Washington had in all some twenty thousand men, numbers of them serving for short terms and therefore for the most part badly drilled.

Howe had twenty-five thousand well-trained soldiers, and he could, in addition, draw men from the fleet, which would give him in all double the force of Washington.
In such a situation even the best skill of Washington was likely only to qualify defeat.

He was advised to destroy New York and retire to positions more tenable.

But even if he had so desired, Congress, his master, would not permit him to burn the city, and he had to make plans to defend it.

Brooklyn Heights so commanded New York that enemy cannon planted there would make the city untenable.