Examination of John Hammond

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Left Staten Island last night at eight o' clock; left the Army preparing to leave the Island; the Battalion men are all on board, only the Grenadiers and Light-Infantry left on the Island; the ships are to be sent up against the town; thinks all the troops will be landed on Long Island; that they hope to cut us off from the woods; their number supposed twenty-five thousand; ours they think three to one; that they mean to land their men under cover of gondolas, which have six-pounders in them, and are built high to cover the landing; troops in pretty good health; no fresh meat; Hessians are ordinary troops — old and small. They had orders on Monday to cook provisions for three days on board the ships.