290 HISTORY OF BROOKLYN.

“fishermen-soldiers of Marblehead and Salem” labored at their muffled oars during the long hours of that perilous night; naught, save a few heavy cannon, was left behind; none, save a few lagging marauders, were captured; and when the fog at last rolled away, the American army was joyously moving towards the upper portions of Manhattan Island. “That retreat, in all its circumstances, was truly wonderful. Surely that fog was the shield of God’s providence over those men engaged in a holy cause. If ‘the stars in their courses fought against Sisera,’ in the time of Deborah, these mists were the wings of the cherubim of Mercy and Hope Americans on that occasion.”1

The British, following close upon the heels of the retreating Americans, took possession of their deserted intrenehments, which were garrisoned with English and Hessian troops, while the remainder of the army was quartered at Bushwick, Newtown, Hell-Gate, and Flushing. Howe established his headquarters at Newtown, whence be dated his official dispatches announcing the results of the battle; and, for the period of seven years, two months, and ten days from this time, Long Island and New York city were held in possession by the British.

The defeat of the American army, and its subsequent retreat from Long Island, produced results most disastrous to the patriot cause. “Our situation is truly distressing,” wrote Washington, two days after the battle. ÒThe check our detachment sustained on the twenty-seventh ultimo has dispirited too great a proportion of our troops, and filled their minds with apprehension and despair. The militia, instead of calling forth their utmost efforts to a brave and manly opposition in order to repair our losses, are dismayed, intractable, and impatient to return. Great numbers of them have

nspiked and turned on the boats of the retreating Americans. Three persons, who left the island last, in a batteau, fell into the enemy’s hands.—N. E. Chronicle.

1 Lossing’s Life of Washington, p. 282, who also says that in a letter written by the Rev. John Woodhull, of Leacock, Pa., to his wife, dated Sept. 2d, 1776, he mentions that, for almost a week previous to the battle on the 27th, the wind “had been Contrary” for the British fleet, and prevented their coming up the bay. This prevalence of a northerly wind at New York, for so long a time, in August, is unprecedented. In the same letter be says, after speaking of the retreat: “A great fog favored us, the only fog that has been here for a long time.”