be excelled by any action in our history. The British had retired from Philadelphia; Wash- ington's army had passed through the trying experi- ence of Valley Forge, and Monmouth had been fought. Now the old struggle for supremacy on the Hudson was renewed. Sir Henry Clinton had captured the 304 Digitized by Microsoft® The Storming of Stony Point 305 American posts at Stony Point and Verplanck's Point, opposite; while Washington still held the important fortresses in the Highlands. Clinton's attack was made on the first of June. The American force at Stony Point consisted of six hundred men, under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Johnson, while at Verplanck's, Lieutenant-Colonel Webster had a detachment of about the same numerical strength. They yielded to the combined land and water attack of a greatly superior foe, who proceeded, after the re- duction of the forts, to increase their armament and man them with strong garrisons. Washington at once saw not only the military disadvantage of having his outposts in the hands of the enemy, but realised also how bad an effect such a condition of affairs would produce upon the sentiment of the country. He dis- cussed the possibility of dislodging the invaders. An amusing and characteristic (and possibly true) anec- dote records a conversation supposed to have taken place between the Commander and General Wayne on this topic. Asked whether he thought he could storm Stony Point, the impetuous Wayne — ■" Mad Anthony" — replied : "I'll storm hell, if you'll make the plans, sir!" Washington looked at him meditatively for a mo- ment, and then replied quietly: " Better try Stony Point first. General." Try Stony Point they did. That "Gibraltar" of the Highlands, to use Washington Irving's phrase, Digitized by Microsoft® 3o6 The Hudson River presented an obstacle worthy of the mettle of the best troops in the world. Two hundred feet in height, with bold, rocky sides descending precipitously to the shore, and surrounded on the landward side by a marsh, this fortress could only be won by the same soldierly quali- ties that had made the British masters of it forty-five days earlier. The utmost secrecy was preserved in preparing for the enterprise. Not more than half a dozen officers knew of the movement on foot". The main army of the Americans was encamped about ten miles back of West Point, within reach either of the Jerseys or the Hudson. A strong- detachment occupied West Point, Constitution Island, and that neighbourhood, and two Connecticut brigades were on the east side of the river. Washington's headquarters at this time were at New Windsor. The column destined for the attack upon Stony Point marched from Sandy Beach, fourteen miles above, at noon of the fifteenth. The soldiers num- bered twelve hundred light infantry. Their march was over bad roads and rocky hills and through heavy swamps. They halted after nightfall at the house of a man named Springsteel, a mile and a half from the British position, and here the final arrangements for the attack were completed. General Wayne's disposition, of the troops before Stony Point was as follows : The column on the right, to be led by Wayne himself, consisted of the regiments Digitized by Microsoft® 1 M [pT— ^^^*" 1 -4= iBi '^' ' '^V^l' ■r >*■' r"-^ ^^i ■ffij^ ^►"flHl B 4|| .:> -4 Hk / i , ,; ^. 1 4 ! v^4 ^ i 1 Digitized by Microsoft® Digitized by Microsoft® The Storming of Stony Point 309 of Meigs and Febiger, and a detachment commanded by Major Hull; Butler's regiment constituted the left column; and Major Murfee was ordered forward in the centre to engage the attention of the British garri- son by a feint. Two bodies of volunteers, led by Lieu- tenant-Colonel Pleury and Major Posey on the right, and Major Stewart on the left, served as pioneers to precede the main body of the assailants; and in the van of each company of pioneers was " a forlorn hope ' ' of twenty men, led by Lieutenants Gibbon and Knox. It was their work to remove the obstructions in the way of the troops. It was nearly midnight when the advance com- menced. Absolute silence was enjoined, and like spectres the two storming parties faded from each other's sight in the gloom. The marshes were over- flowed with two feet of water, and through this the men followed their officers, eager and alert, for the object of the expedition was no longer a secret to any one. Not a musket was loaded, except in Murfee 's com- mand, for the attack was to be made entirely with the bayonet. What greater evidence could be offered of the value of three arduous years in transforming into stern, reliant soldiers the raw material of 1776?