"Fiasco: The disastrous Raid on Montresor's Island" Topic

"By the evening of September 30, 1776, George Washington was, as he put it, "bereft of every peaceful moment." During the previous month, his army had been badly mauled on Long Island and narrowly escaped destruction by executing a midnight evacuation to Manhattan. Forced to abandon New York City and take up defensive positions on Harlem Heights, Washington was exasperated on September 15 when his green troops were handily brushed aside by a British amphibious landing at Kip's Bay.

Writing to his cousin Lund, a despondent Washington ruefully observed "that if I were to wish the bitterest curse to an enemy on this side of the grave, I should put him in my stead." The general was determined to hold his ground, but lacked any confidence in his army's mettle. "I am wearied to death all day with a variety of perplexing circumstances," wrote Washington, "disturbed at the conduct of the militia, whose behavior and want of discipline has done great injury to the other troops, who never had officers, except in a few instances, worth the bread they eat."…"
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Amicalement
Armand

September 1776

[5th Sept] Brigadier General Erskine with his strong detachment proceeded no further than nine English miles beyond Jamaica and was ordered to return again on 6th September,

[9th] Rebels dislodged from Blackwell's Island "in spite of a very stubborn resistance." They vacated Buchanan's and Montresor's Islands, which were occupied by the 71st regiment under the command of Brigadier General Erskine.
[17th] Brigadier General Erskine with the 71st Regiment (three battalions), still posted on Blackwell's and Montresor's islands, was put under von Heister's command

[24th] This morning enemy boats with one hundred men were bold enough to attack our post on Montresor's island. While still on board many were killed and wounded and a major and twelve men who landed were taken prisoners. This visit cost the 71st English regiment four men killed and eight wounded.

October 1776

[4th] On the 4th thirty men and one officer who had deserted from the enemy arrived on Montresor's…Colonel Erskine learned…that the enemy were on the far side of the village, but that they had posted a picket of twenty men to give the alarm in case we should attempt a landing. To obtain more reliable information, Colonel Erskine detached one staff officer and 150 men with a regimental piece to the opposite shore under cover of a frigate. Before five o'clock in the evening this detachment destroyed its entrenchments, filled up the ditches, and burned everything without the slightest interference, after which it returned to camp on Montresor's without loss.

[9th] On the 9th two battalions of the 71st English regiment vacated Barren Island and Montresor's (leaving only the 3rd battalion of this regiment to occupy both islands) and also encamped at Jamaica.

(Baurmeister Jnls)

Thank you, both posts are very interesting and informative.

Dave

A votre service mon ami!. (smile)

Amicalement
Armand