taken possession of, and, in
so doing, the left and right wing of our army were, in a great measure,
severed from one another, so that they could not attack the main
position of the Americans. That night the British troops slept on their
arms, and the next day they encamped, with the left wing on one side of
the Brunx, and the right on the other. On the 30th, having received some
reinforcements, Howe made a disposition to attack the enemy's lines on
the following morning; but during the night it rained in torrents, and
the faces of the hills became, in consequence, so slippery, that the
attack was postponed till the morrow. In the meantime, however, his
intention was betrayed by a deserter, and before the break of day
Washington evacuated the lines, set fire, in his retreat, to all the
houses on White Plains, crossed the Croton River to North Castle, and
took up a strong position, with the Croton stretching along his front,
and having his rear well defended by woods and heights.

CAPTURE OF FORT WASHINGTON.

Perceiving from the nature of the country that he could not force the
American commander to join battle, General Howe now made a retrograde
movement. Washington had left considerable forces at Fort Washington and
King's Bridge, in the hope that those positions might be secured, even
though he retreated or were beaten. The force in Fort Washington, and in
the extensive entrenchments round it, consisted of 3000 men, under the
command of the gallant Colonel Macgaw. This post was important to the
royal army, as it secured an intercourse with the Jersey shore, and as
in the hands of the enemy it seriously obstructed the navigation of the
North River. General Howe, therefore, resolved to take it, and on the
15th of November, the garrison was summoned to surrender, on pain of
being put to death by the sword. This summons was unheeded, and on
the following morning it was carried by a furious assault; and all the
garrison who were not slain, were taken prisoners. On the side of the
British, also, there was a great loss; eight hundred being either killed
or wounded.

CAPTURE OF FORT LEE, AND RETREAT OF WASHINGTON.

Immediately after this success, Lord Cornwallis crossed the North River,
and drove the Americans from Fort Lee, which was nearly opposite Fort
Washington, and took all their artillery, provision, and stores. This
advance induced the American general to quit his post on the Croton, and
fall back upo