Dave Does History

The Battle of Long Island 1776: Washington’s Defeat and Daring Escape That Saved the Revolution


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On August 27, 1776, the ink on the Declaration of Independence was barely dry when George Washington and the Continental Army faced their first great trial. The British had returned with the largest force they ever sent overseas, and they chose New York as the place to crush the rebellion. What followed on Long Island was the biggest battle of the entire war, and it was a disaster for the Americans. Washington’s army was flanked, thousands were killed or captured, and the cause of independence nearly died in its infancy. Yet out of the smoke and confusion came moments of raw courage, like the desperate stand of the Marylanders at the Old Stone House, and one of the most remarkable retreats in military history. The battle was a defeat, but the escape saved the Revolution. Today we remember it not for victory, but for survival.


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Dave Does HistoryBy Dave Bowman