ment,
and Colo Knowlton with his Rangers, were to steal round while a
party [Crary's] were to march towards them and seem as if they
intended to attack in front, but not to make any real attack till they
saw our men fairly in their rear. The bait took as to one part; as
soon as they saw our party in front the enemy ran down the hill and
took possession of some fences and bushes and began to fire at them,
but at too great distance to do much execution," etc.--_Document_ 29.
See also Washington's letter to Congress, Sept. 18th, 1776.]

In order to keep the enemy engaged at that point, Crary's party opened
fire at long range, to which the British replied, but not much
execution was done on either side. Meanwhile Knowlton and Leitch moved
out to get in the rear. Colonel Reed accompanied the party, and as he
had been over the ground he undertook the lead, with the Virginians in
advance. It was probably his intention to march down under cover of
the bushes, cross the Kortwright farm unobserved some little distance
below the enemy, and reach the top of the Bloomingdale ridge before
they were discovered. Once there, the British would be effectually
hemmed in. Unfortunately, however, some "inferior officers," as it
would appear, gave unauthorized directions to the flanking party; or
the party forming the "feint" in front pushed on too soon, in
consequence of which Leitch and Knowlton made their attack rather on
the British flank than in their rear.[199] The latter now finding a
retreat necessary, left the fence and started back up the hill which
they had descended. Our men quickly followed, Crary in front, Knowlton
and Leitch on the left, and with the Virginians leading, joined in the
pursuit with splendid spirit and animation. They rushed up the slope,
on about the line of One Hundred and Twentieth Street, and, climbing
over the rocks, poured in their volleys upon the running Light
Infantry.

[Footnote 199: It is quite clear that Knowlton and Leitch did not form
two parties, as some accounts state, one moving against the right
flank of the enemy and the other against the left. They acted as one
body, the Virginians marching in front, having been ordered on to
"reinforce" Knowlton. Thus Captain Brown writes that after retreating
they "sent off for a reinforcement," which they soon received; and
Colonel Reed confirms this in his testimony at the court-martial of a
soldier who acted a cowardly part in the fight. "On Monday foren