On August 27, 1776, the British handed the Continental Army a decisive defeat at the Battle of Long Island, effectively forcing General George Washington and his troops out of New York City until the end of the war. Of the approximately 10,000 Americans who fought in the two-day battle, more than 1,000 were captured. It was a monumental victory for the British, but it posed one problem—where would they keep all of their prisoners?
