and
it was not till the 27th that the army, now increased to twenty-five
thousand, was fairly in front of the American lines, having killed,
wounded, and taken about 1,500 men. Hoping that Howe would be tempted
to storm the position, Washington replaced these with two thousand
drawn from his meagre numbers; but his opponent, who had borne a
distinguished part at Bunker's Hill, held back his troops, who were
eager for the assault. The Americans now stood with their backs to
a swift tidal stream, nearly a mile wide, with only a feeble line of
works between them and an enemy more than double their number.

On the morning of the 27th, Sir Peter Parker, with a 64-gun ship, two
50's, and two frigates, attempted to work up to New York, with a view
of supporting the left flank of the army; but the wind came out from
the north, and, the ebb-tide making, the ships got no nearer than
three miles from the city. Fortunately for the Americans, they either
could not or would not go farther on the following two days.
After dark of the 28th, Howe broke ground for regular approaches.
Washington, seeing this, and knowing that there could be but one
result to a siege under his condition of inferiority, resolved to
withdraw. During the night of the 29th ten thousand men silently
quitted their positions, embarked, and crossed to Manhattan Island,
carrying with them all their belongings, arms, and ammunition. The
enemy's trenches were but six hundred yards distant, yet no suspicion
was aroused, nor did a single deserter give treacherous warning. The
night was clear and moonlit, although a heavy fog towards daybreak
prolonged the period of secrecy which shrouded the retreat. When
the fog rose, the last detachment was discovered crossing, but a few
ineffectual cannon-shot were the only harassment experienced by the
Americans in the course of this rapid and dexterous retirement. The
garrison of Governor's Island was withdrawn at the same time.

The unmolested use of the water, and the nautical skill of the
fishermen who composed one of the American regiments, were essential
to this escape; for admirable as the movement was in arrangement
and execution, no word less strong than escape applies to it. By it
Washington rescued over half his army from sure destruction, and,
not improbably, the cause of his people from immediate collapse. An
opportunity thus seized implies necessarily an opportunity lost on the
other side. For that failure both army