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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 tirne 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

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tempt the British commander to try the experiment of an assault. His army lay inactive on the plains below more than three weeks. General Washington employed the time in strengthening his works, and preparing at all points for defence. His lines in front extended from Haerlem River to the Hudson, quite across the Island, which at this place is somewhat more than a mile wide. General Greene commanded on the Jersey side, with his head-quarters at Fort Lee; and General Heath at Kingsbridge, beyond which, on a hill towards the Hudson, a fort was erected, called Fort Independence.

General Howe was raised to the honor of knighthood by his sovereign, after the news of the battle of Long Island reached England. But his good fortune did not inspire him with confidence. Notwithstanding his superior force, the expectation of a speedy addition to it from Europe, and his successes hitherto in driving the Americans before him, he seems not to have looked forward with sanguine hopes to the issue of the campaign. In a letter to the ministry he said; "The enemy is too strongly posted to be attacked in front, and innumerable difficulties are in our way of turning him on either side, though his army is much dispirited from the late success of his Majesty's arms; yet have I not the smallest prospect of finishing the combat this campaign, nor until the rebels see preparations in the spring, that may preclude all thoughts of further resistance. To this end I would propose eight or ten line-of-battle ships to be with us in February, with a number of supernumerary seamen for manning boats, having fully experienced the want of them in every movement we have made. We must also have recruits from Europe, not finding the Americans disposed to serve with arms, notwithstanding the hopes held out to me upon my arrival in this port." This last point was a source of

great delusion to the British ministers almost to the end of the war. They flattered themselves with the belief, that a large part of their army might be recruited among the loyalists in America. Clothes and equipments were abundantly supplied for this purpose, and extravagant bounties were offered. The generals on the spot, being soon undeceived, remonstrated against so fallacious a dependence; but the ministers closed their ears to such counsel, and persevered. Plans were repeatedly formed by the generals, and approved by the cabinet, on the basis of a certain number of troops; but, when the time of execution came, the men sent from Europe fell far short of the number promised, and the commander was instructed to make up the deficiency with American recruits. If the inquiry were pursued, it would be found, that the ill success of the British arms, and the defeated expectations of the government, are often to be traced to this cause alone. Hence both Howe and Clinton, the principal commanders in America during the most active period of the war, became dissatisfied, requested their recall long before it was granted, and finally went home to receive the censures of their countrymen and the neglect of the court.

The subject, which now engaged the most anxious thoughts of Washington, was the situation and prospects of the army. We have seen that the establishment formed at Cambridge was to continue for one year, and the time of its dissolution was near at hand. He had often called the attention of Congress to this important subject, and pressed upon them the necessity of some radical alterations in the system hitherto pursued. By the experience of the past year all his first impressions had been confirmed, and all his fears realized, in regard to the mischievous policy of short enlistments, and of relying on militia to act against veteran troops. Dis

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