The Battle of Brooklyn (Long Island): The Revolutionary War in Four Minutes

On August 27, 1776, 244 years ago, British forces captured the all important Port of New York from the Continental Army in the first major battle since America declared their independence in early July.

Join Jeff Richman on Battle Hill as he explains the pivotal Battle of Brooklyn, also known as the Battle of Long Island, and learn what it was like to fight in New York City before it was the concrete jungle that we know today.

[AmericanBattlefieldTrust]

In today's Rev War In4 Rebrand, we take a look at the Battle of Brooklyn, which was fought 244 years ago today. The battle is best known for being the first major military engagement after the United States declared their independence in early July. Thanks for supporting American history and battlefield preservation!

[ArmyVetTrumpGrl]

My 4th Gr. Grandfather, Justin McCarty, fought here at the tender age of 17 under Col. Atlee's Musketry Battalion. Sometime on the 27th of August, exactly 197 years to the day I was born, he was captured POW and held in a Sugar House for 1 year before being released in a POW exchange just in time to partake of the Battle of Brandywine near his birthplace. He went on to fight in another 33 battles of the War before being discharged in 1781 at Falls Point, Baltimore, Maryland. He later became a Constable in Washington Co., Ky, starting the first ABC Schoolhouse in the area, eventually owning 400 acres of farmland and had 11 children. He died 28 Aug 1828 at the ripe old age of 71 having lived a long and prosperous life.

[cybergal]

I grew up not too far from here and never understood the significance of Greenwood until I saw Hamilton and started researching The Battle of Brooklyn. I was born right in the middle of the battlefield and had no idea! I'm grateful to the Old Stone House for how the preserve the memory of this and educate the current generation of Brooklynites on what happened there. To me, as a child, it was just my favorite swing park!

[danwroy]

These little 4m clips are invaluable for self-study.

[jarronsmith]

Keep up the great work!! Do you think you guys could do more animated battles? And make them pretty long? Your civil war ones were AWESOME!!! I just wish they were longer because it AMAZING content!! Thanks from Southern Illinois, keep up the truly awesome content!!!!

[lordtazzman]

Largest battle of the Revolution in terms of fielded troops.

[kurtdietrich]

Nice presentation, Jeff.

From Kurt Dietrich, North Shore Civil War Roundtable.

[thi_jo]

Whats that song at the intro of the video

[booAHHHH]

My 7th great grandfather Johann Conrad Bloss fought in this battle. He was either killed or captured. There was no trace of him after the battle.

[michaelhennesy]

Great presentation ! 300 Americans holding off 2, 000 British soldiers . Wow !

[shakazulu]

I first learned about this battle from an old hip hop song. GZA- Investigative Reports. . Throughout the song there is a background narration that describes this battle. It’s actually very similar to how it’s described in this video!!!!

The revolutionary war ended, but Wu Tang is Forever

[valmarsiglia]

What about the rest of it? Like the American forces' ingenious escape to Manhattan under cover of dark?

[EddieLeal]

I honestly had no idea that a battle had been fought here. Must have slept through this part of history class. 😁

[stephentucker]

It should be noted that George Washington wasted time ordering his officers to attend a few hangings instead of doing his due diligence and scouting the battlefield for possible flanking positions. Many good men died that day because of his carelessness.

[WallStBetsLobby]

The lantern was the beaken aka (Lawn Jockey) the guided the Americans to victory in the strategic retreat to Manhattan. A 14 year old boy want to fight but immortalized himself as a guiding light🕯️. The biggest blunder the British made was blowing the fox horn on the low ground. All Americans have played that game before and didn't think it was funny calling them p****.

[chrismlynarczyk]

First - please NEVER use the Domenic D'Andrea painting of the Delawares. Being from Delaware and a researcher - this painting is awfully bad. It should be discarded due to how poorly executed it was done...and it was done in late 1990s. Second - the second largest battle in the Revolutionary War. Brandywine was bigger in numbers. And third - the Delaware Continentals captured 23 luckless Royal Marines at this battle. The only American unit to capture British soldiers that day! Huzzah!

[josephperez]

How was the battle of Long Island significant to the American Revolution?

[pastuh]

really strange how many pictures exist.. Really journalist/painter was with soldiers? Or just imagination after battle..

[jamesbednar]

AWESOME video series you have!!! Enjoy them all!!

Hope you consider video's about Native American battles. A few significant battles would like to see video's of, if possible:

St Clair's Defeat (Battle of the Wabash): Nov 4, 1791 (Ohio)
Battle of Fallen Timbers: Aug 20, 1794 (Ohio)
Battle of Tippecanoe: Nov 7, 1811 (Indiana)
Grattan Battle: Aug 19, 1854 (Wyoming)
Battle of Ash Hollow: Sept 2-3, 1855 (Nebraska)
Sand Creek Massacre: Nov29, 1864 (Colorado)
Fetterman Battle: Dec 21, 1866 (Wyoming)
Wagon Box Fight: Aug 2, 1867 (Wyoming)
Beecher's Island Battle: Sept 17-19, 1868 (Colorado)
Battle of the Washita: Nov 27, 1868 (Oklahoma)
Summit Springs Battle: July 11, 1869 (Colorado)
Battle of the Rosebud: Jun 17, 1876 (Montana)
Little Big Horn: Jun 25-26, 1876 (Montana)
Dull Knife Battle: Nov 25, 1876 (Wyoming)
Big Hole Battle: Aug 9-10, 1877 (Montana)

Have visited all these battlefields and they are amazing.

[labombarde]

first time in the revolutionary war that the Americans took on the British toe to toe in this battle... WOW ... why not just say this is the first battle. almost like saying; you are the prettiest girl ever married today.