Battle of Long Island in the American Revolution

Battle of Long Island in the American Revolution The Battle of Long Island was fought August 27-30, 1776 during the American Revolution (1775-1783). Following his successful capture of Boston in March 1776, General George Washington began shifting his troops south to New York City. Correctly believing the city to be the next British target, he set about preparing for its defense. This work had commenced in February under the guidance of  Major General Charles Lee and continued under the supervision of Brigadier General William Alexander, Lord Stirling in March. Despite the efforts, a lack of manpower meant that the planned fortifications were not complete by late spring. These included a variety of redoubts, bastions, and Fort Stirling overlooking the East River. Reaching the city, Washington established his headquarters in the former home of Archibald Kennedy on Broadway near Bowling Green and began devising a plan to hold the city. As he lacked naval forces, this task proved difficult as New Yorks rivers and waters would permit the British to outflank any American positions. Realizing this, Lee lobbied Washington to abandon the city. Though he listened to Lees arguments, Washington decided to remain at New York as he felt the city possessed significant political importance. Armies Commanders Americans General George Washingtonapprox. 10,000 men British General William Howeapprox. 20,000 men Washingtons Plan To defend the city, Washington divided his army into five divisions, with three at the south end of Manhattan, one at Fort Washington (northern Manhattan), and one on Long Island. The troops on Long Island were led by Major General Nathanael Greene. A capable commander, Greene was struck down by with fever in the days before the battle and command devolved to Major General Israel Putnam. As these troops moved into position, they continued work on the citys fortifications. On Brooklyn Heights, a large complex of redoubts and entrenchments took shape that included the original Fort Stirling and ultimately mounted 36 guns. Elsewhere, hulks were sunk to deter the British from entering the East River. In June the decision was made to construct Fort Washington at the northern end of Manhattan and Fort Lee across in New Jersey to prevent passage up the Hudson River. Howes Plan On July 2, the British, led by General William Howe and his brother Vice Admiral Richard Howe, began arriving and made camp on Staten Island. Additional ships arrived throughout the month adding to the size of the British force. During this time, the Howes attempted to negotiate with Washington but their offers were consistently rebuffed. Leading a total of 32,000 men, Howe prepared his plans for taking New York while his brothers ships secured control of the waterways around the city. On August 22, he moved around 15,000 men across the Narrows and landed them at Gravesend Bay. Meeting no resistance, British forces, led by Lieutenant General Lord Charles Cornwallis, advanced to Flatbush and made camp. Moving to block the British advance, Putnams men deployed onto a ridge known as the Heights of Guan. This ridge was cut by four passes at Gowanus Road, Flatbush Road, Bedford Pass, and Jamaica Pass. Advancing, Howe feinted towards Flatbush and Bedford Passes causing Putnam to reinforce these positions. Washington and Putnam hoped to entice the British into mounting costly direct assaults on the heights before pulling their men back into the fortifications on Brooklyn Heights. As the British scouted the American position, they learned from local Loyalists that Jamaica Pass was only defended by five militiamen. This information was passed to Lieutenant General Henry Clinton who devised an attack plan using this route. The British Attack As Howe discussed their next steps, Clinton had his plan for moving through Jamaica Pass at night and flanking the Americans put forward. Seeing an opportunity to crush the enemy, Howe approved the operation. To hold the Americans in place while this flank attack was developing, a secondary attack would be launched near Gowanus by Major General James Grant. Approving this plan, Howe set it in motion for the night of August 26/27. Moving through Jamaica Pass undetected, Howes men fell upon Putnams left wing the following morning. Breaking under British fire, American forces began retreating toward the fortifications on Brooklyn Heights (Map). On the far right of the American line, Stirlings brigade defended against Grants frontal assault. Advancing slowly to pin Stirling in place, Grants troops took heavy fire from the Americans. Still not fully grasping the situation, Putnam ordered Stirling to remain in position despite the approach of Howes columns. Seeing disaster looming, Washington crossed to Brooklyn with reinforcements and took direct control of the situation. His arrival was too late to save Stirlings brigade. Caught in a vise and fighting desperately against overwhelming odds, Stirling was slowly forced back.   As the bulk of his men withdrew, Stirling led a force Maryland troops in rearguard action that saw them delay the British before being captured. Their sacrifice allowed the remainder of Putnams men to escape back to Brooklyn Heights. Within the American position at Brooklyn, Washington possessed around 9,500 men. While he knew that the city could not be held without the heights, he was also aware that Admiral Howes warships could cut his lines of retreat to Manhattan. Approaching the American position, Major General Howe elected to begin building siege lines rather than directly assaulting the fortifications. On August 29, Washington realized the true danger of the situation and ordered a withdrawal to Manhattan. This was conducted during the night with Colonel John Glovers regiment of Marblehead sailors and fisherman manning the boats. Aftermath The defeat at Long Island cost Washington 312 killed, 1,407 wounded, and 1,186 captured. Among those captured were Lord Stirling and Brigadier General John Sullivan. British losses were a relatively light 392 killed and wounded. A disaster for American fortunes in New York, the defeat at Long Island was the first in a string of reverses which culminated in the British capture of the city and surrounding area. Badly defeated, Washington was forced retreat across New Jersey that fall, finally escaping into Pennsylvania. American fortunes finally changed for the better that Christmas when Washington won a needed victory at the Battle of Trenton.

Annabel lee Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Annabel lee - Essay Example Even the ‘sea’ which is cold and immense by nature may symbolize a state of depression and hopelessness, as towards getting to the other side where the love of one’s life is, since it is utterly impossible for an individual to cross its extent alone. Moreover, the speaker concretizes the description of Annabel Lee’s loss as he takes into account the details concerning the ‘highborn kinsman’ which less figuratively indicates nobility or men of political power. Poe could have necessitated to attach the notion of ‘sepulchre’ herein to convey more evidently that Annabel Lee soon dies after the cruel abduction by powerful men. The grieving narrator further confesses that his woman is ‘beautiful’ and this quality might have made her the object of interest of the highborn kinsman. While he equivalently finds no favor in the meaning of ‘winged seraphs’ and ‘angels’ who apparently take his love away from him, the speaker delights in the images of the moon and the stars which are a personification and a metaphor to provider of dreams and to the bright eyes of Annabel Lee,

An Option to Overcome Water Scarcity and Environmental Issues Essay

An Option to Overcome Water Scarcity and Environmental Issues - Essay Example However, â€Å"75 percent† of water derives from Northern parts whereas â€Å"80 percent† demand occurs from Southern and coastal California (2). Thus, it transpires that if the resourcing from Northern part is stopped, Southern California will have a water crisis. The population of California, estimated at â€Å"38 million in January 2008† is predicted to climb up to â€Å"59.5 million by 2050† (2). Therefore, in the future, the demand of water for Southern California will multiply. Thus, there is a need to assess the water requirements as well as finding solutions to resolve problem in areas that face scarcity. Two Faulty Arguments on Wasting Water: Water, though a natural resource that humans get easily and sometimes freely, is a very precious element for attaining progress in all areas including economic development. However, people tend to ignore this fact and do not care to preserve water or use their water resources sparingly. Thus, most people make a faulty assumption that paying water bills bestows on them the right to waste water. This argument is not tenable as there are many people who confront the acute shortage of water and they can perhaps subsist on the droplets that others unnecessarily waste. People think that water is an element that is abundantly available on earth and, therefore, they possess the discretion to use it as much as they want. This contention is not correct as resources, no matter how abundant they may appear, will exhaust through overconsumption. Increasing population is a major concern in all countries across the globe, with increased age expectancy as a result of advanced technologies in healthcare and medicine. Thus, people need to acknowledge the demand of future generations before using water beyond a reasonable limit. Besides, several emerging threats such as climate changes and global warming can cause severe draughts in the future. Thus, people must take into account these factors before pres uming that they can waste water as it is abundantly available at the moment. The Need for Replacing Lawns with Xeriscaped Gardens: Lawns need regular watering, mowing, manicuring and fertilizing for their upkeep and maintenance. Besides, to keep them safe from pests and other insects, they also demand the use of pesticides at frequent intervals. The government or local authorities, on many occasions, impose restrictions on the use of water as a result of drought conditions. On such occasions it becomes extremely difficult for people to maintain their lawns. Thus, the maintenance of lawns entails major concerns both in terms of scarcity as well as wastage of water. Research evidence suggests that a yard size of 25 x 40 consumes up to â€Å"1000 gallons of water† in summers (Ratliff 40). The same research also finds that lawns in the US consume over â€Å"70 million pounds of pesticides† in their tending and some of it â€Å"seeps into groundwater,† posing threat to both humans and wildlife (40). Lawn mowers also cause air pollution. Thus, when one considers the problems entailing from lawn maintenance, it appears that such landscaping, while provides homes an aesthetic appeal, comes with a lot negative impact on human life. Therefore, several environmentalists argue that lawns symbolize â€Å"wasteful disregard for the biosphere† (40). On the other hand, many people support the concept of natural landscaping, which, they believe, has many advantages. Proponents of this concept contend it reduces water wastage as well as the usage of pesticides considerably. Sandra Walk, a landscape architect, never installs turfs and she promotes the use of

The Troop Surge and The Iraq War Essay Example for Free

The Troop Surge and The Iraq War Essay Sometimes, what matters to one person may not mean much to another person. This is not because one side is insensitive to the other, but because they are so far removed from the situation that it really does not impact them.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Iraq War is such an example. For 140,000 troops, the Iraq War is a very dangerous reality. For many millions of people, the War is something that does not affect them because it is â€Å"over there.† This does not mean they are insensitive. It just means that there are many people for whom the War does not directly touch, therefore, it does not mean as much to them as it does other people.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For me the War in Iraq is a serious matter as I am an individual directly involved with the situation. I am an Army Medic and have performed tours of duty in Iraq. With the recent announcement of the troop surge into the Iraqi Theater, I am confronted with something that does mean something to me and affects me directly. The reason for this is obvious: the surge may result in my having to return to Iraq.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   So, for me, the Iraq War is something that touches me and my family on a personal level. It is not a disembodied military action that affects a national psyche or any similar media lamenting verbiage. It is a very real event and it directly impacts my life. This is neither a condemnation nor an endorsement. It is simply a direct reflection of a situation that I am involved.

Does God Exist? :: essays research papers

In my life on this planet I have come to question many things that many take on as blind faith. We all know that someday we will 'physically' die, Yet, we continuously deny the forces working inside ourselves which want to search out the true outcome of what may or may not come after death. It's far easier for humanity to accept that they will go on to a safe haven and be forgiven for all, rather than to question the existence of a super omnipotent being. Fortunately, there are some of us who tend to question the why's and how's that come before us. We question the creation of humanity and the religious teachings received from our parents, our church and our society. This paper examines the many rational arguments for and against the existence of God. It is based on the views of some of the great philosophers and scientists of our world. I will show that there is no sufficient proof or comprehensive arguments for the existence of God. Some people search for eternal peace through the beliefs in God; but this is an impossible belief because of the chances, the plausibility, and because of science. ONTOLOGICAL ARGUMENTS God generally refers to one supreme, holy, personal being,. The divine unity of ultimate good-ness and of ultimate reality. St. Anselm of Canterbury developed what we have learned to be the ontological argument. He began his argument by saying that even a fool can grasp or understand the concept of "a being than of which nothing greater can be conceived." He continues to state that a fool would say that the concept of this being's existence is only in his mind and in the mind of others but not in reality. However he also admits to the possibility of this being existing in reality. Whatever is understood by the fool is argued that than which nothing is greater can be conceived cannot solely exist in the mind but also in reality, hence, God exists. (Angelfire) This personally sounds like a salesperson's pitch to confuse and conquer for a sale. Gaunilo felt the same. He frequently debated with St. Anselm on behalf of the fool. He stated that it was not po ssible to visualize the concept of this perfect being because one can only imagine an image when one has an idea of what that image is suppose to resemble.

Contrasting “Conflict in Things Fall Apart” and “Heart of Darkness” Essay

Heart of Darkness by Josef Conrad and Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe are two novels that are written to make a statement. Both are meant to stir the emotions of the reader, whether those emotions be anger, hope, frustration, joy, despair, or enlightenment. Both novels take place in the same location and same time period and involve the same groups of people. Both novels depict European imperialism in the African Congo in the 1800s. The obvious distinction between the two is that Heart of Darkness tells a tale from the European point of view while Things Fall Apart tells one from the Native African Tribe point of view. Both authors use extremely well developed characters to manifest and exhibit controversies and bring to light critical aspects of human nature and propensity. Both authors use conflict of various types to ascertain an overall theme. Although the novels use similar settings in the expression of their ideas, the underlying themes Conrad and Achebe choose to focus on are very different. Chiefly, the ultimate conflict in Heart of Darkness is one of Man vs. Himself, while the ultimate conflict in Things Fall Apart is one of Man vs. Man. To begin, both Conrad and Achebe wish to make statements on the negative consequences of Imperialism with their novels, but choose to emphasize completely unrelated and extremely different issues. In Heart of Darkness, the conflict has to do with the destructive consequences of the self-discovery and internal turmoil that goes with segregation from society in an untamed, ruthless, savage place such as the African Congo. Years of life in the jungle drove the brilliant Kurtz to near insanity: â€Å"the wilderness had found him out early, and had taken on him a terrible vengeance for the fantastic invasion. I think it had whispered things to him about himself which he did not know, things of which he had no conception till he took council with this great solitude† (98). For Marlow, the dark and hollow core inside himself and all mankind is also exposed during his conquest into the unfamiliar land, and he too comes very close to being pushed into insanity by his realizations: â€Å"The most you can hope from it is some knowledge of yourself — that comes too late — a crop of  inextinguishable regrets†¦ Since I had peeped over the edge myself, I understand better the meaning of his stare†¦ he had made that last stride, he had stepped over the edge, while I had been permitted to draw back my hesitating foot† (119). Obviously, Conrad chose to focus his novel not on the conflicts that arise between people in societies that try to impose on each other, but rather how a new environment and point of view can lead to self-discovery and internal conflict within oneself. On the other hand, Achebe’s obvious focus was on the falling apart of a culture that can occur with a more powerful culture’s abrupt influence. He emphisizes throughout his novel many directly contrasting aspects of European society and the Ibo people, and the conflict this causes both between the two group and among the Ibo people themselves. As the wise Obierka observes, â€Å"he [the white man] has put a knife on the things that hold us [the Ibo people] together and we have fallen apart†. The use of the words he and we implies that the conflict exists between individuals; between whites and blacks, Europeans and natives, believers and non-believers, loyalists and traitors. More specifically, one can observe the trials of the two novels’ main characters. Both main characters are tragic heroes and develop such dreadful internal conflict that in the end both are led to destruction, this conflict is rooted very differently for each of them. In Heart of Darkness, inner station manager Kurtz is found by Marlow in a state of essential insanity; an intellectual and economic genius turned delusional, raving, fanatical, and savage. As Marlow explains, Kurtz’s â€Å"intelligence was perfectly clear and concentrated, it is true, upon himself with horrible intensity, yet clear; †¦ his soul was mad. Being alone in the wilderness, it had looked within itself, and, by heavens! I tell you, it had gone mad† (113). Kurtz’s downfall was one that had developed from within himself. In Things Fall Apart, former tribal leader and respected warrior Okonkwo ends up losing the admiration of his people and eventually hanging himself. The self-loat hing hopelessness that led to his suicide came primarily from the discord that had developed between himself and the people of his tribe and the hostility of the whites.

Language Is The Common Form Of Language - 1891 Words

Introduction Language is all around us. We have used language for thousands of years from the basic oral skills developed in our early days of humanity to the wide and variant languages we use today. We do this to explain how to communicate our thoughts, feelings and ideas with others around us. The most common form of language is oral language, as most communication is not only done this way, but more is interpreted by listening from what is being said rather than when language is seen via the written language. When using language, as a speaker or a listener, both of these tasks can make language either difficult or easy for us to understand dependent on our life experiences, culture and knowledge that has brought us to understand a particular type of language. This comes from the diversity in our learning of a particular language and how we acquire new languages. It can also depend of our use of our language. We will find that people will have a standard language they used, â€Å"which is a ge neralised dialect used for official communication in formal settings† (Strazny, 2005) where everyone can understand what is going on within a general situation but find that when people are in a particular group of people, a different language may be used that only people who are accustomed to this language will understand. What is Language? Language is a number of things. It is something that is in our heads, a set of rules to how we speak when making social connections, toShow MoreRelatedCubism, Orphism And Futurism Share A Common Language, Dynamism, And New Forms Of Transport And Communication1193 Words   |  5 Pagesis was like to live in an environment that was advancing and developing with incrediable speed . Dynamism became a means for the artists of the time to communicate what has been termed the modern condition. Cubism, Orphism and Futurism share a common language, Dynamism. 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