nd in the _New York Revolutionary MS._,
vol. i. In 1812, when Randall surveyed the island, many of these works
were still traceable. He gives parts of the second and third lines,
Fort Washington and the others above, all of which agree with
Sauthier's locations. Some of the works remain well preserved to-day.]

Fort Washington was a large, five-sided work with bastions, strong by
virtue of its position, and important as commanding the passage of the
Hudson in connection with Fort Lee (first named Constitution),
opposite, on the summit of the Palisades on the Jersey side. Much
labor had been expended upon it, and it was generally regarded as
impregnable. The obstructions in the river consisted mainly of a line
of vessels chained together, loaded with stone, and then sunk and
anchored just below the surface of the river. It was expected that
they would resist the passage of the British ships, which would thus
be also brought to a stop under the guns from either shore, and made
to suffer heavily. Both the Continental Congress and the Provincial
Congress of New York had urged that no means or expense should be
spared to make the obstructions effectual, in view of the serious
results that would follow the enemy's possession of the river above.

Nearly a month now had elapsed since the retreat of our army to Harlem
Heights, and the British had made no further progress. They had in the
mean time thrown up a series of works across the island in front of
their main camps at Bloomingdale and McGowan's Pass, which could be
defended by a comparatively small force. On the 9th, however, they
showed indications of taking the field again by sending two frigates
up the Hudson. In spite of the sunken obstructions, the ships made
their way through without difficulty. Then, on the morning of the
12th, Howe embarked the greater part of his army in boats, and passing
through Hell Gate, under cover of a fog, landed on Throg's Neck, an
arm of the Westchester coast, about six miles above. Percy was left to
protect New York with three brigades. By this move the British general
placed himself on Washington's flank in Westchester County, and
threatened his communications. But the Neck was a poor selection for a
landing-place.[207] It was practically an island, the crossings to
the mainland being a causeway and fords, the opposite approaches of
which were fortified by the Americans. Colonel Hand's riflemen had
pulled up the planks on the bridges,