The American army extended from Fort Washington to Kingsbridge, when Howe began a movement to threaten their communications with the upper country. Leaving Percy to cover New York at McGowan's Pass, near Bloomingdale (A), the British embarked at Turtle Bay, Harlem, and Long Island (B) in detachments which landed at Frog's Neck (D, under cover of the "Carysfoot", man-of-war, C) on Oct. 12, 16, and 17, when the Americans (at E) on the 12th broke down the bridge in their front across the marsh, and retired part towards Kingsbridge and part towards New Rochelle. A MS. "Survey of Frog's Neck and the route of the British army to the 24th of Oct., 1776, by Charles Blaskowitz", on a scale of 2,000 feet to an inch, is among the Faden maps (no. 57) in the library of Congress. The British now proceeded farther by water to Pell's Point (F), where they landed Oct. 18, and pushing forward had the same day a skirmish with the retiring Americans (H), and still farther pursued them and occupied the lower bank at Mamaroneck (M) while the Americans held the opposite bank, Oct. 22. That same day, Knyphausen with his Germans landed at Myer's Point (G), and moving forward took ground (at K), and remained there from Oct. 22 to 28, while close by (at J) the main body from Pell's Point were already in camp (Oct. 18-21), when, on the 21st, they moved forward and encamped under Heister and Clinton (at L), where they remained till Oct. 25, and then proceeded to N, where they stayed till Oct. 28.
Meanwhile, the Americans (at Z) had passed Kingsbridge, breaking it down after their passage, and then dividing into two detachments. One of these proceeded and occupied the ridge of land from X to the White Plains, intrenching at intervals along the summit running parallel to Bronx River. The other division proceeded north through Wepperham, and both reunited Oct. 25 within the lines at White Plains (Q). The British (at N) advanced on the same day, and formed, Oct. 28, opposite the American lines (at O), while on the same day Leslie attacked the American corps of Spencer (at P), and Oct. 29 the Americans occupied the lines at R, and Nov. 1 fell back across the Croton River. During Oct. 30, a part of Percy's force from Bloomingdale had come up, leaving the road as they came north at N, and joining the left of the British line, in place of the troops which after the fight of the 28th had encamped at S. The British now marched, part direct and part by Tarrytown, to Dobbs Ferry (T), where they were in camp Nov. 6, and proceeding south they were at U, Nov. 13. Dawson, Westchester County, 239, points out some errors in the names in this map, which were allowed to stand in Stedman's map, and in the first edition of Lossing's Field-Book. On the American side there is a Plan of the Country from Frog's Point to Croton River, showing the positions of the American and British armies from the 12th of Oct., 1776, until the engagement on the White Plains on the 28th, drawn by S. Lewis from the original surveys made by order of Washington, and published in 1807. It has been reproduced in Dawson's Westchester County, from the original edition of Marshall's Washington. Later eclectic plans can be found in the Life of Washington, by Sparks; in Hamilton's Republic of the United States, i. 132; and in Lossing's Field-Book, ii. 820-826.
For Washington's headquarters (Miller house) see Mag. of Amer. Hist., vii. 108; and for a view of Chatterton's Hill, Gay, iii. 514.
[794] Documents in 5 Force, ii. (statement of the regiments, 1,319) and iii.; Sparks's Washington, iv. 524-526, including Harrison's letter, which is also in Dawson, i. 183, as well as a letter of Col. Haslett to Gen. Rodney (i. 183). A letter in Johnson, Docs. p. 135. A letter of James Tilton (Brunswick, N. J., Nov. 20, 1776) to Cæsar Rodney, among the Pettit papers in the Amer. Philosophical Society, and a copy in the Sparks MSS. (lii. vol. ii.). Allen's diary in Smith's Pittsfield, Mass., i. 252. Memoirs of Heath, and the Rev. Services of Gen. Hull, ch. 4. Newspaper accounts in Moore's Diary, 335; and the statements of De Lancey in Jones, i. App. 621.
On the English side Howe's despatch (Nov. 30), which appeared in a Gazette of Dec. 30, is reprinted in Dawson, i. 184. This gave rise to Observations upon the Conduct of Sir Wm. Howe at the White Plains, London, 1779, known to be the work of Israel Mauduit, though published anonymously. It included Howe's despatch. In this he criticises Howe severely, as well as in his Three Letters to Lt.-Gen. Sir William Howe (London, 1781), with an appendix and map. When the brothers Howe, general and admiral, were appointed, it was Hutchinson's opinion (Diary, ii. 40) that "no choice could have been more generally satisfactory to the kingdom." Hutchinson (Ibid., ii. 121) at this time speaks of a letter from Major Dilkes (Nov. 3) describing the series of actions, in which he calls White Plains the principal one, and adds, "Though the king's troops had the advantaged pursuing them, it does not appear that the loss was much different." Stedman's account is in his ch. 7, and Eelking's in ch. 2 of his Hülfstruppen. Lowell in his Hessians uses several German accounts.
[795] Johnston, p. 262. Carrington, ch. 35. Bancroft, ix. ch. 10; final revision, v. ch. 3 and 5. Dawson, ch. 14. Lossing's Field-Book, vol. ii. For biographies: Washington, by Marshall, ii. ch. 8, and by Irving, ii. ch. 37. J. C. Hamilton's Republic, i. 132. Reed's Jos. Reed, i. ch. 12. Read's George Read, 210. Memoirs of Col. Benj. Tallmadge (N. Y., 1858). Dawson is still the amplest in detail. His list of authorities on the action at White Plains is one of his longest (Westchester County, 256, 271).
[796] Johnston's Map.—Percy advancing from McGowan's Pass (T), the several American outposts withdrew from Snake Hill (V), Harlem Plains (D D), and across the hollow way (U), and under Cadwallader resisted for a while the attack of Percy at W, till Lt.-Col. Stirling, dispatched from the redoubt at F F, and landing at X, threatened to intercept Cadwallader, when the Americans fell back to the lines above Fort Washington. Meanwhile, two columns of attack approached the fort from the other side. Cornwallis, embarking at Kingsbridge (B B), went down Harlem River and landed at A A, under cover of batteries at F F, and there attacked Col. Baxter at the redoubts, who retreated to the fort. Knyphausen and Rall, advancing also from Kingsbridge (B B) to Z, attacked Col. Rawling at Y, who also retreated to the fort. The immediate outworks being carried on all sides, the fort surrendered Nov. 16, 1776.
Sauthier-Faden Plan.—On the day of the fight at White Plains, Oct. 28, Knyphausen had left his camp (at K), and marching west had crossed above Kingsbridge; and had encamped, Nov. 2, at W. The Waldeck regiment stationed at New Rochelle had also marched, and Nov. 4 were at V, and then proceeded towards Wepperham. The same day a portion of the British under Grant, coming south from Dobbs Ferry, had left the main line at 4 and proceeded to 5 and 6, continuing their march next day to 7. The American outposts on Tetard's Hill withdrew to the works about Fort Washington, when Knyphausen threatened to cut them off. The siege and capture of Fort Washington now followed. This accomplished, Cornwallis embarked a part of his force at "Spiting Devil Creek" and part at 8, united them on landing, Nov. 18, at 1, and encamped that night at 2, the garrison of Fort Lee having already fled towards 3, whither Cornwallis followed them.
Note to the opposite Map.—This sketch follows A topographical map of the north part of New York Island, exhibiting the plan of Fort Washington, now Fort Knyphausen, with the rebel lines to the southward, which were forced by the troops under the command of the Rt. Honble Earl Percy the 16th Nov. 1776, and surveyed immediately after by order of his lordship by Claude Joseph Sauthier, to which is added the attack made to the north by the Hessians, surveyed by order of Lieut.-Gen. Knyphausen. London, Wm. Faden, March 1, 1777.
The broken lines (— — —) represent roads. The Hessians advanced from Westchester County by Kingsbridge, under Knyphausen, with detachments of his corps, the brigade of "Raille", and the regiment of Waldeck. They crossed the little stream L in two columns. That of Raille's [Rall, Rahl] mounted the hill, forced the battery of twelve-pounders and howitzers at H, and was joined before G by Knyphausen's column, which had followed up the stream. Both pushed on and carried the works at A. The British light infantry under Brig.-Gen. Matthews, to be supported by the grenadiers and 33d regiment under Cornwallis, landed at B under cover of batteries at E, whereupon the Americans on the hill at J retired to the main works. The 42d regiment under Lt.-Col. Stirling, with two battalions of the second brigade, crossed the river by the dot and dash line (·—·—) and landed at C as a feint, and advanced by the battery M. Earl Percy with a brigade of English and another of Hessians left the advanced posts of the British at McGowan's Pass, and following the main road (— — —) forced the successive American lines through their abatis (× × × ×) and attacked at D. Philip's or Dightman's bridge is at F. The British vessel "Pearl" at K assisted the attack at A. The buildings marked a were barracks erected for winter-quarters by the Americans, but burned by them when the British landed at Frog's Neck.