led adversary should show signs of returning animation.

[Sidenote: British seize New York.]

All being ready, on the very day fixed for the evacuation, Sir Henry
Clinton crossed the East River in boats from Newtown Bay to Kipp's Bay,
with 4,000 men, landed without opposition, owing to a disgraceful panic
which seized the Americans posted there for just such an emergency, and
thus thrust himself in between the Americans in the city and those at
Harlem Heights. Thus cut off, it was only at the greatest risk of
capture that the garrison below was saved, with the loss of much
artillery, tents, baggage, and stores, by marching out on one road while
the enemy were marching in on another,[1] as Clinton had immediately
pushed on up the island, at the heels of the retreating Americans.

A captain of British grenadiers describes what took place after the
landing, in the following animated style:

"After landing in York Island we drove the Americans into their
works beyond the eighth milestone from New York, and thus got
possession of the best half of the island. We took post opposite
to them, placed our pickets, borrowed a sheep, killed, cooked, and
ate some of it, and then went to sleep on a gate, which we took the
liberty of throwing off its hinges, covering our feet with an
American tent, for which we should have cut poles and pitched had
it not been so dark. Give me such living as we enjoy at present,
such a hut and such company, and I would not care three farthings
if we stayed all the winter, for though the mornings and evenings
are cold, yet the sun is so hot as to oblige me to put up a blanket
as a screen."

[Sidenote: Great fire, September 21.]

Each side now rested in possession of half the island, Washington of all
above Harlem Heights, Howe of all below. His conquest was, however, near
proving a barren one, at best, for within a week a third part of the
city was laid in ashes, some say by incendiaries, some by accident.

The situation was now so far reversed that Washington seemed to be
blockading Howe in the city.

[Sidenote: Captain Hale hanged.]

Though it had little bearing upon the result of the campaign, one other
event is deserving of brief mention here. Clinton's descent had been
cleverly managed, out of Washington's sight. What were the enemy
proposing to do next? It was imperative to know. To ascertain this Capt.
Nathan Hale volunteered t