Washington underestimated the British forces massing against New York

Evidence

Of the eight in his unit, only he returned. Also escaping, Joseph Hodgkins wrote to his wife of soldiers “killed or Taken or Drowned for we had to Pass over a Creek amost up to my arm Pits.” Another New Englander reported on his unit and others crossing the creek after the tide rose. “Such as could swim got across; those that could not swim, and could not procure anything to buoy them up, sunk,” he wrote. Rather than surrender to the British, after fighting to the end, Stirling gave up to a Hessian officer. “Not occupying the passes on that Island sufficiently has been the sole and only cause of our subsequent Retreats,” Knox reported. — Edward J. Larson, Declaring Independence, 244 (#exemplifies, via linked claim)

Washington held out as little hope for the conference as Adams and, when Greene renewed his call for withdrawing from New York, Washington convened another war council on September 12. This time, Washington wrote, “after seeing our divided State,” his generals voted to abandon the city for posts further north. By order of Congress, the Americans did not burn any buildings or dismantle fortifications but did manage to carry away most of their equipment. Washington moved his headquarters to Harlem Heights on September 14, leaving Putnam in charge of a rearguard wrapping up operations in New York before leaving the city. … The decision to retreat again further discouraged many of the troops and added to the exodus of deserters that began with the arrival of the British fleet in July and accelerated after the Battle of Long Island and evacuation of Brooklyn Heights in August. On paper, the Americans still had 19,000 troops in and around New York, but sickness and desertion hollowed out the ranks, particularly of state militia units. Typically enlisted for only short terms anyway, many militia members simply left. — Edward J. Larson, Declaring Independence, 253 (#expands, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Washington rushed his whole army to defend New York against the expected invasion.; British strategy shifted troops from Boston to New York once war aim became suppression; Falling morale and short-term militia enlistments eroded Washington’s New York army in September 1776 — Edward J. Larson, Declaring Independence, 253 (+1 more)

Broader Connections

• British strategy shifted troops from Boston to New York once war aim became suppression #expands (0.85)
• Failure to hold the passes on Long Island caused the American defeat #exemplifies (0.80) — Edward J. Larson, Declaring Independence, 244
• Falling morale and short-term militia enlistments eroded Washington’s New York army in September 1776 #expands (0.75) — Edward J. Larson, Declaring Independence, 253