HISTORY OF BROOKLYN. 283

words of hope, and carefully inspecting the state of the defences. By the gradually increasing light of morning was revealed the encampment of over 15,000 troops of Britain. It is no wonder thatÒthere was gloom everywhere—in the sky, on the land, on the water, and over the spirits of the Republicans. They almost despaired, for the heavy rains had injured their arms and almost destroyed their ammunition; but when, at five o’clock, Mifflin crossed the East River with the choice regiments of Magaw and Shee, and Glover’s battalion of Marblehead fishermen and sailors, in all more than a thousand strong, all fresh and cheerful, there was an outburst of joy, for they seemed like sunshine as they passed the lines of sufferers and took post on the extreme left, near the Wallabout.” Their arrival increased the American force to nine thousand. The British cannonade opened at ten o'clock upon the American lines, and was followed through the day by frequent skirmishes. The rain fell copiously, much to the discomfort of the Americans, who, in some parts of the trenches, stood up to their waists in water and mud. It served, however, to keep the British within their tents until near evening, when they broke ground within five hundred yards of the American lines, and commenced regular approaches by trenches. This night, also, they throw up a redoubt east of Fort Putnam (now Fort Greene), on the land of George Powers, from which they opened a fire upon the fort.1 During this day, also, occurred the capture of General Woodhull, by a party of provincial loyalists under Captain De Lancey, about two miles beyond Jamaica. From wounds, barbarously inflicted upon him after his surrender, he died a few days later.

At midnight a dense fog arose, which remained motionless and impenetrable over the island during nearly the whole of the next

1 “A strong column menaced this on the 29th. The Americans were here prepared to receive them, and orders were issued to reserve their fire till they could see the whites of their eyes. A few British officers reconnoitred the American lines, when one, coming too near, was shot by Wm. Van Cott of Bushwick, who then put up his gun, and said he had done his part. Several of the men were killed, after which the British fell back to their first position. An American rifleman leaped over the lines and took the officer’s sword, watch, hat, and cash. This afternoon Captain Rutgers was killed: few Americans fell within the lines.”—Reported by Lt. Thos. Skillman, of Capt. John Titus, company in ’76. (General Johnson, in Williamburgh Gazette, April 3, 1839.)