| Sitting in the state of New York, Long Island - the | | | | bayonet range, at which point they charged the |
| world's 149th largest island and home to 7.5 million | | | | American lines and engaged them in hand to hand |
| people - is also the scene of the first major battle in | | | | combat. The Americans had little chance under this |
| the American Revolutionary War which followed the | | | | form of open combat and fell back. |
| United States' Declaration of Independence. The | | | | The British troops' numerical and tactical superiority |
| battle was also the largest battle in the entire conflict | | | | served them well; the American rebels were severely |
| and the first that a United States army ever | | | | outnumbered, yet prepared to die for the cause; and |
| engaged in. | | | | die they did. After losing hundreds of troops in |
| In March 1776, George Washington, (who went on to | | | | various skirmishes, Washington decided it was time |
| become the first ever president of the United | | | | to retreat from Brooklyn while the wind was still |
| States) moved his troops to Long Island and New | | | | blowing in his favour. As the rain lashed down and |
| York City and set about reinforcing their defences | | | | fog descended over the area, Washington used the |
| there, anticipating an attack from British troops. Their | | | | weather to conceal his retreat; in complete silence, |
| intelligence had proved accurate; on the 22nd of | | | | nine thousand men, complete with their ammunition, |
| August 1776, 15,000 British troops began to cross | | | | artillery, provisions, horses and carriages rowed |
| The Narrrows to Brooklyn from Staten Island. | | | | across the East River. The entire retreat operation |
| Much of the American rebel force were undisciplined, | | | | took 13 hours, and was completed without the loss |
| untrained and unaccustomed to following orders from | | | | of a single man. |
| above, giving their British counterparts a considerable | | | | When the British troops marched up to Brooklyn |
| advantage. The British managed to manoeuvre their | | | | Heights the following morning expecting to force the |
| troops through unguarded terrain and then surprise | | | | rebels into surrender, or slaughter them, they found |
| the Americans with unrelentless firing of their musket | | | | nothing but a few empty ration packs. |
| shot, from column after column until they reached | | | | |