When he realized, on the 28th of August, what Howe had achieved, he increased the defenders of Brooklyn Heights to ten thousand men, more than half his army.

This was another cardinal error.

British ships were near and but for unfavorable winds might have sailed up to Brooklyn.

Washington hoped and prayed that Howe would try to carry Brooklyn Heights by assault.

Then there would have been at least slaughter on the scale of Bunker Hill.