CHAPTER IX. New York evacuated, and the British take Possession of the City. - The American Army posted at Haerlem Heights and Fort Washington. — Situation and Prospects of the Army. Its new Organization. - The British land in Westchester County, and march into the Country. — Washington advances to White Plains and forms an Encampment. Battle of Chatterton's Hill. Part of the American Army crosses the Hudson. Capture of Fort Washington and Fort Lee. General Washington retreats through New Jersey, and crosses the Delaware at Trenton. Conduct and Character of General Lee. - Reduced State -- of the Army. Reinforced by Troops from Ticonderoga. General Washington invested with extraordinary Powers by Congress. — His Manner of using them. He recrosses the Delaware. - Battle of Trenton. - Battle of Princeton. The Army goes into Winter Quarters at Morristown. Remarks on these Events. WHEN General Howe had taken possession of Long Island, his plans began to be unfolded. The fleet came into the harbour, and an armed vessel passed up the East River; but there were no indications of an attack on the city. It was obvious, indeed, that he designed to take New York by encompassing it on the land side, and to refrain from a cannonade and bombardment, by which the city might be injured, and rendered less fit for the accommodation of his troops in the winter, and less valuable as a place to be held during the war. Such being clearly the aim of the British commander, the attention of Washington was next drawn to the best mode of evacuating the city. As a preparatory step he removed beyond Kingsbridge the stores and baggage least wanted. In a council of general officers there was a difference of opinion as to a total evacuation. All agreed, that the town would not be tenable, if it should be bombarded; and it was manifest, that this might be done at any moment. Some were for destroying the city at once, and leaving it a waste, from which the enemy could derive no benefit. As an argument for this procedure, it was said two thirds of the property belonged to Tories. Others thought the position should be maintained at every hazard, till the army was absolutely driven out. A middle course was taken. It was resolved so to dispose the troops, as to be prepared to resist any attack on the upper parts of the Island, and retreat with the remainder whenever it should become necessary. Nine thousand men were to be stationed at Mount Washington, Kingsbridge, and the smaller posts in the vicinity of those places, five thousand to continue in the city, and the residue to occupy the intermediate space, ready to support either of these divisions. The sick, amounting to one quarter of the whole army, were to be removed to the Jersey side of the Hudson. While these arrangements were in progress, the enemy were not idle, although probably less active than they would otherwise have been, in consequence of an interview between Lord Howe and a committee of Congress at Staten Island, solicited by the former in the hope of suggesting some plan of reconciliation conformable to the terms of his commission. This attempt proving abortive, the operations commenced in earnest. Four ships sailed into the East River, and anchored about a mile above the city. The next day six others followed. Parties of British troops landed on Buchanan's Island, and a cannonade was opened upon a battery at Horen's Hook. On the 15th of September in the morning, three men-of-war ascended Hudson's River as high as Bloomingdale, with the view of dividing the attention of the Americans, by making a feint on that side. At the same time General Howe embarked a strong division of his army, commanded by General Clinton, consisting of British and Hessians, at the head of Newtown Bay on Long Island. About eleven o'clock, these troops, having come into the East River, began to land at Kip's Bay, under the fire of two forty-gun ships and three frigates. Batteries had been erected there; but the men were driven from them by the firing from the ships. General Washington was now at Haerlem, whither he had gone the night before, on account of the movements of the enemy at Montresor's Island; and, hearing the sound of the guns, he hastened with all despatch to the place of landing. To his inexpressible chagrin he found the troops, that had been posted on the lines, precipitately retreating without firing a shot, although not more than sixty or seventy of the enemy were in sight; and also two brigades, which had been ordered to their support, flying in the greatest confusion, in spite of every effort of their officers to rally and form them. It is said, that no incident of the war caused Washington to be so much excited, as he appeared on this occasion. He rode hastily towards the enemy, till his own person was in danger, hoping to encourage the men by his example, or rouse them to a sense of shame for their cowardice. But all his exertions were fruitless. The troops, being eight regiments in all, fled to the main body on Haerlem Plains. The division in New York, under the command of General Putnam retreated with difficulty, and with considerable loss. Fifteen men only were known to be killed, but more than three hundred were taken prisoners. Nearly all the heavy cannon, and a considerable quantity of baggage, stores, and provisions, were left behind. A prompt and judicious manœuvre on the part of the British general, by stretching his army across the island from Kip's Bay to Hudson's River, would have cut off the rear of the retreating division. But this was not effected, nor were the Americans pursued with much vigor in their retreat. General Washington drew all his forces together within the lines on the Heights of Haerlem, where they encamped the same night. Headquarters were fixed at Morris's House, a mile and a half south from Mount Washington, on which was situate the fort of that name. After sending a small detachment to take possession of the city, General Howe encamped with the larger part of his army near the American lines, his right resting on the East River, and his left on the Hudson, supported at each extreme by the ships in those rivers. The next morning, Colonel Knowlton went out with a party of rangers, volunteers from the New England regiments, and advanced through the woods towards the enemy's lines. When he was discovered, General Howe detached two battalions of light infantry, and a regiment of Highlanders, to meet and drive him back. To these were afterwards added a battalion of Hessian grenadiers, a company of chasseurs, and two field-pieces. On the appearance of these troops in the open grounds between the two camps, General Washington rode to the out-posts, that he might be at hand to make such arrangements as circumstances should require. He had hardly reached the lines, when he heard a firing, which proceeded from an encounter between Colonel Knowlton and one of the British parties. The rangers returned, and said that the body of the enemy, as they thought, amounted to three hundred men. Knowlton was immediately reinforced by three companies from Weedon's Virginia regiment under Major Leitch, and ordered to gain their rear, while their attention was diverted by making a disposition to attack them in front. The plan was successful. As the party ap proached in front, the enemy rushed down the hill to take advantage of a fence and bushes, and commenced firing, but at too great a distance to be effectual. Meantime Colonel Knowlton attacked on the other side, though rather in the flank than rear, and advanced with spirit. A sharp conflict ensued. Major Leitch, who led the attack, was carried off mortally wounded, three balls having been shot through his body; and in a short time Colonel Knowlton fell. The action was resolutely kept up by the remaining officers and the men, till other detachments arrived to their support; and they charged the enemy with such firmness and intrepidity, as to drive them from the wood to the plain, when General Washington ordered a retreat, apprehending, what proved to be the case, that a large body was on its way from the British camp. The engagement, from first to last, continued four hours, although the sharp fighting was of short duration. General Howe reported eight officers and seventy privates wounded, and fourteen men killed. The American loss was fifteen killed, and about forty-five wounded. Colonel Knowlton was a gallant and meritorious officer, and his death was much lamented. The events of the day were important, not so much on account of their magnitude, as of their influence on the army. The retreating, flying, and discomfitures which had happened since the British landed on Long Island, contributed greatly to dispirit the troops, and to destroy their confidence in themselves and in their officers. The good conduct and success of this day were a proof, on the one hand, that the enemy was not invincible, and on the other, that the courage, so nobly exhibited at Lexington and Bunker's Hill the year before, still existed in the American ranks. The lines were too formidable on Haerlem Heights to |