insack, and now commenced the retreat of Washington across the Jerseys, toward the Delaware, noted on pages 221—22 of this volume.
Before leaving these heights consecrated by valor and patriotism, let us turn, toward the distant hills of West Chester, where almost every rood of earth is scarred by the intrencher's mattock, or made memorable by deeds of daring and of suffering, and consider the most important military transactions which occurred within ten leagues of our point of observation.
We can not tarry long; to the local historian we must refer for the whole story in detail.
General Knyphausen held Fort Washington and the neighboring works, while the main British army was operating elsewhere in 1777. The fortifications were strengthened, and King's Bridge and vicinity presented a formidable barrier to the invasion of York Island by land. After the fall of Fort Washington, and the departure of both Americans and British to New Jersey General Heath established a cordon of troopsJanuary, 1777 from the heights at Wepperharn (Yonkers) to Mamaroneck, under the command of Brigadier John Morin Scott.
