"The Campaign of 1776 Around New York and Brooklyn" by Henry P. Johnston is a detailed military history of the early phase of the American Revolutionary War, published in 1878. It provides one of the most comprehensive 19th-century accounts of the British campaign that led to the fall of New York City and the defeat of American forces at the Battle of Long Island.
The book focuses heavily on the strategic and operational events of 1776, beginning with the British decision to seize New York as a base of operations. Johnston carefully traces troop movements, command decisions, and logistical preparations on both sides, setting the stage for the decisive confrontation in Brooklyn and surrounding areas.
A major portion of the work is dedicated to the Battle of Long Island itself. Johnston offers a “circumstantial account,” meaning he reconstructs the battle in great detail using a wide range of primary sources, including official correspondence, eyewitness testimony, and contemporary documents. He emphasizes the complexity of the battlefield, the coordination of British flanking maneuvers, and the breakdown of American defensive positions.
Johnston also pays close attention to the aftermath of the battle, especially the British occupation of New York City. He examines how Washington managed to preserve the Continental Army through a difficult retreat across the East River, framing it as a critical moment of survival for the revolutionary cause rather than a complete collapse.
One of the defining features of the book is its use of maps, portraits, and original documents, which was relatively advanced for its time. These materials help illustrate troop deployments, geography, and leadership figures, making the work both a narrative history and a documentary compilation.
