A Different Long Island

Of course everyone is aware of the disaster and near catastrophe that befell the American Army occurred on Aug 27. 1776, at the Battle of Long Island. But for a series of unfortunate happenings the battle could have gone very differently for the Rebel Army on Long Island.

Of course the battle hinges on Howe's movement through the Jamaica Pass. the pass was actually being watched by a five man patrol which in OTL came upon another patrol think it to to be American only to be captured. In addition their was a regiment of Pennsylvanian riflemen under the command of Col. Samuel Miles near the pass though not charged with its specifically with its defense. In OTL as the British column passed by Miles actually attacked the rear of the 10,000 man column.

POD: Lets say one of the members of the five man patrol gets away and gets word to Col. Miles who repositions his unit to cover the pass and passes the word back to Sullivan and Putnam. Now in OTL it took longer for Howe to pass through the extremely wooded pass than it took him to march to it(he reached it about 8:00am and left it at about noon).

Upon word of the flanking movement Washington sends Putnam's Division(roughly 4,000 strong)to the rescue. Putnam arrives at 11:00 in the morning(four miles from Brooklyn). Finding himself bogged down at the pass Howe sends word to Grant and Heister too convert their feints into the real thing. The Americans are going to get their wish a chance at another Bunker Hill.
 
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