its position. This show of
resistance was made in the hope of stopping Sir George Collier until
the land forces on board the transports could be conveyed up the
river, and disembarked on the western shore. But the British general
was too confident in his strength to permit this stratagem to succeed;
and, as he approached, the Americans sought for safety in flight. A
general chase and unresisted destruction ensued. The ships of war were
blown up, and the transports fled in the utmost confusion up the
river. Being pursued by the British squadron, the troops landed in a
wild uncultivated country; and were obliged to explore their way,
without provisions, through a pathless wilderness, for more than a
hundred miles. Exhausted with famine and fatigue, they at length
gained the settled parts of the country, after having lost several men
who perished in the woods.

While Sir Henry Clinton continued encamped just above Haerlem, with
his upper posts at Kingsbridge, and the American army preserved its
station in the Highlands, a bold plan was formed for surprising a
British post at Powles Hook, which was executed with great address by
Major Lee.

This officer was employed on the west side of the river with
directions to observe the situation of the British in Stony Point,
but, principally, to watch the motions of their main army. While his
parties scoured the country, he obtained intelligence which suggested
the idea of surprising and carrying off the garrison at Powles Hook, a
point of land on the west side of the Hudson, immediately opposite the
town of New York, penetrating deep into the river. On the point
nearest New York, some works had been constructed, which were
garrisoned by four or five hundred men.

A deep ditch, into which the water of the river flowed, having over it
a drawbridge connected with a barred gate, had been cut across the
isthmus, so as to make the Hook, in reality, an island. This ditch
could be passed only at low water. Thirty paces within it was a row of
abattis running into the river; and some distance in front of it, is a
creek fordable only in two places.

This difficulty of access, added to the remoteness of the nearest
corps of the American army, impressed the garrison with the opinion
that they were perfectly secure; and this opinion produced an
unmilitary remissness in the commanding officer, which did not escape
the vigilance of Lee.

On receiving his communications, General Washington