overed the situation.

"A retreat, more like," replied another officer. "The enemy sees little
hope in attacking this stronghold."

"I can hardly believe that so large and well-disciplined an army is
going to withdraw without giving battle," responded Washington. "No
doubt an attack upon Fort Washington is the immediate purpose; and then,
perhaps an invasion into the Jerseys."

There was much speculation among the officers as to the meaning of this
manoeuvre, and all of them were in more or less perplexity. Washington
wrote immediately to Governor Livingston of New Jersey and hurried a
messenger away with the letter:

"They have gone towards North River and King's Bridge. Some suppose they
are going into winter quarters, and will sit down in New York without
doing more than investing Fort Washington. I cannot subscribe wholly to
this opinion myself. That they will invest Fort Washington is a matter
of which there can be no doubt, and I think there is a strong
probability that General Howe will detach a part of his force to make an
incursion into the Jerseys, provided he is going to New York. He must
attempt something on account of his reputation, for what has he done as
yet with his great army?"

Satisfied that General Howe intended to capture Fort Washington, he
advised its evacuation. He wrote to General Greene:

"If we cannot prevent vessels from passing up the river, and the enemy
are possessed of all the surrounding country, what valuable purpose can
it answer to hold a post from which the expected benefit cannot be had?
I am, therefore, inclined to think that it will not be prudent to hazard
the men and stores at Mount Washington; but as you are on the spot, I
leave it to you to give such orders as to evacuating Mount Washington as
you may judge best, and so far revoking the orders given to Colonel
Morgan, to defend it to the last."

General Greene took the responsibility to hold the fort; and when
Colonel Morgan received a demand from the enemy to surrender, he
replied: "I shall defend the fort to the last."

After a manly resistance, however, he was forced to surrender; and the
fort, with its garrison of twenty-eight hundred men, and abundant
stores, passed into the hands of the enemy. The prisoners were taken to
New York and confined in the notorious British prison-ship, where they
suffered long and terribly.

This was a very unfortunate affair for the American cause, and caused
the commander-in-chie