On July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence proclaimed that thirteen British colonies had joined together to create the United States of America, and in Brooklyn only two months later the survival of that new nation was tested in battle. The Battle of Brooklyn, also known as the Battle of Long Island, was the debut of the Continental Army and its untested commander-in-chief, Gen. George Washington. After setbacks in New England, the British concentrated their forces in and around New York City to try to put down the rebellion by separating New England from the mid-Atlantic and Southern colonies, while the Americans prepared to defend New York by fortifying Brooklyn Heights and other key locations around the city. Although the British made several attempts to negotiate an end to the rebellion, the Americans would not retreat on the question of independence, and on August 22 the British began landing troops and supplies in Brooklyn. On August 27, Washington’s young army of 9,000 faced more than 20,000 well-armed and experienced British and Hessian troops. Outnumbered and outmaneuvered, the Americans were overpowered, and Washington and his troops retreated from Brooklyn. Though the battle was an undeniable setback for the Americans, it strengthened patriotism in the new nation and gave both soldiers and civilians greater resolve to continue the struggle for independence.
