Bellum Battle Comparator
Compare two engagements without flattening incompatible historical numbers. Bellum contrasts outcome, terrain, tactical sequence, command decisions, documented formations, primary-source depth and evidence quality while keeping each source definition intact.
August 27, 1776 · New York
The first major battle after the Declaration of Independence was a major British tactical victory. The subsequent East River evacuation preserved Washington’s main army, while competing force and casualty estimates require careful separation by source and measurement scope.
May 10, 1775 · New York
The May 10, 1775 capture of Fort Ticonderoga was a small action with disproportionate strategic value. The rebels gained a key northern post, material, and a foothold on the route toward Canada, while the fort’s artillery later became part of the Boston siege story.
| Dimension | Battle of Brooklyn | Capture of Fort Ticonderoga |
|---|---|---|
| Result | British victory | American victory |
| Tactical outcome | British and Hessian forces outflanked and defeated the American forward positions on Long Island, forcing the survivors into the Brooklyn Heights defenses. | A small rebel force associated with Ethan Allen, Benedict Arnold and the Green Mountain Boys surprised the lightly held British post and took Fort Ticonderoga with little fighting. |
| Strategic effect | The British secured Long Island and later New York City, but Washington preserved the Continental Army by evacuating across the East River, keeping the rebellion’s principal field army intact. | The capture opened a strategically important Lake Champlain position to the revolutionaries and gave them access to artillery and stores; guns from the northern forts later contributed to the artillery concentration around Boston. |
| Terrain problem | A chain of wooded heights and passes divided the landing areas from the American Brooklyn positions; Jamaica Pass became decisive in the British turning movement. | Ticonderoga sat at a narrows controlling movement between Lake George and Lake Champlain. The strategic value of the site was far larger than the number of troops inside the fort on May 10. |
| Intelligence problem | The American defense had insufficient coverage of Jamaica Pass, enabling the British night flanking column to reach the rear of American positions. | The attackers exploited surprise and local knowledge. The British garrison did not face a formal siege; the action turned on reaching and entering the fort before resistance could be organized. |
| Turning point | The British flanking movement through Jamaica Pass placed major American formations in a converging attack from front and rear. | The decisive moment was penetration of the post itself. Once the small garrison was surprised inside a fort not prepared for a full defense, the contest was effectively settled. |
| Documented OOB records | 16 | 5 |
| Tactical phases | 5 | 5 |
| Command decisions analyzed | 2 | 1 |
| Primary-source records | 2 | 1 |
| Modern/historical geography anchors | 2 | 2 |
Bellum intentionally does not subtract or rank troop/casualty figures when their source scope differs. Open each battle’s evidence table for the exact definitions behind its numbers.