272 HISTORY OF BROOKLYN.

proved too hot for the British, who finally relinquished the orchard, which was immediately reoccupied by Atlee’s men. One of Grant’s brigades was Dow formed upon the hills in two lines, some six hundred yards opposite to Stirling's right, the balance of his force facing Stirling's left, in a single line, across the Greenwood hills.1 He also pushed forward a howitzer to within three hundred yards of the American right, and a battery of two guns opposite to their left. The battle, however, was rather spiritless, as Stirling’s object was mainly to keep Grant in check for a time, while Grant’s instructions were not to force an attack until warned by guns from the British right wing that Clinton had succeeded in gaining the rear of the American lines. Meantime, the sky was lowery, and a fresh breeze from the northeast hindered the advance of the British ships, with the exception of the inferior Roebuck, which, beating up against wind and tide, opened a fire upon the Red Hook battery, and received a brisk and effective return.

Leaving Grant and Stirling thus engaged, let us return to the centre of the American lines, on the Flatbush hills, where sunrise found Sullivan’s men yet awaiting, as they had awaited ever since the 23d, the attack of the British force in their front. De Heister, at daybreak, opened a cannonade from his position at Flatbush upon the redoubt on the neighboring hill, where Hand's rifle-corps were posted, supported by the troops of Cols. Wyllys and Miles, on the Bedford road. Hearing this, Gen. Sullivan hastened forward with

1 Mr. T. W. Field, the closest student of our Revolutionary battleground, and whose monograph on the subject will shortly be put to press, gives the following lucid state. ment, which will do much to clear up the confusion which has hitherto prevailed among historians in regard to the position of the American line on the right:

“Lord Stirling’s line at this time formed two sides of a triangle, of which the hypothenuse was a line drawn from the Flatbush Road, near its junction with the Port Road, to the shore of the bay near the foot of Twenty-third street. The obtuse angle at the centre was yet unprotected by the two-gun battery which bad been ordered up. From this point to the shore of Gowanus Bay was a distance of half a mile, along which the front was now warmly engaged. The right wing, resting on the bay, occupied the deep cut in the road at Blokje's Barracks. The security of this position from an assault in front, increased by a salt creek setting up into the land four or five hundred feet, made it one of no insignificant strength, so that, later in the day, the torrent of war sweeping around it left it unassailed. From the top of the hills the line bent northerly along the high ground to near the junction of Fifth avenue and Third street. This portion of the line was comprised of reserves—a portion of the Delaware Battalion and such supporting troops as Putnam could spare from the intrenehments. The left