As part of the commemoration of the 249th anniversary of the Battle of Brooklyn (Battle of Long Island), I present to you the fantastic Map and Plan to Illustrate the Battle of Long Island.
This was compiled by Henry Onderdonk, Jr. and published in 1849 in Revolutionary incidents of Suffolk and Kings Counties: With an Account of the Battle of Long Island and the British Prisons and Prison-ships at New York. Since his description of the sites of interest is so comprehensive, I thought it helpful to include this as a standalone post ahead of my dedicated post on the Battle of Brooklyn, which will be posted later in the week.
Onderdonk was an eminent professor and historian who published many works on the history of Long Island (Suffolk), Queens (which included what is now Nassau County), and Brooklyn. He served as a Counsellor to the Long Island Historical Society and likely drew upon the experiences of his grandfather and grandfather during the Revolutionary War when writing these histories.
Here is the description of the map provided by Onderdonk, with his notes. Keep in mind that mentions of features that are still standing or extant are from 1849:
Explanation of the American Lines of Defence at New-York – See map.
a. M’Dougal’s Battery, on a hill west of, and very near, Trinity Church.
b. Fort George, now the Battery. North of it was the “Broadway Barrier,” near the Bowling Green, or King’s Statue. It had 2 guns.
c. Battery at the ship yards.
d. Crown Point Battery, now Corlaer’s Hook.
e. Main, or Battery Channel, where I think chevaux de frise were sunk.
f. Governor’s Island.
g. Fort at Red Hook, on Long Island. It had 5 guns.
h. Fort Stirling, between Hicks and Clinton streets, and east of Pierrepont — open in the rear\; on land of Jacob Hicks. It had 7 guns.
i. Fort Putnam, on a hill then covered with heavy wood, (Conover’s Boschje) which was partly cut down. It had 5 guns.
j. Fort Greene — the southeast front of the Lines on land of Johannis Debevoice and Rutger Vanbrunt. It had 5 guns.
k. A conical hill, very steep, called Ponkiesbergh, Cobble Hill, or Corkscrew Fort. It had 3 guns. “The trenches went round and round, and it had a platform on top for cannon.” So says an old soldier.
l. Redoubt at the Mill, (was it Fort Box?) on Nicholas Boerum’s hill. It commanded the Mill (4), and had one gun.
Explanation of the operations of the two Armies, Aug. 22-29 – See map.
m. Denyse’s large stone house, now Fort Hamilton, (where ’tis said were a cannon and body of men posted,) abreast of which lay the Rainbow, so as to enfilade the road from N. Y.
n. N. Utrecht beach, where the British landed, Aug. 22 and 24, on the farms of Isaac Cortelyou and Adrian Van Brunt, which lay W. of the Bath House, i.e. between the Cortelyou road and the Bath road, anciently called De Bruyn road.
o. Schoomaker’s Bridge, (still extant,) a very narrow passage where the army under Clinton might easily have been stopped.
p. A passage over the hill by which J. Howard led the British army or a detachment of it, about 2 o’clock A. M., Aug. 27.
q. The Jamaica Pass. The road in 1776 went around a large hill.
r. The Hunder-fly Road.
s. Baker’s Tavern.
t. Bennett’s Cove, where ’tis said, 3,000 British landed on the morning of Aug. 27.
u . Martense’s Lane, by which Stirling says the forces came, who were opposed to him.
v. Red Lion Tavern, as is supposed, mentioned by Stirling
w. Stirling’s force [on Wykoff’s Hill ?] morning of Aug. 27.
x. Grant’s force, morning of Aug. 27.
y. The scene of Stirling’s last encounter with the enemy, while his main body escaped over the Creek and Mill-dam.
N. B. The precise spots w, x, y, cannot now perhaps be identified. The hills remain, but all else is changed.
z. Cortelyou House, built of brick and stone, 1699, by N. Vechte,and still standing. Probably the scene of some fighting. One writer says “Cornwallis was posted in a house above where the crossing was to be made,” and another says “the British had several field-pieces stationed by a brick house, and were pouring canister and grape on the Americans crossing the creek.”
1. British redoubt thrown up on the night of Aug. 28, on high land of George Debevoise.
2. Buttermilk Channel.
3. Stone (Dutch) church in the road, where ’tis said, Washington held his military council. It was the alarm post on the night of the retreat.
4. Brower’s Mill. The side toward the Fort (I) was ripped off so as to expose it to the fire of the Fort, in case the enemy should occupy it. In the confusion of the retreat, ’tis said, Col. Ward set fire to this mill before the retreating Americans got over. Hence they were drowned in the mill-pond. There was then no road over the dam, only a foot path. The mill is still standing, the pond mostly filled up.
5. Flatbush Pass. A large old oak was felled as an abatis across the road, to cover the small redoubt of 3 six pounders.
6. Americans retreating across the mouth of the creek.
7. A party of Americans who covered the retreat of those who swam over the creek.
8. Port or Mill Road, by which De Heister may have descended.
Note: The rest of these are not actually numbered on Onderdonk’s map.
9. Brooklyn Ferry.
10. Wallebocht.
11. East River.
12. Paulus Hook.
13. North River.
14. Gowanus Bay.
15. Yellow Hook.
16. The Narrows.
17. Road to the Narrows.
18. Road to New Lots.
19. Howard’s Halfway House.
N. B. The dotted lines indicate the supposed routes of the three divisions of the British army on the morning of Aug. 27.
Batteries in and near New-York, March 24, 1776.
Grenadier’s, or Circular Battery, 5 guns, near the air-furnace on the bank of the North River.
Jersey’s Battery, 5 guns, a little to the northward of the first.
M’Dougall’s Battery, 4 guns, to the west of Trinity Church, and very near it.
Broadway Barrier, 2 guns, very near the Bowling Green, or King’s Statue.
Coentie’s Battery, 5 guns, on Ten Eyck’s wharf.
Stirling’s Battery, 8 guns, on L. I., and nearly opposite the Fly Market. In the rear of this there is to be a citadel, which will take up about 5 acres, called The Congress.
Waterbury’s Battery, 7 guns, at the ship yards.
Badlam’s Battery, 8 guns, on Rutger’s first hill, just above the last mentioned.
Thompson’s Battery, 9 guns, at Hoorne’s Hook.
Independent Battery, 2 guns, on Bayard’s Mount.
(Note: The Independent Battery, sometimes reported as “Bunker Hill,” was usually referred to as Bayard’s Hill Redoubt in contemporary correspondence).
Besides the above, there is a breast- work, or barrier, at Peck’s, Beekman’s, Burling’s, and Fly Slips ; also at the Coffee House, Old Slip, Coentie’s Market and the Exchange, and one midway of Broad-st. of this construction = =; and the same are made in several streets leading from the North River to Broadway. Also a line of circumvallation from river to river.
Names of Batteries, May 22, 1776, at New-York City.
Grand Battery, south part of town, thirteen 32 pounders, one 24, three 18’s, two 12’s, one brass mortar, 3 iron mortars prepared.
Fort George, immediately above it, two 12 pounders, four 32’s.
White Hall Battery, left of Grand Battery, two 32 pounders.
Oyster Battery, behind Washington’s head-quarters, two 32 pounders, three 12’s.
Grenadier’s, or Circular Battery, near Brewhouse on N. River, three 12 pounders, 2 mortars prepared.
Jersey Battery, left of Grenadier, two 12 pounders, three 32’s.
Bayard’s Hill redoubt, 9 eight pounders, four 3’s, six royal and cohorn mortars.
Spencer’s Redoubt, on a hill where Gen. Spencer is encamped, two 12 pounders, four field-pieces proposed.
Waterbury’s Battery, is a fascine Battery on a wharf below Spencer’s redoubt, two 12 pounders.
Badlam’s Redoubt, is on a hill directly above it, near Jew’s burying ground.
On Long Island.
At the redoubts are no artillery men, two 12 pounders, two 9’s, four 3’s of brass.
Fort Stirling, Lt. Randall and 12 men, four 32 pounders, two 18’s.
Red Hook, Capt. Foster, one 3 pounder, four 18’s.
Governor’s Island, Capt. Craft, four 18 pounders, four 32’s.
Paulus Hook, Capt. Dana proposed, two 12 pounders, three 32’s, two 3’s.
The Park, as a reserve, Capt. Drury, to be run where the enemy makes the greatest attack, twelve 6 pounders, eight 3’s, one 24, three 3’s, nine 12’s.
Benson Lossing’s Adaptation of Onderdonk’s Map
In his seminal work The Pictorial Field-book of the Revolution, historian Benson Lossing imparts a wealth of fascinating information about the Battle of Brooklyn. He often corresponded with Henry Onderdonk about their research and works, and in Volume II of his series he included an adaptation of one of Onderdonk’s Maps. I have decided to include it here, along with the key, as it shows some of the prominent features and areas that were not detailed on the larger map above.
1. Gravesend beach, where the British landed
2. Denyse’s (Fort Hamilton)
3. Martense’s Lane, along the southern boundary of Greenwood Cemetery, extending from Third Avenue at the lower end of Gowanus Bay, to the Flatbush and New Utrecht road
4. Red Lion tavern
5. Grant’s forces
6. Stirling’s forces
7. Stirling’s last encounter
8. Cortelyou’s house
9. Port or Mill road
10. Flatbush pass
11. Americans retreating across the creek
12. Party of Americans covering the retreat
13. Box Fort
14. Brower’s mill
15. Fort Greene, near the mill-pond
16. Cork-screw Fort
17. Baker’s tavern, near the junction of Fulton and Flatbush Avenues
18. British redoubt, cast up after the battle
19. Fort Putnam now Fort Greene
20. Stone church, where Washington held a council of war
21. Fort Stirling
22. The ferry, foot of Fulton Street
23. Fort at Red Hook
24. Corlaer’s Hook
25. Battery, foot of Catharine Street
26. Paulus’ Hook
27. Governor’s Island
28. The Narrows
29. Vandeventer’s Point
30. Shoemaker’s Bridge, near New Lots. Bennet’s Cove is near figure 4, where, it is said, three thousand British troops landed on the morning of the twenty-seventh of August, the day of the battle
a a. track of the right wing of the British army, under the immediate command of General Howe, from Flatlands, by way of the present East New York (Howard’s half-way house) to Brooklyn.
While in possession of New York and vicinity, the British so strengthened Fort Stirling, on Brooklyn Heights, that it assumed the character of a regular fortification, with four bastions, similar to Fort George, in New York. They also cast up a line of intrenchments along the brow of the hill from the Heights to the present Navy Yard.
Descriptions of additional fortifications in and around New York by Benson Lossing
The following descriptions of some of the additional fortifications in and around New York were included as footnotes in the section of the Pictorial Field-Book where Lossing discusses the “Fortifications on York or Manhattan Island.” The description and notes are all the work of Lossing:
Fort George with its dependencies, on the site of ancient Fort Amsterdam, was the principal military work upon the island. It had, when Washington came into the city, two twelve-pounders and four thirty-two-pounders, though capable of mounting sixty cannons. Connected with it was the Grand Battery, with thirteen thirty-two pounders, one twenty-four, three eighteen’s, two two’s, and one brass and three iron mortars. This was enlarged after the British took possession, to a capacity for ninety-four guns. This work was in the vicinity of the present flag-staff upon the Battery.
A little eastward of it, at the South Ferry landing, was the Whitehall Battery, with two thirty-two pounders. From this point to Corlaer’s Hook, along the East River, several works were constructed. There was a battery of five guns upon Tenyck’s Wharf, at Coenties Slip, and upon Brooklyn Heights opposite, Fort Stirling, a battery with eight guns, was constructed. It was between the present Hicks and Clinton Streets, a little northeastward of Pierrepont Street.
At Old Coffee-House, Fly, Burling’s, Beekman’s, and Peck Slips, and at the Exchange, foot of Broad Street, breast-works were thrown up. There was also a barrier with two guns across Broadway, just above the Bowling Green. At “the ship-yards,” on the site of the present Catharine Market, was an irregular work, called Waterbery’s Battery, having seven guns.
A larger work was on Rutgers’ first hill (a little eastward of the Jews’ burying-ground), at the intersection of Market and Madison Streets. It was called Badlam’s Battery, and mounted eight guns. Another small work, of horse-shoe form, was on a high bank near the water, in Pike Street, between Cherry and Monroe Streets, with a breast-work on the water’s edge. Here General Spencer was encamped, and this was called Spencer’s Redoubt. It had two twelve-pounders. On Rutgers’ second hill, between Henry and Madison, Clinton and Monroe Streets, was a star redoubt, embrasured for twelve guns. This was connected by an irregular line of works, extending to a strong battery called Crown Point, at Corlaer’s Hook, situated upon the site of the present Allaire Works.
Eastward of this, upon Burnt Mill Point, was a battery, on the site of the Novelty Iron Works. From Crown Point was a line of intrenchments extending to a strong redoubt, of circular form, mounting eight heavy pieces, and called Fort Pitt. It was upon the brow of a hill at the intersection of Grand and Pitt Streets. From Fort Pitt a series of strong works extended nearly on a line with the present Grand and Broome Streets, to Broadway, and thence, diverging to the northwest, terminated in a redoubt on the brow of a hill, on the borders of a marsh near the intersection of Thompson and Spring Streets.
Within this line, upon an eminence called Bayard’s Mount, was the largest of all the works, except Fort George and the Grand Battery. This was called Independent Battery, and the Americans named the eminence Bunker Hill. This name was retained until the Collect or Fresh Water Pond, which covered many acres in the vicinity of the Halls of Justice, was filled by digging down the hills around it. The battery on Bunker Hill was upon the space included within the intersections of Center, Mott, Mulberry, Grand, and Broome Streets; and for a long time after the hill was digged down, the brick lining of a well, constructed within the works, stood up like a huge chimney. This battery had nine eight-pounders, four three’s, and six royal cohorns and mortars.
The first work on the Hudson, after leaving Fort George, was the Oyster Battery in the rear of No. 1 Broadway. It had two thirty-two pounders and three twelve’s. Southwest of Trinity church, on the high river bank, was M’Dougall’s Battery of four guns. West of Greenwich Street (“Greenwich Road”), near the water, between Reade and Duane Streets, was the Jersey Battery, with five guns. Along the high river bank a breast-work extended almost to the Vauxhall at the corner of Warren and Greenwich Streets. On Greenwich, between Franklin and North Moore Streets, was the “Air-furnace” and “Brew-house.” The former was fortified, and from it a line of intrenchments extended northeast, to the north part of the present St. John’s Park, overlooking Lispenard’s Meadows.
On the river bank in front of the “Brew-house,” was a circular work called the Grenadier’s Battery, with three twelve-pounders and two mortars. From it a line of breast-works extended along the river to Hubert Street. From that point, close along the west side of Greenwich Street, was a line of breast-works, extending to Desbrosses Street. Where Watt Street crosses Greenwich was another small breast-work; at the foot of King Street was another; and from the foot of Clarkson to Barrow was another.
Upon the high ground known until within a few years as Richmond Hill, there was quite an extensive line of fortifications, which commanded the river, and the Greenwich and Broadway roads. This line commenced near the junction of Spring and M’Dougal Streets, and, sweeping around near Houston and Hammersley, ended at Varick, near King Street. On the west side of Broadway, near Houston Street, was an eminence on which works were erected; and directly east of them, between Broadway and the Bowery, were four small breast-works, a few rods apart. East of the Bowery, at the intersection of Forsyth and Delancey Streets, was a small circular battery.
On the west side of Broadway, near Walker, was an irregular work; and the Hospital (on Broadway, fronting Pearl Street), a strong stone building, was fortified. There was also a line of breast-works extending along the East River from the present Dry Dock to Stuyvesant Square; and at Horn’s Hook, at the foot of Eighty Ninth Street, was a work called Thompson’s Battery, with nine guns. I was informed by the venerable Judge Woodhull, of Franklinville, Long Island (now ninety-eight years of age), that when the lines across the island, from the East River toward the Hudson, were constructed, the merchants and other citizens were pressed into service.
It must be remembered that most of the streets here mentioned were not then in existence. Chambers Street up Broadway, Hester Street up the Bowery, and Catharine Street up the East River, were the extreme points to which streets were laid out at the time of the Revolution. Now (1852) the streets and avenues are all opened to Fortieth Street, and some beyond land almost a solid mass of edifices cover the island from river to river below Thirty Second Street. Then the Hospital was quite in the fields, and Greenwich was a country village.