After
that, the thirteen colonies became States, and each organized its own
government.
This act, no doubt, gave Washington good heart for the difficult work he
had in hand, but the task itself was no easier. While he was waiting at
New York for the enemy's attack, he had only an ill-assorted army of about
eighteen thousand men to meet them. General Howe, who soon arrived, had
thirty thousand men and a large fleet as well. Yet Washington pluckily
made plans to defend the city.
When Brooklyn Heights, on Long Island, had been fortified, he sent General
Putnam with half the army across East River to occupy them.
On August 27 General Howe, with something like twenty thousand men,
attacked a part of these forces and defeated them. If he had attacked the
remainder at once, he might have captured the full half of the army under
Putnam's command--and even Washington himself, who, during the heat of the
battle, had crossed over from New York. But, as we have seen, the British
were apt to "put off till to-morrow." And very fortunate it was for the
Americans.
Possibly General Howe could have ended the war at this time if he had
continued his attack. But of course he did not know that the Americans
were going to escape, any more than he had known that they were going to
capture Boston.
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