Staten Island – Day-By-Day America

Peace Talk on Staten Island: Howe and the Committee

Richard Howe, though commander of the British fleet sent to stop the rebellion, was not personally hostile toward America.

On the shore at Perth Amboy, New Jersey, a British officer stepped out of his boat to meet three American civilians. They were members of the Continental Congress, sent as a committee to talk with the British admiral — at his invitation — about the possibility of peace. The officer who met them was a sort of hostage: while the three crossed over to Staten Island to meet with Admiral Howe, he would stay behind as security for their safe-conduct. It was understandable for Admiral Howe to send the officer, but the three Americans considered a hostage unnecessary, and they insisted that the officer accompany them to meet the admiral on Staten Island.

Admiral Lord Richard Howe and his brother, General Sir William Howe, in addition to being the commanders of the British navy and army in America, were “peace commissioners”: that is, they had been given a mission to try to talk the Americans into ending the war, and had been authorized to grant pardons to those who had rebelled. But since the time when they were given that mission, the Americans had declared independence, which made the situation much more difficult: even before the declaration of independence, the British couldn’t negotiate with the Continental Congress, because that would be acknowledging the Congress as a legal body; and after the declaration, negotiating with them would be acknowledging the United States as independent — which the British could not do without giving up the war. As a result, the meeting was somewhat unofficial.

German-American Officer Found Guilty of Attempted Espionage

Herman Zedwitz, a native German who served in the American army, wrote a secret letter, offering to provide intelligence to the British in exchange for money.

Herman Zedwitz was a native German who had served in the Seven Years’ War (known as the French and Indian War in America) in the army of the King of Prussia. For a few months during that time, his unit, with him as the commander, was assigned to serve with the British cavalry, and he became acquainted with the famous British Lieutenant General John Manners, Marquess of Granby, who apparently thought well of him.

In 1770, a few years after the war, Granby wrote to Zedwitz in Germany. Britain and Spain were disputing over the Falkland Islands, and it looked like war might break out. Granby offered to pay Zedwitz to recruit some German riflemen to serve with the British forces. Zedwitz recruited 20 men for starters and took them to England as agreed; but then Granby died, Britain and Spain settled the dispute diplomatically, and Zedwitz couldn’t get anybody to pay him, so he had to send the men back home at his own expense.

Invasion of Long Island

15,000 British and Hessian troops landed at Gravesend Bay on Long Island on the morning of August 22, 1776.

One step closer to battle: the British and Hessian troops moved from Staten Island to Long Island, in preparation for a major attack on the rebels stationed there. As at Staten Island earlier in the month, the Americans didn’t try to stop them from landing — and even if they had, the landing operations were covered by several British warships, including the Carcass and Thunder, which were bomb ketches (vessels made specifically for bombarding targets on shore). As they pulled back from the shore to their main positions a few miles away, however, the Americans did burn some grain, so as to keep it from falling into enemy hands.