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Daniel Crouch Rare Books
William Faden
A Plan of New York Island, with part of Long Island, Staten Island & East New Jersey
Engraved map.
1776
The bloody Battle of Long Island
520 by 436mm. (20.5 by 17.25 inches).
description
A superb example of the exceptionally rare first issue, first state of this broadside, which details the actions of the first major battle of the Revolutionary War after the Declaration of Independence: the Battle of Long Island.
After the British retreat from Boston in March of 1776, George Washington strategically tried to fortify “New York Island and County” from predictable attack by marching 19,000 troops to lower Manhattan. The result was the Revolutionary War’s biggest and bloodiest battle. General William Howe’s troops arrived on Staten Island in July, but the worst fighting happened between the 26th and 29th of August, when General Howe “halted the fighting [in] the early afternoon, and directed his men to dig trenches around the American position on the next day. Before they could be surrounded, Washington ordered his men to evacuate Long Island. From late in the evening of August 29 to dawn on the following morning, Washington watched as 9,000 Continentals were rowed back to Manhattan. As the sun came up, a fog miraculously descended on the remaining men crossing the river. According to eyewitnesses, George Washington was the last man to leave Brooklyn’ (Stockwell).
The outcome was a terrible defeat for the Americans, who lost about 2,000 troops, with more imprisoned on transport ships, under horrendous conditions, in New York Harbour. The British subsequently maintained their hold over the port and city, for the duration of the War.
An inset to the right includes “References to the Battle on Long Island”. Several versions of the broadside were issued announcing the progress of the battle. The current broadside conforms to Tooley’s first issue, first state: the caption below does not mention the action of the “15th of September following”; the last line of the caption contains only four words “disposition of both armies”; it is without letterpress text below the map; without shading along the waterways; the "Heights of Long Island" are twice lettered simply "The Heights”; and "Tetards Hill" is the most northerly place marked on the Hudson River.
Rarity
Only two examples has appeared in available records since the Streeter Sale in 1967.
After the British retreat from Boston in March of 1776, George Washington strategically tried to fortify “New York Island and County” from predictable attack by marching 19,000 troops to lower Manhattan. The result was the Revolutionary War’s biggest and bloodiest battle. General William Howe’s troops arrived on Staten Island in July, but the worst fighting happened between the 26th and 29th of August, when General Howe “halted the fighting [in] the early afternoon, and directed his men to dig trenches around the American position on the next day. Before they could be surrounded, Washington ordered his men to evacuate Long Island. From late in the evening of August 29 to dawn on the following morning, Washington watched as 9,000 Continentals were rowed back to Manhattan. As the sun came up, a fog miraculously descended on the remaining men crossing the river. According to eyewitnesses, George Washington was the last man to leave Brooklyn’ (Stockwell).
The outcome was a terrible defeat for the Americans, who lost about 2,000 troops, with more imprisoned on transport ships, under horrendous conditions, in New York Harbour. The British subsequently maintained their hold over the port and city, for the duration of the War.
An inset to the right includes “References to the Battle on Long Island”. Several versions of the broadside were issued announcing the progress of the battle. The current broadside conforms to Tooley’s first issue, first state: the caption below does not mention the action of the “15th of September following”; the last line of the caption contains only four words “disposition of both armies”; it is without letterpress text below the map; without shading along the waterways; the "Heights of Long Island" are twice lettered simply "The Heights”; and "Tetards Hill" is the most northerly place marked on the Hudson River.
Rarity
Only two examples has appeared in available records since the Streeter Sale in 1967.
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