[Frederic Shonnard & W.W. Spooner (1900)] Consequently there was no further em-ployment for the British general on the Hudson, and indeed his occupation of Verplanck's and Stony Points, involving two succes-sive demonstrations with a loss of (500 men, proved to be an utter waste of time and energy. In the fall (October 21) he evacuated both the Points; for having, as it proved, permanently abandoned all hope of gaining the mastery of the Hudson by force, he deemed if' an unprofitable expenditure of his resources to retain these isolated and exposed posts. Daring the rest of the war the British were strictly confined to the portion of the river below Verplanck's Point, in spite of the ignominious failure of this final endeavor of the enemy to open the Hudson, the attempt was more serious than ap-pears from;i superficial view of it. It seems to have been Clinton's principal plan for the campaign of 1771) to force Washington down from the Highlands by a series of aggressions, of which the seizure of the King's Ferry route was the most important. As the capture of the two Points did not bring about the desired result, he withdrew temporarily and carried fire and sword into Connecticut, expecting by this process to entice Washington from his chosen station. The latter sent General Heath, witli two brigades, to Connecticut; where-upon Clinton prepared to follow up the former raids with a heavier blow, which was prevented by the counter-stroke at Stony Point.