New York, August 27th.ー Early in the morning, two ships and a brig came to anchor a little above Throg's Point. Our General immediately detached Col. [Morris] Graham with his regiment, to prevent their landing to plunder or burn. Before he arrived, several barges full of men landed on New City Island, and killed a number of cattle. Two companies of the regiment, immediately on their arrival, ferried over to the island. The enemy carried off one man and 14 cattle ー the remainder of the cattle were secured.
On the same day, there was a most bloody battle on Long Island, between the Americans and the British. The British, by a long circuitous march in the night of the 26th, with a part of their army, found the left of the Americans not so well secured as it ought to have been; and they had an opportunity to reach ground which gave them great advantage, while it equally exposed the Americans in the strong grounds towards Flatbush. There was here also another circumstance of ground which now proved disadvantageous to the Americans. There was a considerable marsh, into which a creek ran, and on which there was a mill, known by the name of M'Gowen's. At the mill there was a passway over; but unluckily, when some of the Americans 'had retreated by this mill, (for they were soon routed by the British, who formed an attack almost in a semi-circle) it was set on fire. This would have been a politic step, had all the Americans on the other side, in that quarter, previously passed; but those still beyond the creek were now driven to almost desperate circumstances; they could not pass at the head of the creek; for the British column, which made the circuitous movement, were in possession of the ground on the left; consequently, many were here killed or taken prisoners, and numbers perishing in attempting to get over the creek, some of them sticking in the mud. Those who escaped retreated to the American works. The British sustained a considerable loss in killed and wounded, and a subaltern and 23 men were taken prisoners; but the American loss was far greater in killed, wounded, and prisoners. Among the latter were Gen. Sullivan and Lord Sterling. Several field-pieces were also lost. At evening, the British army encamped in front of the Americans.