacks delayed the British advance and helped other Continental troops escape.
New York City in the American Revolution: New York City’s role as a strategic port, military base, and contested center during the American Revolution. Its harbor made the city a major British objective, prompting the defense of Long Island.

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