1776.]

EVACUATION OF NEW YORK.

185

be done to it, in case it was found prudent to aban don it.

This purpose was hastened by the conviction the General had that he could not rely on his raw troops. On the fifteenth of September a strong detachment of the British army was taken across East River from Long Island to New York Island at Kip's Bay, about three miles east of the city, at which place strong batteries had been erected by the Americans; but as the troops were landed under cover of the artillery of five ships-ofwar, their cannonade so alarmed the garrison that they made a hurried retreat without firing a shot: and two brigades from Connecticut, under Generals Parsons and Fellows, who had been ordered to their support, under a similar panic, also joined in the flight. General Washington, who was brought to the scene of action by the report of the cannonade, exerted himself to rally these craven troops, but without effect.

The forces in the city under the command of General Putnam found some difficulty in making their retreat, which, however, was at last effected with the loss of about fifteen men killed, but more than three hundred prisoners. If the American Revolution owed so much of its success to the judgment and skill of Washington, it must be confessed that it was also much indebted to the military blunders of its adversaries. It has since been confidently believed that if Howe had stretched his lines from Kip's Bay across the Island to Hudson River, he might have cut off the retreat of all the divisions which remained in the city.

General Washington withdrew his whole forces to Harlem Heights, and the city was abandoned to the British, together with all the heavy artillery, most of the baggage, provisions, and military stores-the greater

186

SOME WANT OF HARMONY.

[CHAP. III.

part of which might have been saved, if the post at Kipp's Bay had been well defended.

The shameful conduct above mentioned is attributed, by one who was himself a soldier of the Revolution, not to a defect of personal courage, but to the want of confidence, which the recent defeat on Long Island had caused, and to the disorganization of the New England troops, arising in a great measure from the officers being elected by the soldiers themselves, and being often deficient in those qualities which fitted them for the exercise of authority. From this or some other cause many of the officers from New England were held in little respect by those of the Southern and Middle States, and provincial jealousy being thus further inflamed, the evils that have been occasionally experienced by allied armies were already felt in this struggle of confederate States in a common cause; and which, in lessening the harmony of the army, could not fail to impair its efficiency.

It has even been said that some of the officers thus elected agreed to put their pay into a common fund, and divide equally with the soldiers; and such was their social equality, that officers were seen performing the function of barber to their men.'

A fire broke out in New York a few days after the British obtained possession, which destroyed about onethird of the city. It was at first believed by them that this conflagration had been caused by American incendiaries; but subsequent inquiries have shown that these suspicions were entirely unfounded.

While Washington was strongly posted at Kingsbridge, at the northern extremity of New York Island, he aimed, by means of occasional skirmishes, to train his men to the skill and the firmness required in the field; and oppor

1 II. Marshall, page 474; I. Reed.

1776.]

LONGER ENLISTMENTS AUTHORISED.

187

tunities were not long wanting. Even the day after they left New York, Colonel Knowlton, with his rangers from New England, and Major Leitch, with three companies from Virginia, engaged with a body of the enemy, and drove them from the wood in which they had posted themselves; when General Washington, expecting a further reinforcement of the enemy, ordered a retreat. Knowlton was killed, and Leitch received a wound which proved mortal, in this gallant effort to revive the confidence of their countrymen.

This skirmish cost the Americans sixty men, and the British, by their returns, eighty-four. Insignificant as the affair appeared to be, it had a most encouraging effect on the American army.

In a letter from Washington to Congress at this timethe twenty-third of September- he made the most earnest representations on the mischiefs of short enlistments, on the disadvantages of relying on militia unaccustomed to the privations of a camp, as well as impatient to return home, on the want of qualifications in many of the officers, and on their insufficient pay.1

In his letter to his brother written at this time, since published, he shows how deeply he deplored these impediments to his country's success.

His representations on this subject were not without their effect on Congress. That body thenceforward aimed at longer enlistments, that is, for three years, or during the war; and made important alterations in the articles of war.

General Howe thinking Washington's lines too strong to be forced, aimed to get in their rear so that the Americans would be obliged to abandon the post, or fight at such time and place as their enemy should choose. 1IV. Sparks's Washington, page 110.

188

SKIRMISHES WITH THE BRITISH.

[CHAP. III. Howe accordingly sent up the Hudson several frigates, which were not impeded either by the two forts on the opposite sides of the river, Fort Washington and Fort Lee, or the chevaux-de-frize sunk between them. He then brought his troops through Hellgate into the Sound, landing at Frog's Neck, on the Connecticut side of the Sound, about nine miles from the American camp. It was now judged, by the American council of war, that their present position was not safe, since the British ships could not be hindered from ascending the river, and that therefore it would be expedient to evacuate New York Island, but to retain Fort Washington, about nine miles above the city-it being thought that this post would, with the aid of further obstructions in the river, prevent the British from ascending it.

The army was accordingly moved from Kingsbridge towards the White Plains, yet farther north, when General Howe advanced in the same direction from Frog's Point through Pelham's manor towards New Rochelle, not far from the Sound.

During these movements some skirmishes occurred near East Chester, in which Washington was satisfied with his countrymen. At New Rochelle Howe received reinforcements both of Germans and Irish; and both parties marched towards the White Plains. Here the American troops formed a line of intrenched camps extending twelve or thirteen miles on different heights from about Kingsbridge to the White Plains, with a small river, the Brunx, between them and the British.

A few skirmishes then took place, in which the Americans obtained some advantage; but these partial rencounters, which had been encouraged by Washington, were carefully avoided by Howe, whose object was to bring on a general action; and who knew, moreover, that the

1776.]

ACTION ON THE BRUNX.

189

term for which the American soldiers had enlisted, must

soon expire.

Washington, having crossed the Brunx, took possession of the heights on the east side of the river. His right flank was covered by this stream. His left was nearly parallel to his right, and extended along the high ground in a northerly direction. General M'Dougal was posted on the west side of the Brunx with sixteen hundred men, to cover the right flank, the river being fordable without difficulty.' They strengthened their position by such entrenchments as time had permitted.

General Howe prepared for attacking the American camp. On the twenty-eighth of October he advanced in two columns-the right led by Sir Henry Clinton, the left by General Knyphausen, with General Howe. The action commenced with a cannonade, which, however, had little effect on either side. The enemy's right was behind a rising ground a mile from the camp, and was opposite the American centre.

Howe deeming the possession of the hill occupied by M'Dougal important to his purpose, ordered troops across the Brunx to attack him in front and rear. The militia, which composed the chief part of M'Dougal's force, immediately took to flight. The regulars sustained themselves with firmness; but, overpowered by numbers, they were forced to retreat. The remainder of M'Dougal's corps were then driven from the hill, and retreated to the main army. The loss in this affair was supposed to be equal on both sides—that is, to each between three and four hundred in killed, wounded and prisoners.

Washington expected an attack in his lines, and prepared for it; but it was first delayed for an expected reinforcement from New York, and was subsequently pre1 II. Marshal, page 502.

1