First-Hand Account of the Battle of Long Island

The Ripton Parish Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, is celebrating the 250^th Anniversary of American Independence and focusing on DAR’s mission of historical preservation, education and patriotism. Ripton Parish Chapter is identifying local men and women who lived in Stratford during the Revolutionary War. We have found one particular Revolutionary War veteran who wrote about his experiences in his request for a Pension – Samuel De Forest (Pension W16559). Samuel was born July 1758 in Stratford, CT. His brothers, Gideon, Abel, and Mills also served in the war. In our research we rarely come across a pension record with such a vivid account about war experiences.

In the Fall of 1775, the British evacuated Rhode Island and wintered in Halifax. General Washington and General Lee went to New York to make preparation and gave notice to Connecticut to move troops to New York.

Samuel De Forest wrote “we began to hear from New York that the British army was fast assembling and pitching their tents on Staten Island and that Gen’l Washington was calling in the Militia from all quarters….and about the first July Col. Lewis’ Regt was called on to prepare to New York with his regt & Capt Tomlinson of the parish of Ripton and Lieut Peter Curtiss of the parish of New Stratford was to make out a company between them….Capt Tomlinson with most of his men went by water and that Lieut Curtiss and myself, who was waiter to Lieut Curtiss, and some other ones went by land.”

“Soon after we arrived in the city the Declaration of Independence was read in Gen’l Orders at the head of all the Regts. Major Generals Lord Sterling and Sullivan and several Brigadier Gen’ls with more than 20,000 troops went over to Long Island and the British meanwhile were sending troops from Staten to Long Island on the 28^th day of August.”

“Before Col Lewis had left his command post we could see boats passing and repassing from Staten to Long Island loaded with men….” Because Samuel was Lieutenant Curtiss’ waiter he “was permitted to follow the company up several flights of stairs till we reached the top of the roof, from which we could plainly see the British soldiers were landing at the foot of a road perhaps 3 quarters of a mile south of Brooklyn Ferry leading an eastern direction…the road was constantly filled with men…for about six hours….”

“Col Lewis had orders to march his Regt along the dock opposite Brooklyn Ferry and…one of the Gen’l’s aides informed us that he was calling for volunteers to turn out and man every water craft which lay along the dock. All must know there was dreadful fighting and if our men were driven to retreat we wish to be able to bring them over this side….” Samuel De Forest and Wells Judson “landed at Brooklyn ferry about one o’clock. The thunder of the British artillery, the roaring of the small arms of both armies was tremendous. Judson and I walked up the ferry road and lay down under shade for it was very warm and I drank some cold water while we lay under the board fence… ruminating on the terrors of the day.” Samuel and Wells heard the sounds of marching and “the road was filled with red coat regulars and again we had hardly time for surprise before we saw they were prisoners…we concluded there was between two or three hundred of them. The firing ceased a little before sundown and a number of us got into a small boat and went back to our Regt – we learned …that Gen’l Lord Sterling and Gen’l Sullivan and several Brigadier generals and between 9 and ten thousand soldiers were taken prisoners. The remaining of our army on Long Island retreated and pitched on the best and highest ground just back of Brooklyn and intrenched themselves as well as they could. The British army left Flat Bush where the late and dreadful ill-fated battle has been lately fought and were planting themselves alongside our troops in order soon to give the finishing stroke to Washington army.”

“But shortly after, I do not remember how many days, a most wonderful thunderstorm took place. It commenced about one o’clock in the day. The thunder and lightning was dreadful, the clouds run so low that they seemed to break over the houses and the water run in rivers. The darkness was so great that the two armies could not see each other although within one hundred rod of each other. Through the whole of that stormy afternoon they were crossing as fast as possible but they themselves did not know they were retreating….

“…the Sergeant major told us that Col Lewis told him we must be prepared to go over the next morning in one hour after the Sergeant major came to Captain Tomlinson’s quarters and warned us all forth to march up to the Grand Parade in order to pass a review and take further orders. The storm began at one and it was now five o’clock it now rained but not so bad the company would not turn out. A Mr. Othniel French, a nice and good man, a friend and neighbor to my father, he says to me ‘the men will not turn out. Sam’l you are a minute man, will you turn out with me and go up to the Grand Parade and see what is going to be done’. I says yes Mr. French I will go with you.”

“…there was a few in other companies belong to Col Lewis’s Regt fell in and we marched up to the Grand Parade and we formed 3 or 4 hundred men. There was an officer there who says to us ‘come my brave boys. I am glad you are not afraid of a few drops of water.’ By this time the rain had subsided, it appeared to be turned into mist and fog. A picket guard is to be set tonight a little this side of Bunker hill on the Bowery. Mr. French says to me again I am to ‘keep close to me’….we marched on and we came to the house where the picket was to be kept and the sergeant began to distribute the sentinels. Mr. French says to the sergeant ‘I wish you would be so good as to let this young lad stand next to me for there is none that either of us are acquainted with’ and the sergeant placed me close to the guard house and Mr. French next.”

“I found out the whole of the 3 or four hundred men who marched with us was to form a line of sentries from the north river to the east river once in forty feet….an officer on horseback road close to me and says to me to let no man pass you this night, take no countersign nor watchword. If any man come to you, see that he is put under guard…you must keep your station here till morning….the fog thickened and all was Silent as Death.”

“At about 12 o’clock and so on the dogs began to bark, the cattle to low, the Indians to howl and yell all these noises from Long Island by reason of the thick and heavy fog and all the other dense qualities which conspired to tune the air like an organ….”

“…there were 3 or four hundred Indians attached to our army on Long Island and…the Indians was set to yelling that night by counsel of Gen’l Putnam….”

“…I have a confused recollection of what passed after this all bustle and preparation to retreat out of the city as soon as possible. Mr. French and I after the fatigue of the stormy day and standing sentinel all night in our wet clothes was quite sick and preparations was to leave the city next morning and he saw a man with a wagon that night…and he hired him to carry us both to his house….I reached home about the last of September and soon listed under Lieutenant Isaac Burr of Old Fairfield into the Black Rock battery service for one year….”

The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution is dedicated to promoting Historic Preservation, Education and Patriotism. DAR members are women who come from diverse backgrounds and have a variety of interests.Any woman 18 years old or older, regardless of race, religion or ethnic background, who can prove direct lineage to a Revolutionary War ancestor is eligible to join. For more information, visit https://www.dar.org/ For information on Ripton Parish Chapter, NSDAR, Inc. visit https://riptonparishchapter.org/ To learn more about America250! Visit https://www.dar.org/national-society/america-250/america250-foundation-partner