A reinforcement being expected from England, and the general being anxious to commence operations against the revolted Americans as early as possible, the fleet sailed from Halifax on the 12th of June, arrived at Sandy Hook on the 29th of that month, and on the 3d of July landed on Staten Island, near New York. Here the troops were disposed in cantonments for refreshment, and the head-quarters were established at Richmond.
Additional troops having arrived, a landing was effected at Utrecht, on Long Island, on the 22d of August; and after dusk on the evening of the 26th, the King's Own, commanded by Major James Ogilvie, forming part of the first brigade under Major-General Pigot, moved across the country to seize a pass in the heights extending from east to west along the middle of the island, to turn the enemy's left flank at Flat Bush. This pass was taken possession of on the following morning; the main body of the army advanced, and the Americans were driven from their position with considerable loss. In this day's skirmish the battalion companies of the regiment did not sustain any loss; but the flank companies, being formed in grenadier and light infantry battalions, had several men killed and wounded.
The Americans retreated to their lines at Brooklyn; but, fearing the consequences of an attack, they quitted their post during the night of the 28th of August, and crossed the East River in boats to New York; thus the reduction of Long Island was effected in a few days with trifling loss.
After this success the army was embarked in flat-bottomed boats, and crossed the East River to York Island, and the King's Own were engaged in the movements by which General Washington was forced to abandon New York; which city was immediately taken possession of by the British.
General Washington having taken up a position in another part of the country, the British troops were again embarked in flat-bottomed boats and landed near West-Chester; thence re-embarking on the 18th of October, passed Frogs-neck and landed at Pell's-point, at the mouth of Hutchinson's river. Advancing from thence, the troops encountered a detachment of provincials; a sharp skirmish ensued, in which several men were killed and wounded; and the King's Own lost a most valuable and gallant officer, Captain W. Granville Evelyn, who was mortally wounded, and whose fall was much regretted.
In the subsequent operations of the army, by which the Americans were forced to evacuate their lines on White Plains, the King's Own took part, but did not sustain any loss; they were also present at the siege and capture of Fort Washington, in which service they lost only one man: and they passed the succeeding winter in quarters in the city of New York.
1777
During the winter the Americans were engaged in collecting stores and forming magazines for the ensuing campaign, which they were careful to place as far as possible out of the reach of His Majesty's land and sea forces. Extensive depôts had been established at the town of Danbury, and other places on the borders of Connecticut, contiguous to Courland Manor; and the King's Own were withdrawn from the city of New York to form part of a detachment under the command of Major-General Tyron, for the destruction of these stores.
The detachment sailed from New York in transports, passed through the Sound, and on the evening of the 25th of April, 1777, arrived off Norwalk, a town in the province of Connecticut, about twenty miles south of Danbury. As the troops were quite unexpected, they landed without opposition, and by ten o'clock that night began their march for Danbury, where they arrived about two in the afternoon of the following day; on their approach the American troops fled, and gave the alarm to the country people, who took arms, and made preparations to cut off the retreat of the British detachment.
As no carriages could be procured to bring off any part of the magazines, Major-General Tyron was under the necessity of setting them on fire, and in the progress of the flames the town was unavoidably burnt. The magazines having been all destroyed, the detachment commenced its march back early on the morning of the 27th of April; a body of Americans under General Wooster hung upon its rear, and at every eminence a corps of militia was found ready to oppose its march; but the British troops attacked and routed their adversaries, and in one of these skirmishes General Wooster was killed.