[Robert Bolton, Jr. (1848)] Heath, to move into the Highlands immediately, which was done, just after dark, the troops passing the night on Bald Hill. It was general-ly the opinion that if General Heath had not been at hand to ad-vance in the manner he did, that Gen. Clinton by a forced march of his light troops, backed by his army, would have got in the rear of Gen. Howe, before he could have possibly gained the road at Peekskill, and between his army and a sally from the garrison of Verplanck's Point inevitably cut ofl" the whole. Our troops at Stoney Point cannonaded and bombarded the enemy's works at Verplanck's during the whole day, and until near midnight. The post was then evacuated, and the Washington galley was blown up. a On the 2d of October, 1779, the enemy, at Verplanck's Point, opened a number of pits about five feel deep, and from four feet over, with a sharp stake in the middle, around the outside of the abbatis.^, --. October 21st, 1779, three deserters came in from Verplanck's Point, and reported, that the enemy were on the point of evacu-ating their works. The oflicer commanding the advanced picket, soon after sent information that the works appeared to be on fire, and the shipping standing down the river. Major Waldbridge, who commanded the advanced picket, immediately sent a detach-ment to take possession of the works. Several loaded shells, left by the enemy in places where the fire would come at them, burst, "i Heath's Mem. 211. b Heath's Mem. 218. Vol. I.