for the Americans to do what the British had planned to do; that is, to fortify the highlands of the river. It is interesting to contemplate what might have been the course of American history if Clinton's fleet, upon its arrival from Boston, had not found General Lee and his volunteer forces in New York. - On the departure of General Lee, Lord Stirling, Brigadier-General, remained in temporary command of New York; but the Commander-in-chief, anticipating an attack in force, dispatched Heath and Sullivan to the city with reinforcements, ordered forward a body of three thousand Connecticut troops, and placed Digitized by Microsoft® The Island and the River in 1776 167 General Israel Putnam in authority. This veteran officer entered the city on April 4, 1776, just three months before the signing of the Declaration of Inde- pendence. Following in their general outline the plans made by his predecessor, Putnam continued the construction of defences on the East River and under- took also to close the Hudson by erecting several bat- teries along shore and placing, obstructions in the channel. Washington arrived on the 14th of the month, his appearance being the signal for rejoicing on the part of the majority of those who remained in the city. At that time the total armed force numbered about 10,000 men, several regiments having been withdrawn by Congress, for Canadian service. In May Colonel Rufus Putnam was dispatched to the Highlands, " to put the defences there in a fit and proper posture." Towards the end of June the long-expected fleet of the British began to make its appearance. Forty vessels from Halifax, bringing the troops that had re- cently occupied Boston, and accompanied by trans- ports with newly arrived Highlanders, led the armada, which was soon augmented by other men-of-war and troop-ships, till the number reached one hundred and thirty. The frigate Greyhound brought the commander, of the British forces. General Howe, somewhat in ad- vance of the rest of the fleet. Colonel James Clinton, who had command of the posts in the Highlands, was immediately notified of Digitized by Microsoft® 1 68 The Hudson River the arrival of this menacing force of the enemy and directed to make all possible preparation for its recep- tion if a passage of the river should be attempted. About this time Clinton was also in receipt of several letters from committees in Cornwall and Newburgh, informing him of the presence of certain active Royalists who were forming a conspiracy to cooperate with the British troops upon their arrival. ^X But not even the presence of a powerful enemy on the one side and dangerous neighbours on the other could dampen the ardour with which the Colonial party in New York greeted the news that the instrument which proclaimed the independence of the American Colonies had been signed at Philadelphia. For several days the patriots celebrated the great event, incident- ally pulling down the leaden statue of George III., which, in a spasm of loyalty, they had erected only a short time before. Putnam was not idle: his defences were rapidly growing. The forts commanding the North River about this time included the Grand Battery, at the southern extremity of the island; Fort George, im- mediately north of it ; White Hall Battery, on the left of the Grand Battery ; Oyster Battery, behind General Washington's headquarters; Grenadier Battery, "Near the Brew House on the North River ' ' ; Jersey Battery, at the left of the one last named ; Bayard Hill Redoubt, on Bayard's Hill, now Grand Street; Spencer's, on a hill where General Spencer's brigade was encamped; Digitized by Microsoft® The Island and the River in 1776 169 and Waterbury's Battery, on a wharf below Spencer's hill, and Bedlam's Redoubt, on a hill near the Jews' bury ing-ground . In addition to these works Putnam was completing his plans for the destruction of the British fleet and the obstruction of the Hudson River. Early in July he wrote to General Gates, commanding the Northern department, as follows : The enemy's fleet now lies in the bay very safe, close under Staten Island. Their troops possess no land here but the Island. Is it not very strange, that those invincible troops, who were to destroy and lay waste all this country with their fleets and army, are so fond of islands and peninsulas, and dare not put their feet on the main? But, I hope, by the blessing of God and good friends we shall pay them a visit on their island. For that end, we are preparing fourteen fire-ships to go into their fleet, some of which are ready charged and fitted to sail^ and I hope soon to have them all fixed. We are preparing che- vaux-de-frise, at which we make