History of the Town of Flatbush

the city of New-York, and extended in different posts from the highlands near the Narrows, to Wallaboght Bay. The command, of all these posts had been entrusted to General Greene, who had studiously made himself acquainted with the location of all the surrounding country, so as to be able to defend the American army not only, but take all advantages which the various defiles would afford to attack the British. But unfortunately only a few days before the battle, General Greene was taken very sick, and the command devolved on General Putnam, who although one of the bravest of the brave, was not sufficiently acquainted with the face of the country. Putnam had two brigadiers under him, General Sullivan, who had command of the troops not immediately within the lines, and General Lord Stirling, who was stationed in and about Gowanus Bay and the Narrows. To prevent property falling into the hands of the British, an order was issued commanding the farmers on the west end of Long-Island, to drive away their cattle and take their grain which had just been harvested, from their barns and stack it in the fields, that it might be the more readily destroyed. Accordingly, all the cattle in Flatbush and the towns adjacent, were driven first as far east as the woods, in and about New-Lots, and subsequently into Queens County. Some of these were recovered, but great numbers of them were lost; the American Government, however, made honorable reparation for all such losses. The grain also, in conformity with the order, was taken out (if the barns and put on stacks. Some of these were subsequently set on fire by the American army on their retreat, to prevent their falling into the hands of the British; but a few of these stacks of grain were saved, particularly those in the southern section of the village.

An entrenchment was thrown up in Flatbush across the road leading through the village, a little south of the present residence of Judge Martense. It was in the form of something like a half moon, lying diagonally across the road, and extending on the land of Lefferts Martense on the west, and of Isaac Cortelyou on the east-having a ditch of sufficient depth on the north. A small redoubt on which a few pieces of artillery were mounted, was also put up at the Valley-Grove, to guard the passage through the port road, and by the direct route to Brooklyn. Here stood a large white oak tree, mentioned n the patent of Governor Dongan, as one of the boundary lines of the town of Flatbush. This was cut down and thrown across the road; and in consequence of the then dense woods on the south, and the swamp on the north, it formed a very considerable abattis. The late Mr. Simon Voris assisted in cutting down this tree.

During this time, preparations were making by the British, to effect a landing on Long-Island. They were frequently visited by persons from the shore and surrounding towns, who no doubt gave them every information concerning the positions of the American army, and furnished materials for a draft of the whole adjacent country; for they were well acquainted with the position of the hills, and the three roads or defiles by which they could be passed. On the 22d day of August, a landing was effected by the British troops at Bath, under cover of the guns of their fleet, without opposition. Gen. Howe established his headquarters at New-Utrecht. The American troops who were stationed along the coast, consisting of a regiment of Pennsylvanians under Col. Hand, retired to Flatbush, with the view of guarding the principal pass to Brooklyn. Lord Cornwallis pushed on immediately with the reserve