How A Few Marylanders Changed the Course of History

The Lesson of 265 Brave Marylanders for Us All!

Being a bit of an amateur historian, I thought I would write this arcane bit of history up as best I can and send it along to my online friends as a reminder that history is being written every day and that we can never afford to take anything for granted especially in the wake of 9/11.

This is a true tale documented in research and recorded on a small plaque at the VFW hall in the Park Slope section of Brooklyn. Were it not for that small sign, I would never have checked this story out!....However, I think is important to know because at a time of great division and misunderstanding that we face now, it is a lesson about the courage and selflessness of others at times of great need.
I hope you enjoy it.


Historically, it has to do with the first time that the Continentals faced the full might of the British forces. And that was during what was to become known as the Battle of Brooklyn. Even today, the Stone House where General Washington had his headquarters still stands and there is a plaque that signifies its role in the history of this country and another at the VFW Hall on ninth street and sixth avenue that pays tribute to the Marylanders that is so small and obscure, it would be hardly noticed by anyone unless you look for it. However, if you stand at the highest spot along the spine of Brooklyn, the Terminal Moraine in Sunset Park, and you look west towards the East River, you might be able to imagine this whole scene being replayed in your mind’s eye.

The story begins on August 22, 1776 where General Howe deciding not to take on the Americans where they were strongest, moved 88 of his frigates through the Narrows to Graves End from Staten Island where 15,000 English and German troops were to debark for what was to become the Battle of Brooklyn.

At the time, George Washington had fielded his troops on both sides of the East River and throughout Manhattan in expectation of an attack by the British. What is now referred to as the Battery, was really a location for the canons that were positioned to take on the British troops.

To put things into some kind of narrative perspective, at the time the Continentals under George Washington were a rag-tag army. America had no navy. We had no experience with heavy weaponry and we fired muskets that needed to be laboriously reloaded. We were not experienced in close order drills or the elaborate military tactics of the English. It helps to also remember that the British were victorious all over the world and had never lost a major battle to any power.

At the same time, many American merchants and businesspeople supported the English and thought that things would return to normal once this little disagreement between England and its colony was settled.

What the Americans awoke to discover was the biggest Armada ever fielded by the English at the mouth of New York harbor. King George had sworn that this insurrection would be put down and if he could not raise sufficient numbers of troops , he would hire German mercenaries. Not only were the English there in force, their troops were supplemented by the German troops that George had promised.

It was this declaration by George the III that spawned the writing of the Declaration of Independence. And as it turned out, this was the first theatre of war after its signing.

When the Americans saw the Germans landing, it changed their whole perspective. All of a sudden, it was brought home to Americans that this was not just a Colony being brought to kneel before it’s masters but in truth a foreign invasion.

Unfortunately, because of the colonists lack of training in warfare, General Howe, who led the Expedition, realized that our guns were pointed in the wrong direction to do any serious damage. And that Washington had divided his troops. Both of these maneuvers had played into the hands of the English.

The only thing that was really on the side of the Continentals was the traditional Brooklyn weather in the month of August..

With the Narrows running rough and the winds strong, the British decided to
Land in Staten Island in order to regroup their forces and plan their strategy.
Howe, recognizing that it made little sense to attack the Americans head on, decided to do an end run and head east and then north and then back again to where the Heights were.

In Brooklyn, the high ground constituted a spine that ran almost parallel to the East River and then east. This long gradual slope moved west down to the waterfront.

It was the British strategy to move the Hessians up from around Coney Island and the rest of the forces north and then west to trap George Washington’s forces.

Washington recognized at almost the last minute that by separating his troops, he had placed himself in a dangerous position.

It could well be that at this vital time at the very beginning, the entire Continental Army would be destroyed and the move for Independence lost. If this had happened, there would be no no democracy and no America. We stood at a watershed and what happened now would determine the fate of the country.

Fortunately, the forces of General Howe were held up by typical Brooklyn August weather which consisted of almost torrential rain and high winds and fog that made it almost impossible to make much progress of any kind or even to keep informed of what was happening in the battle shaping up..

Delawareans and Marylanders under the command of William Smallwood supplemented by Hazlet’s regiment of Delawareans under the command of William Alexander protected General Washington flanks in an area known as the Heights which commanded the slopes leading down to the East River facing Manhattan.

As the events of that day played out, it became increasingly clear that the heroes of the Battle of Brooklyn were these volunteers, the Delawareans and the Marylanders. .

The upcoming battle placed the Scottish 42nd Black Watch and the British grenadier comprising more than 5,000 men against the 1700 men under the command of General Wm. Alexander. They gathered to die on that day, and die they did for home and country. ..

As the battle labored on, and the Americans fought bravely, it was realized they were no match for the superior numbers and training of the English.
Alexander realized that he needed to execute a withdrawal if the Continental Army was to survive to fight another day.
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To ensure an orderly retreat, 265 Marylanders agreed to volunteer to not only hold the Heights, but to counter-attack under the hero Mordecai Gist. Gist counter-attacked and nearly drove through the British lines repeatedly..

After ordering the sixth counter-attack, Alexander realized that the British were being re-supplied with fresh troops. Over 256 Marylanders died that day. And only 9 survived including Mordecai Gist. They are buried today in unmarked graves in Brooklyn near the Heights where they were encamped.


Washington’s Army faced deadly peril in trying to evacuate before the British realized what happened. But the gods favored the Continentals. At that precise time, the rains started to fall and the winds began to blow. John Glover and the Brigade he controlled known as the “Marbleheaders” along with the Massachusetts’ 27th Regiment organized and managed the evacuation that night in the face of hard driving rains and strong winds that blinded the British to what was actually taking place..

In the morning, much to the chagrin of the English, it was clear that Washington had escaped the British trap. Were it not for the courage of the Delawareans and especially the Marylander volunteers who gave their lives to slow down the advance of the British, things might be considerably different and in fact we might be still living as a British Colony.

It helps to remember these things when we find ourselves so deeply divided over issues that cannot compare to the watershed events of the Battle of Brooklyn where were it not for the courage of a handful of men who were dedicated and committed to noble ideals of freedom and democracy, America might have only been a footnote in history and the world would be considerably different place.


Les Aaron