been lying for some time oppo- site Bloomingdale, got under way with their three ten- ders, at 8 o'clock in the morning, and came standing up the river with an easy southern breeze. At their approach, the galleys and the two ships intended to be sunk got under way with all haste, as did a schooner laden with rum, sugar, and other supplies for the American army, and the sloop with Bushnell's sub- marine machine. The Roebuck, Phoenix, and Tartar broke through the vaunted barriers as through a cobweb. Seven batteries kept a constant fire upon them, yet a gentleman was observed walking the deck of the second ship as coolly as if nothing were the matter. Washington, indeed, in a letter to Schuyler, says, "They passed without any kind of damage or interruption; but Lord Howe reports to the Admiralty that they suffered much in their masts and rigging and that a lieutenant, two midshipmen, and six men were killed and eighteen wounded." Digitized by Microsoft® 1 84 The Hudson River The attempt to complete the obstructions occupied, it would seem, a considerable portion of Washington's attention in the weeks that intervened between the battle of Harlem Heights and that of White Plains. He ordered that two hulks which lay — as hulks still lie — ^in Spuyten Duyvil creek, be ballasted and sunk, and that others that had grounded near Yonkers be brought down and consigned to a similar use. ^ A council of officers, called by the commander, dis- cussed the question of attempting to retain the posi- tion occupied by the American army upon Manhattan Island, and it was decided — ^with only the voice of General Clinton raised in dissent — to abandon all the works with the exception of Fort Washington. This fort was to be retained as long as possible in com- pliance with the resolution passed by Congress. A garrison that was large if measured by the loss its subtraction occasioned the little army, but absurdly inadequate for the work expected of it, was left under command of Colonel Magaw, to whom Washington gave a solemn injunction to defend it to the last ex- tremity. It was at this time that the name of Fort Constitution was changed to Fort Lee, and the com- mand of that post given to General Greene. / The series of moves by which Washington foiled Howe's attempt to get in his rear and the resulting battle of White Plains are not part of the story of the river and must not be dwelt upon here. At the time when the assault upon Chatterton's hill was about Digitized by Microsoft® Forts Washington and Lee 185 to be made the distant thundering of cannon in the neighbourhood of Manhattan startled the contestants. Two of the enemy's war-ships had anchored at Bur- ^ dett's Ferry, a short distance below the forts, with the evident purpose of cutting communication between the island and the mainland, by stopping the ferry. At the same time British troops appeared on Harlem plains. When the lines in that direction were manned by Americans from the forts, the vessels opened fire, attempting to dislodge them, but an eighteen-pound gun on the Manhattan side and two on the Jersey shore returned their fire and hulled them repeatedly, so that they were glad to drop down the river. On the night of the 4th of November and for three days afterwards the British army was moving from White Plains to Dobbs Ferry, with what ultimate object could only be a matter of anxious conjecture to the American leader. Washington wrote to General William Livingston: They have gone towards the North River and King's Bridge. Some suppose they are going into winter quarters, and will sit down in New York without doing more than investing Fort Washington. I cannot subscribe wholly to this opinion myself. That they will invest Fort Washington, is a matter of which there can be no doubt ; and I think there is a strong probability that General Howe will detach a part of his force to make an incursion into the Jerseys, provided he is going to New York. He must attempt something on account of his reputation, for what has he done as yet, with his great army? While still in doubt as to the meaning of the manoeu- vre, Washington received news of the peril of the Digitized by Microsoft® 1 86 The Hudson River garrison on Manhattan. Threatened by Lord Percy with a large body of troops at the south, and by Knyphausen between the Fort and Kingsbridge, Colonel Magaw and his command were in a serious position. As though to add a feature of discouragement to the situation by proving the futility of attempting to control the river, a