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In [[1776]] Pennsylvania began raising new units for the [[Continental Army]], and on [[March 21]], [[1776]], Atlee was named Colonel of a unit, the ''Pennsylvania Musketry Battalion''. Once they were organized, he led them north to the defense of [[New York City]]. During the [[Battle of Long Island]] on [[October 27]], [[1776]] he led the original defense of the ''old stone house'' in [[Brooklyn]], New York. The house was situated on high ground and covered the American withdrawal. His force was driven from the house, but General [[William Alexander]] came to support him. The Americans twice recaptured the house. The defenders directly engaged three British regiments, led by [[Charles Cornwallis|General Cornwallis]]. They held out until noon, allowing most of the Continental forces in Brooklyn to successfully withdraw to the Brooklyn Heights. At last, surrounded and cut off by the [[Hessian]]s, General Alexander surrendered in the early afternoon. While watching this action from fortifications to the north on Brooklyn Heights, [[George Washington|General Washington]] remarked, ''"Good God, what brave men must I lose this day!"'' Samuel Atlee remained a prisoner of war until he was exchanged in October of 1778.
== Political career ==
When he returned home, the Pennsylvania Assembly named him as a delegate to the [[Continental Congress]]. He served there until 1782. In 1782, [[Lancaster County, Pennsylvania|Lancaster County]] sent him to the Pennsylvania Assembly. In 1783, he became a charter member in the Pennsylvania branch of the [[Society of the Cincinnati]], and was named the County executive for Lancaster County. In 1784 he served on the commission negotiating Indian treaties that acquired most of the remaining [[Native
Atlee was returned to the state assembly in 1785 and 1786. He died on [[November 25]], [[1784]] while attending a meeting of the legislature in [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|Philadelphia]], and is buried in the Christ Church Burial Ground there.
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