E 241 
 .H2 S5 
 Copy 1 
 
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 10 
 
 HALF MOON SERIES ^ ^ 
 
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 EDITED BY 
 
 MAUD WILDER GOODWIN 
 ALICE CARRINQTON ROYCE 
 RUTH PUTNAM AND 
 EVA PALMER BROWNELL 
 
 Vol 
 
 . II.. No. 10. October, 1898. y OCT 1^, 
 
 ZTbe Battle of Ibatlem 
 IbeiGbts 
 
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I 
 
 THE BATTLE OF HARLEM HEIGHTS 
 
 345 
 
■^- 
 
Half Moon Series 
 
 Published in the Interest of the New York 
 City History Club. 
 
 Volume II. Number X. 
 
 THE BATTLE OF HARLEM HEIGHTS. 
 
 By WILLIAM R. SHEPHERD, Ph.D. 
 
 547 
 
 ANY event in the Revolution that made a 
 distinct contribution to the estabhsh- 
 ment of independence has its share of in- 
 terest to the patriotic American ; but the 
 "affair" ' at Harlem Heights has a general im- 
 portance, colored with a local interest, which 
 specially merits our attention and admiration. 
 Its general importance is attested by the fact 
 that, coming as it did immediately after the 
 calamity on Long Island, it served as a prelude 
 to the brilliant exploits at Trenton and Prince- 
 ton ; while its local interest is clear, when we 
 remember that it was the only contest within 
 the limits of Greater New York that resulted 
 in a victory for the Americans. The battle of 
 Harlem Heights, therefore, has a peculiar 
 charm to the citizen of the metropolis. Gaz- 
 ing at the very ground on which it was fought, 
 as he traces from one landmark to another 
 
 Xocal 
 
 Untcicst 
 
 of tbe 
 
 JSattlc 
 
348 
 
 Zbc Battle ot Ibarlem IbeiGbts 
 
 Ube 
 S)cfcncc 
 of "new 
 
 the course of the struggle, he may reflect 
 with honest pride that here, within the pre- 
 cincts of his own city, occurred what Wash- 
 ington was pleased to term a " success . . . 
 productive of salutary consequences," " — once 
 more a Concord and Lexington which "ani- 
 mated our troops, gave them new spirits," 
 and enabled them "with inferior numbers to 
 drive their enemy, and think of nothing . . . 
 but conquest." ' 
 
 In January, 1776, two months before the 
 British evacuated Boston, the question arose 
 whether an effort should be made to hold 
 New York. — probably their next objective 
 point of attack. Although apparent that the 
 insular position of New York with its belt of 
 navigable waters bore out the truth of Charles 
 Lee's assertion that whoever commanded the 
 sea must command the city,* still, if a Declara- 
 tion of Independence was to be issued and 
 its assertion of rights made good, the abandon- 
 ment of New York, merely on the plea of 
 difficulty in fortifying it, would have been a 
 serious mistake. Even if the city could not 
 be made impregnable, a brave show of resist- 
 ance might deter the British from atteinpt- 
 ing its capture, or at any rate "give them," 
 says a blunt patriot, "a scrag which they 
 would not relish very well,"' before a capture 
 could be effected. 
 
 In order to confine the British water control 
 
Ubc JBattlc ot Ibarlem Ibeigbts 
 
 349 
 
 to the harbor and the mouth of the Hudson 
 River, the East River — the key of the American 
 position — was fortified along both banks at 
 various points from the Battery to Hell Gate. 
 The water front on the south and west also 
 was protected by batteries on the shore and 
 barricades in the streets ; while to the north 
 of the city other fortifications were constructed 
 along the line of the present Grand Street, to 
 ward off an attack from that quarter. Then to 
 command the Hudson, as well as to cover a 
 possible retreat by way of Kingsbridge, Fort 
 Washington was built a little to the south- 
 west of the Washington Bridge, and connected 
 with Fort Lee on the New Jersey shore by a 
 series of stone-laden boats fastened with 
 chains, and sunk as an obstruction to the 
 enemy's ships. A few hundred feet north of 
 West One Hundred and Ninetieth Street, over- 
 looking the Harlem River, was erected a re- 
 doubt which the British later called Fort 
 George. On the mainland also, beyond Spuy- 
 ten Duyvil Creek, and on what is now Giles' 
 Place west of Sedgwick Avenue, Fort Inde- 
 pendence was constructed to hold the ap- 
 proaches to Kingsbridge. 
 
 England had regarded the campaign around 
 Boston as a mere preliminary indicative of 
 the resistance likely to be offered by the Ameri- 
 cans. Hence it is probable that the British 
 change of base from Boston to New York was 
 
 defence 
 
 of IRew 
 
 13orh 
 
35° 
 
 XTbe Battle ot Ibarlem t^cigbts 
 
 Condition 
 of tbc 
 
 Oppoeing 
 Brmics 
 
 prompted as much by motives of strategy as 
 by the pressure of the American besiegers. 
 New York henceforth was to be the centre of 
 British operations, and here the war began in 
 earnest. Late in June, 1776, appeared the first 
 signs of the coming occupation. Within seven 
 weeks over four hundred vessels and thirty 
 thousand troops under the command of Gen- 
 eral Howe were in New York harbor, the lat- 
 ter being encamped on Staten Island. To 
 oppose this huge array — as mighty a military 
 and naval armament as England had ever sent 
 upon foreign service — Washington had less 
 than twenty thousand effective men. Some 
 of these were fairly armed and equipped, but 
 many of them, farmers fresh from the plough, 
 had hardly any other weapons than a spade 
 or pick-axe, or possibly a scythe made straight 
 and fastened to a pole. Undaunted however 
 by the overwhelming odds, on July 2, Wash- 
 ington addressed to his army the stirring ap- 
 peal that follows : 
 
 "The fate of unborn millions will now depend under God 
 on the courage and conduct of this army. Our cruel and 
 unrelenting enemy leaves us no choice but a brave resistance 
 or the most abject submission. This is all we can expect. 
 We have, therefore, to resolve to conquer or die. Our 
 country's honor calls upon us for a vigorous and manly 
 exertion, and if we now shamefully fail we shall become 
 infamous to the whole world. Let us, therefore, rely upon 
 the goodness of the cause and the aid of the Supreme Being, 
 in whose hands victory is, to animate and encourage us to 
 
Ube Battle ot Ibarlem ibeiabts 
 
 351 
 
 great and noble actions. The eyes of all our countrymen 
 are now upon us, and we shall have their blessings and 
 praises, if happily we are the instruments of saving them 
 from . tyranny."^ 
 
 Not only does this appeal seem to have had 
 the desired effect upon the army in general, 
 but, in particular, "never did people in the 
 world act with more spirit and resolution than 
 the New Yorkers." ' A part of the enthusiasm 
 was manifested a week later in pulling down 
 the gilded equestrian statue of King George 
 near the junction of Broadway and Bowling 
 Green, and in sending the pieces to Connecti- 
 cut, where patriotic women converted them 
 into bullets for the American army.' 
 
 The personality of Washington and the 
 magnetic influence he exercised over his 
 soldiers were well known to General Howe. 
 If he could capture the rebel leader the war 
 would indeed be ended in the single cam- 
 paign which boastful British officers declared 
 was sufficient. A direct attack on the centre 
 and right of the American position — 7. e., 
 Governor's Island, the Battery, and the fortifi- 
 cations facing the Hudson River — would prob- 
 ably be successful ; but, besides entailing 
 serious loss on the aggressive party, might 
 accomplish no more than the withdrawal of 
 the Americans to the heights in the north of 
 Manhattan Island, whence Kingsbridge furn- 
 ished an easy escape. Several schemes of 
 
 IKlasbs 
 ington's 
 Bppeal 
 to bie 
 Brm:e 
 
352 
 
 XLbc Battle of Ibarlem IT^eiobti 
 
 Ube 
 Satttc 
 of Xcng 
 Island 
 
 outflanking, therefore, suggested themselves 
 to Howe's mind, the most feasible being to 
 assail the American left wing, then stationed 
 on Long Island. The defences of Brooklyn 
 once broken through and the forts along the 
 shore silenced, the fleet could sail up the East 
 River and, in conjunction with the army, cut 
 off Washington's retreat on the north. The 
 haughty Virginian rebel, who declined to re- 
 ceive from his Majesty's commissioners any 
 communication addressed simply " George 
 Washington, Esq.,"* would then be caught 
 like a rat in a trap. Accordingly, on August 
 22, with fifteen thousand troops the British 
 commander crossed the Narrows to Graves- 
 end Bay, and took possession of the villages 
 on the flatlands where he was soon joined by 
 five thousand Hessians. For several days the 
 armies lay over against each other with no 
 more hostile demonstration than an occasional 
 skirmish. South of the American lines at 
 Brooklyn, and extending eastward from New 
 York Bay, was a low range of densely wooded 
 hills that served as a huge natural barrier to 
 the approach of an enemy, and could be vig- 
 orously defended. Four roads led through 
 depressions in this range, three of which were 
 strongly guarded, but at the fourth, known as 
 the "Jamaica Pass," only five mounted pickets 
 had been stationed. On the night of August 
 26, the British stealthily advanced to the 
 
XTbe Battle of Ibarlem Ibeigbts 
 
 353 
 
 " Pass/' captured the pickets, and ere an 
 alarm could be given fell upon the astounded 
 Americans and routed them with a loss of 
 over eleven hundred. Happily, however, the 
 British had not forced the American lines, 
 otherwise, outnumbering as they did their 
 opponents nearly three to one, the entire 
 patriot army on Long Island must have sur- 
 rendered. Two nights later, Washington 
 effected his masterly retreat to New York. 
 Leaving his camp-fires ablaze and a few pick- 
 ets posted so as to lull suspicion, the army of 
 nine thousand Americans marched to Fulton 
 Ferry and crossed in safety, the only accident 
 being the loss of a boat with four stragglers. 
 If the Americans had been outflanked the 
 British had been outwitted, and some conso- 
 lation at least might be derived from that fact. 
 Yet, however courageous the resistance and 
 brilliant the retreat, the immediate result of 
 the battle of Long Island was deplorable. No 
 one more than Washington realized it, for in 
 his letter to Congress, September 2, he says: 
 
 " Our situation is truly distressing. The check . . . sus- 
 tained on the 27th ultimo has dispirited too great a propor- 
 tion of our troops, and filled their minds with apprehension 
 and despair. The militia, instead of calling forth tneir ut- 
 most efforts to a brave and manly opposition in order to 
 repair our losses, are dismayed, intractable, and impatient to 
 return. Great numbers of them have gone off ; in some 
 instances almost by whole regiments, by half ones, and by 
 companies at a time." 
 
 'Qtnasbs 
 (ngton'8 
 IRetceat 
 from 
 Xong 
 Hsland 
 
354 
 
 ILbe Battle of Ibarlem Ibeigbts 
 
 ■Cbe 
 tReeult 
 of tbe 
 3BattIe 
 of long 
 'Osland 
 
 An absolute disregard of "that order and 
 subordination necessary to the well-doing of 
 an army " made his situation all the more 
 alarming, and evoked from him the sorrowful 
 statement: 
 
 " With the deepest concern I am obliged to confess my 
 want of confidence in the generality of the troops. . . . 
 Till of late I had no doubt in my own mind of defending 
 this place [i. e., New York], nor should I have yet if the 
 men would do their duty, hut this I despair of. It is pain- 
 ful and extremely grating to me to give such unfavorable 
 accounts, but it would be criminal to conceal the truth at 
 so critical a juncture." '" 
 
 Indeed it was found necessary to establish 
 guards at Kingsbridge and other points to 
 stop the deserters, especially those with arms 
 and ammunition. One incident will serve to 
 illustrate the simple character of the average 
 militiaman. The guard brought to a halt a 
 ragged fellow who was carrying something 
 in a bag. The something proved to be a can- 
 non ball which, he explained, he was taking 
 home to his mother to pound mustard seed! " 
 Yet give these rustic soldiers a little longer 
 time in the army, render them accustomed to 
 the din of warfare, and the skittish militia, 
 for whom the Continental regulars evinced 
 such utter contempt, would soon be found 
 among the bravest defenders of their country. 
 At this moment, however, Washington felt 
 that he could place no reliance on an army 
 
Ubc 36attle of Ibarlem Ibeiabts 
 
 355 
 
 composed largely of such material, and reluc- 
 tantly began to consider the advisability of 
 evacuating Manhattan Island, at any rate south 
 of Harlem Heights. Here an energetic stand 
 might be made, for Washington had no inten- 
 tion of doing what Lee later proposed, — to 
 "give Mr. Howe a fee simple"" to New 
 York, without a struggle. From several of 
 his officers came the suggestion to burn the 
 city, but fortunately this piece of useless de- 
 struction was averted by the prudent modera- 
 tion of Congress. In reply to Washington's 
 query on this point, Congress declared that 
 the city be left intact; for, even "though 
 the enemy should for a time obtain pos- 
 session of it," eventual recovery was cer- 
 tain." At length, September 12, it was 
 resolved to withdraw the army to Harlem 
 Heights, a sufficient number only of men being 
 left to keep guard over the approaches from 
 the East River, while Putnam superintended 
 the removal of stores and munitions. Hence 
 at the foot of the present Grand Street (then 
 Corlaer's Hook), East Twelfth Street, East 
 Twenty-third Street, and East Thirty-fourth 
 Street (then Kip's Bay), were entrenched 
 several brigades of militia. Also at various 
 points as far north as East Eighty-ninth Street 
 (then Horn's Hook) was posted a line of sen- 
 tinels who half-hourly passed along the cheer- 
 ing watchword, "All 's well," to which the 
 
 fcrawal to 
 ■ffjarlem 
 Ibeigbts 
 
556 
 
 Ube 3Battle of Ibarlem IbeiGbts 
 
 Ubc 
 ffidtisb 
 Xan^ at 
 
 lkip'8 
 
 38ac 
 
 British sailors, who could distinctly hear the 
 call from their ships in the river, derisively re- 
 sponded, "We will alter your tune before 
 to-morrow night." '* 
 
 Two days later Washington set up his head- 
 quarters at the Roger Morris (now Jumel) " 
 Mansion, still standing on One Hundred 
 and Sixty-first Street, east of St. Nicholas 
 Avenue, and in one day more the removal of 
 men and munitions would have been com- 
 plete. Meanwhile several ships of war had 
 forced their way up the East River, in spite 
 of the steady fire from the American batteries 
 on the Manhattan shore ; but it was not until 
 September 1 1, that the British effected a land- 
 ing on Montresor's (now Randall's) Island, 
 and on Buchanan's (now Ward's) Island, with 
 the manifest intention of crossing to Harlem 
 and of advancing upon the city from the 
 north. Washington had anticipated this 
 move by the prompt withdrawal to Harlem, 
 and, as the powerful American battery at 
 Horn's Hook had not been silenced, Howe 
 decided to debark his troops at Kip's Bay. 
 On Sunday, the fifteenth, under a furious 
 cannonade from the frigates, the British regu- 
 lars landed and drove the American militia in 
 wild confusion from their entrenchments. 
 The half-humorous description of the en- 
 counter related by a participant on the Ameri- 
 can side shows the situation exactly : 
 
XLbe Battle of Ibarlem Ibeigbts 
 
 357 
 
 "At daybreak," he says, "the first thing that saluted 
 our eyes was . . . four ships at anchor . . . within mus- 
 ket-shot of us. . . . They appeared to be very busy on 
 shipboard, but we lay still and showed our good breeding 
 by not interfering with them, as they were strangers and 
 we knew not but they were bashful withal ! As soon as it 
 was fairly light we saw their boats coming, . . . filled with 
 British soldiers. When they came to the edge of the tide, 
 they formed their boats in line. They continued to aug- 
 ment these forces . . . until they appeared like a large 
 clover field in full bloom. ... It was on a Sabbath 
 morning, the day in which the British were always em- 
 ployed about their deviltry, because, they said, they had 
 the prayers of the church on that day. We lay very quiet 
 in our ditch waiting their motions till the sun was an hour 
 or two high. We heard a cannonade at the city, but our 
 attention was drawn to our own guests. But they being a 
 little dilatory in their operations, I stepped into an old 
 warehouse which stood close by me with the door open in- 
 viting me in, and sat down upon a stool ; the floor was 
 strewed with papers which had in some former period been 
 used in the concerns of the house, but were then lying in 
 woful confusion. I was very demurely perusing these 
 papers when, all of a sudden, there came such a peal of 
 thunder from the British shipping that I thought my head 
 would go with the sound. I made a frog's leap for the 
 ditch and lay as still as I possibly could, and began to con- 
 sider which part of my carcass was to go first. The British 
 played their parts well ; indeed they had nothing to hinder 
 them. We kept the lines till they were almost levelled 
 upon us, when our officers, seeing we could make no re- 
 sistance, and no orders coming from any superior officer, and 
 that we must soon be entirely exposed to the rake of the 
 guns, gave the order to leave the lines. In retreating we 
 had to cross a level clear spot of ground, forty or fifty rods 
 wide, exposed to the whole of the enemy's fire ; and they 
 gave it to us in prime order ; the grape-shot and langrage 
 
 2)e8cr(p3 
 tion of 
 tbc Ens 
 counter 
 at Ikip's 
 ]Bav> 
 
358 
 
 Ube Battle of Ibarlem Ibeiabts 
 
 ©escripa 
 tlon of 
 
 tbc Ens 
 counter 
 
 at Ikip's 
 
 flew merrily, which served to quicken our motions. When 
 I had gotten a little out of the reach of their combustibles 1 
 found myself in company with one who was a neighbor of 
 mine when at home, and one other man belonging to our 
 regiment ; where the rest of them were I knew not. . . . 
 We had not gone far (along the highway) before we saw a 
 party of men apparently hurrying on in the same direction 
 with ourselves ; we endeavored hard to overtake them, but 
 on approaching them we found that they were not of our 
 way of thinking ; they were Hessians ! We immediately 
 altered our course and took the main road leading to King's 
 bridge. We had not long been on this road before we saw 
 another party just ahead of us whom we knew to be Ameri- 
 cans ; just as we overtook these they were fired upon by a 
 party of British from a cornfield, and all was immediately in 
 confusion again. 1 believe the enemies' party was small ; 
 but our people were all militia, and the demons of fear and 
 disorder seemed to take full possession of all and everything 
 on that day. . . . They did not tarry to let the grass grow 
 much under their feet." " 
 
 But the ordeal was something which even 
 veteran troops could not have withstood. 
 "The fire of the shipping," wrote General 
 Howe to Lord Germain, "being so well di- 
 rected and so incessant, the enemy could not 
 remain in their works and the descent was 
 made without the least opposition." " This 
 statement of the British commander will go 
 far to extenuate the conduct of the militia, 
 disheartened as they were by the disaster on 
 Long Island, and terrified by the swarms of 
 British troops as well as by the thunderous 
 roar from the frigates. Then, too, the know- 
 ledge that their countrymen were safe at Har- 
 
Zbc Battle ot Ibaclem Ibeiabts 
 
 359 
 
 lem Heights was no small incentive to rapidity 
 in flight. The Americans stationed at East 
 Twenty-third Street soon joined them, and 
 together they hastened along the Kingsbridge 
 road (Lexington Avenue). 
 
 As soon as the boom of cannon reached his 
 ears, Washington mounted his horse and sped 
 along the four miles intervening between Har- 
 lem and the scene of action. Near Park Ave- 
 nue and Fortieth Street, what were his horror 
 and consternation to behold the Americans 
 flying in all directions, while scarce a half mile 
 away the dust was rising under the feet of the 
 pursuing British and Hessians. Riding ex- 
 citedly into the midst of the runaways, he 
 shouted: "Take to the wall! Take to the 
 cornfield ! " Beside himself with wrath and 
 mortification at seeing his commands dis- 
 obeyed, he lashed the fugitives with his riding- 
 whip, flung his hat upon the ground, and cried 
 in accents choked with passion, "Are these 
 the men with whom I am to defend America ? " 
 Indeed so blind was he to all sense of danger 
 that, had not one of his attendants seized the 
 bridle of his horse and turned the animal's 
 head in the opposite direction, the Revolu- 
 tionary War might have terminated then and 
 there." Regaining his self-possession, the 
 commander-in-chief permitted the demoral- 
 ized militia to continue their stampede toward 
 Harlem Heights, although in his report to 
 
 IRetceat 
 from 
 Tktp'e 
 
360 
 
 Zbc JBattle ot UDarlem Ibeigbts 
 
 "IRetreat 
 from 
 
 Ikfp's 
 36a^ 
 
 Congress he did not fail to denounce their 
 conduct as " disgraceful and dastardly." '" He 
 then ordered the immediate retreat of Putnam. 
 
 The story of how Mrs. Mary Murray, wife 
 of Robert Murray, whose farm included most 
 of the "commanding height of Inclenberg " 
 (now Murray Hill), entertained the British 
 generals so hospitably that Putnam and most 
 of the remnants of the patriot army still in the 
 city managed to elude the enemy and gain the 
 heights in safety, is too well known to bear 
 repetition." Suffice it to say that the cake 
 and wine and geniality of this lady, who re- 
 sponded with rare tact and good humor to the 
 bantering of the British officers on her rebel 
 sympathies, as effectually "bowed "her guests 
 "at her feet" — for a while at least — as the 
 hammer and tent-nail of Jael, the wife of Heber 
 the Kenite, had done in detaining Sisera, the 
 captain of the Canaanitish host, when "he 
 asked water and she gave him milk," when 
 " she brought forth butter in a lordly dish." 
 
 After having completed their debarkation, 
 the Britisih drew up their lines across the 
 island from the foot of East Eighty-ninth 
 Street to the foot of West Ninety-sixth Street, 
 or Striker's Bay as it was then called, the 
 pickets being stationed between that street 
 and West One Hundred and Fifth Street. 
 Gen. Howe's headquarters were at the Beek- 
 man mansion " (Fifty-first Street and First 
 
TLbc Battle of Ibarlem Ibeiabts 
 
 ?6i 
 
 Avenue), while Sir Henry Clinton took up 
 his residence at the Apthorpe house (Ninety- 
 first Street and Columbus Avenue). And in 
 general this was the position of the British for 
 nearly a month. Of the two positions, how- 
 ever, that of the Americans was the stronger. 
 Beginning at Washington's headquarters, One 
 Hundred and Sixty-first Street, the camp ex- 
 tended southward to the "Hollow Way," or 
 the valley now comprised between West One 
 Hundred and Twenty-fifth Street and West 
 One Hundred and Thirtieth Street, through 
 the centre of which runs Manhattan Street. 
 At the eastern end of this depression was a 
 rugged spur called the "Point of Rocks" 
 (One Hundred and Twenty-sixth Street and 
 Columbus Avenue), used by the Americans as 
 a lookout station, whence Harlem Plains could 
 be surveyed as far as McGowan's Pass ; 
 while the western portion terminated in a 
 round marshy meadow known as Matje 
 David's Vly, a little to the south of Fort Lee 
 ferry. With the Hudson on the right, the 
 valley in front, the plains on the left, and 
 the rear protected by Fort Washington and 
 the troops at Kingsbridge, the whole well 
 screened by woods and thickets, the Ameri- 
 cans could feel that the addition of a few 
 redoubts and entrenchments would make 
 these natural fortifications impregnable. Ac- 
 cordingly three parallel lines of defensive 
 
 Ube 
 
 B)osition 
 
 of "Cdasbs 
 
 ington'6 
 
 BrmB 
 
36: 
 
 Xlbe JBattle of IfDarlem Ibeiobts 
 
 Ube 
 
 Effect 
 
 of tbc 
 
 Sncounter 
 
 at lkip'9 
 
 works were constructed between One Hun- 
 dred and Forty-seventh Street and One 
 Hundred and Sixty-tlrst Street, while a divi- 
 sion of soldiers under Greene was posted near 
 the southern edge of the heights overlooking 
 the "Hollow Way," to guard against an 
 assault from that direction. 
 
 The unfortunate issue of the encounter at 
 Kip's Bay made precisely the same impression 
 upon the minds of British and Americans as 
 had the battle of Long Island ; the former it 
 confirmed in their belief of absolute superiority, 
 the spirits of the latter it depressed until 
 many had lost practically all confidence in their 
 officers and in themselves. For the moment 
 even nature seemed intent upon rendering 
 their lot still harder to bear. The well housed 
 and equipped soldiers of the king were in 
 forcible contrast to the poorly provided soldiers 
 of the republic, who, says Colonel Humphreys, 
 
 "excessively fatigued by the sultry march of the day, their 
 clothes wet by a severe shower of rain that succeeded to- 
 wards the evening, their blood chilled by the cold wind that 
 produced a sudden change in the temperature of the air, and 
 their hearts sunk within them, ... lay upon their arms 
 covered only by the clouds of an uncomfortable sky." ^'^ 
 
 But amid all the gloom and depression the 
 leader of the American army never lost his 
 faith in the ultimate courage of the American 
 soldier, however much the timidity of the 
 militia aroused his indignation. His power 
 
XTbe Battle of Ibarlem Ibeiabts 
 
 ?>(>2> 
 
 of keen discernment showed him, further, that, 
 if a fortified camp was a haven of refuge to a 
 soldiery hard pressed by the enemy, so also it 
 might be a tower of strength wherein the 
 very sense of security would inspire the 
 former fugitives with a zeal for action, and, by 
 giving them an opportunity to display their 
 native courage, aid them to regain the con- 
 fidence which before had failed them. Under 
 such circumstances Washington might well 
 say, " I trust that there are many who will act 
 like men and show themselves worthy of the 
 blessings of freedom."" Appreciating the 
 strength of his position, he determined "to 
 habituate his soldiers by a series of successful 
 skirmishes to meet the enemy in the field." 
 This determination was realized in the battle 
 of Harlem Heights. 
 
 Sloping upward from the southern line of 
 the " Hollow Way " was another elevation of 
 land, then known as Bloomingdale or Vande- 
 water's Heights, and now called Morningside 
 Heights. In 1776, it was occupied and partly 
 cultivated by its owners, Adrian Hoaglandt 
 and Benjamin Vandewater. The space of 
 land about a mile in extent between the 
 present One Hundred and Fifth Street and 
 One Hundred and Twenty-fifth Street, west 
 of Columbus Avenue, was the "debatable 
 ground," and the scene of the battle of Har- 
 lem Heights. It effectually hid the opposing 
 
 Ube 
 
 Debatable 
 
 (Broun^ 
 
364 
 
 Xlbe Battle of Ibarlem IbeiQbts 
 
 Ube 
 IRangers 
 
 forces from each other. Now, whereas an 
 advance of the British from the direction of 
 Harlem Plains could be easily observed by 
 the American lookouts on the "Point of 
 Rocks," no movement from behind Morning- 
 side Heights would be perceptible before the 
 "Hollow Way" had been reached. It was 
 not to be supposed that an enemy flushed 
 with success in the recent campaign would 
 long hesitate to assail the American strong- 
 hold. Desirous of guarding against a flank 
 attack, especially from the vicinity of Morn- 
 ingside, early in the morning of Monday, 
 September 16, Washington sent a body of 
 scouts to ascertain what preparations the 
 enemy were making. He himself then rode 
 from headquarters down to the outposts at 
 the " Hollow Way." The men selected were 
 the Rangers, consisting of about one hundred 
 and twenty picked volunteers from New Eng- 
 land regiments, and under the command of 
 Colonel Thomas Knowlton, who had done 
 gallant service at the battle of Bunker Hill. 
 Proceeding cautiously under cover of the 
 woods, probably along the line of what is 
 now Riverside Drive, Knowlton and his men 
 had arrived at the farmhouse of Nicholas Jones 
 (One Hundred and Sixth Street, west of the 
 Boulevard) before the British pickets stationed 
 on One Hundred and Fourth Street were 
 startled by the report of shots fired at close 
 
Ube Battle of Ibarlem Ibeiabts 
 
 365 
 
 range, and spied the forms of the Americans 
 through the trees." The alarm was instantly 
 sounded, whereat a portion of the second and 
 third battalions of light infantry, numbering 
 upwards of three hundred, started to drive 
 back the audacious rebels. In gleeful expect- 
 ation that this second installment of Kip's 
 Bay militia, as they thought, would fly from 
 before them with the utmost terror and dis- 
 may, the British regulars hurried on. But 
 suddenly they were brought to a stop. Upon 
 falling back a short distance, Knowlton had 
 posted his men behind a stone wall and bid- 
 den them " not to rise or fire a gun " till the 
 British were ten rods away. Scarcely had 
 the first redcoat crossed the "dead line," 
 when a blaze of fire shot from the stone wall, 
 and the astounded infantry fell back in dire 
 consternation. Then for some time the woods 
 echoed with the sharp crack of musketry in a 
 skirmish. At length Knowlton, perceiving 
 that the superior numbers of the foe menaced 
 his flank, commanded a retreat, which was 
 effected in good order and without the loss 
 of a man." 
 
 Meanwhile a rumor spread through the 
 American camp that the enemy were ap- 
 proaching in three columns, whereupon Adju- 
 tant-General Reed obtained permission from 
 the commander-in-chief to learn its truth. 
 Riding hastily from the "Point of Rocks" in 
 
 Ube 
 
 IRetrcat 
 
 of tbe 
 
 tRangers 
 
366 
 
 Ube JBattle of Ibarlem IbeiGbts 
 
 Ube 
 IRctreat 
 
 of tbe 
 IRangers 
 
 the direction Knowlton had taken, he reached 
 the scene of skirmish as it was about to be- 
 gin. "While I was talking with the officer," 
 he writes, "the enemy's advanced guard fired 
 upon us at a small distance; our men behaved 
 well, stood, and returned the fire till, over- 
 powered by numbers, they were obliged to 
 retreat." He further states that the British 
 came on so quickly that he had not left a 
 house (probably Hoaglandt's, One Hundred 
 and Fifteenth Street and Riverside Drive) five 
 minutes before they had seized it. The light 
 infantry continued the pursuit through the 
 fields and woods of Hoaglandt's farm as far 
 as the immediate neighborhood of Grant's 
 tomb. The sight of the scampering rebels 
 restored the gleefulness which they had 
 lost near the stone wall, and, advancing 
 within plain view of the Americans on the 
 heights beyond, they derisively "sounded 
 their bugle-horns, as is usual after a fox- 
 chase." The insult showed the contempt in 
 which their adversaries held the Americans, 
 who three times within three weeks had fled 
 before his Majesty's regulars, — once on Long 
 Island, once at Kip's Bay, and now on the 
 heights just opposite their own camp. "1 
 never felt such a sensation before," says Reed; 
 " it seemed to crown our disgrace." " 
 
 The appearance of the enemy produced the 
 natural impression that Harlem Heights were 
 
Ubc Battle of Ibarlem Ibeigbts 
 
 367 
 
 to be carried by storm. Preparations were, 
 therefore, being made for a vigorous defense, 
 when Reed dashed up to the commander-in- 
 chief, "to get some support for the brave 
 fellows who had behaved so well." " With 
 characteristic caution, however, Washington 
 declined at first to hazard his men until exact 
 information of the British strength and posi- 
 tion could be obtained. For the present he 
 felt that a weakened and somewhat despond- 
 ent army was hardly capable of engaging 
 advantageously in a general conflict. At this 
 juncture Colonel Knowlton and the Rangers 
 brought the news that the enemy were about 
 three hundred strong, and detached more 
 than a mile from the main body. Washing- 
 ton now saw his opportunity to cut off this 
 detachment ere it could be reinforced from 
 below, and thereby, as he says, to "recover 
 that military ardor which is of the utmost 
 moment to an army." " If a general engage- 
 ment could not be risked, a lively and suc- 
 cessful skirmish would furnish the very tonic 
 of energy and enthusiasm then so sadly need- 
 ed. Still the American commander realized 
 that an attack wholly in front would not only 
 involve the ascent of the steep Morningside 
 Heights, from the top of which the well- 
 posted British could pour a galling fire, but 
 might result in no more than driving them 
 back upon the main body — a contingency he 
 
 ■Zbe 
 
 IRetreat 
 
 of tbe 
 
 tRangers 
 
368 
 
 Zbc ^Battle of Ibarlem Ibeiabts 
 
 Httempt 
 
 to fall 
 
 upon tbe 
 
 3Enemv!'s 
 
 "IRear 
 
 wished most to avoid. Curiously enough, 
 however, this was the very thing that 
 eventually happened, although not with the 
 consequences he had anticipated. The con- 
 summate soldier, who had learned the art of 
 stratagem from many an Indian adversary in the 
 tangled forests of Virginia and Pennsylvania, 
 resolved to make a feint in front, while a body of 
 picked men should stealthily creep round to 
 the left and fall upon the enemy's rear. For 
 this purpose he chose about two hundred vol- 
 unteers, consisting of Knowlton and his Rang- 
 ers, together with three companies of Virginia 
 riflemen under the command of Major Leitch. 
 Starting from their position near the grounds 
 of the present Convent of the Sacred Heart, 
 One Hundred and Thirtieth Street and Con- 
 vent Avenue, Knowlton and Leitch, accom- 
 panied by Reed, made their way diagonally 
 down the slope, across the now intervening 
 numbered streets and Amsterdam Avenue, 
 near its junction with Manhattan Street, and 
 proceeded toward a rocky ledge, not far from 
 One Hundred and Twenty-fourth Street and 
 the Boulevard. If once they reached this 
 point unobserved they could assail the enemy 
 from the rear, and thus, catching them be- 
 tween two fires, compel their surrender. 
 Stirred by the thought of this brilliant pro- 
 spect, the intrepid Americans eagerly hurried 
 onward. 
 
Ube Battle of Ibarlem Ibeigbts 
 
 369 
 
 In the meantime Washington directed one 
 hundred and fifty volunteers, under Lieuten- 
 ant-Colonel Crary, to proceed from the vicinity 
 of One Hundred and Thirty-fifth Street and 
 the Boulevard straight down to the " Hollow 
 Way," but not to make any real attack till 
 they saw that the venture of the flanking- 
 party had proved successful.'" The bait read- 
 ily attracted the confident British. Running 
 down the hill across Claremont Avenue to the 
 Boulevard and One Hundred and Twenty- 
 seventh Street, they crouched behind some 
 fences and bushes, whereupon "a smart fir- 
 ing began but at too great a distance to do 
 much execution on either side." " How- 
 ever, if the British could only be kept where 
 they were, or enticed still further toward 
 the American lines, Knowlton and Leitch 
 would reach the desired position, and the 
 light infantry would be prisoners. At this 
 moment Washington judged it expedient to 
 reinforce Crary's courageous volunteers, and 
 for nearly an hour the contest continued. As 
 they dodged behind tree, rock, bush, fence, or 
 other point of vantage, the skirmishers on 
 both sides watched their opportunity to pick 
 off an unwary bluecoat or redcoat. Ere long 
 the British were forced to retreat up the slope 
 of the hill to a field about six hundred feet 
 southwest of their first position, " where they 
 lodged themselves behind a fence covered 
 
 %icutcna 
 
 antsdolos 
 
 nel Crars 
 
 am bis 
 
 Voluns 
 
 teers 
 
17° 
 
 Zbc Battle of Ibarlem Ibeiabts 
 
 trbc 
 mttach 
 
 bs tbe 
 tRanaere 
 
 with bushes " ^' (One Hundred and Twenty- 
 fourth Street and the Boulevard). But this 
 was the objective point which Knowlton's 
 party was straining every nerve to attain. As 
 luck would have it, just as the American rang- 
 ers and riflemen were clambering over the 
 rocky ledge referred to, they spied the red- 
 coats almost directly in front of them. So far 
 as it was an attempt to hem in the British 
 from the rear the project had failed ; the at- 
 tack must now be made on the flank. One 
 explanation of the failure is, that through 
 some "misapprehension," as Washington 
 says, the Americans "unluckily began their 
 attack too soon."" Another is, that some 
 subordinate officers, in their enthusiasm to 
 meet the enemy, disregarded the commands 
 of their superiors and took the wrong road 
 — commenting on which behavior, in his gen- 
 eral orders, issued the following day, Wash- 
 ington declared that "the loss of the enemy 
 . . . undoubtedly would have been much 
 greater if the orders of the commander-in- 
 chief had not in some instance been contra- 
 dicted by . . . inferior officers, who, however 
 well they may mean, ought not to presume to 
 direct." '* But perhaps the unexpected retreat 
 of the British and their arrival at the fence 
 in question just as the foremost Americans 
 emerged from the rocks on their right, give 
 the best explanation, and in its light the reck- 
 
^be Battle of Ibarlem Ibeigbts 
 
 371 
 
 lessness of the American soldier and the pre- 
 sumption of the American officer become 
 transfigured into the headlong zeal and self- 
 confident enthusiasm that betoken the militant 
 patriot. 
 
 Wherever the mistake might lie, this was 
 no time for conjecture. Their comrades had 
 driven the enemy before them; the gallant 
 example was theirs to emulate. Headed by 
 Leitch and Knowlton, the riflemen and Rang- 
 ers rushed upon the British and a sharp action 
 ensued. In a few minutes the two leaders 
 fell, mortally wounded, the former lingering a 
 few days, the latter expiring within an hour. 
 To one of his officers who bent tenderly over 
 him as the light of triumph in his eyes dark- 
 ened and the din of battle in his ears grew 
 fainter, the dying hero of Bunker Hill whis- 
 pered, " I do not value my life if we do but 
 get the day." " To his eldest son, a soldier- 
 boy of only fifteen years, he uttered his last 
 command, "Go, fight for your country!"'" 
 Thus perished an officer "whose name and 
 spirit ought to be immortalized," says Reed; " 
 "the gallant and brave Colonel Knowlton 
 . . . an honor to any country . . . who had 
 fallen gloriously fighting at his post," says 
 Washington.'* 
 
 Meanwhile the struggle was being fiercely 
 maintained. Incited to vengeance by the loss 
 of their leaders, the Americans "continued 
 
 •Cbe 
 
 Deatb of 
 
 Colonel 
 
 Iftnowlton 
 
372 
 
 Zbc JSattle of Ibarlem IbciQbu 
 
 Conflict 
 at tbe 
 JSuchs 
 wbeat 
 lFiel6 
 
 the engagement with the greatest resolu- 
 tion,"^' and soon the British were dislodged 
 from their position near the fence. The 
 Americans then " pursued them to a buck- 
 wheat field on the top of a high hill, distance 
 about four hundred paces."" Here the re- 
 spective antagonists were reinforced and the 
 British made a determined stand. The day's 
 campaign had opened with an attempt to cap- 
 ture the light troops whose "ungovernable 
 impetuosity," wrote Sir Henry Clinton, drew 
 them into the "scrape."" The attempt had 
 failed, and an open conflict had resulted. But, 
 instead of remaining strictly consistent with 
 his purpose of avoiding anything like a gen- 
 eral engagement, the prudence of Washington 
 succumbed to surprise and delight at the vim 
 and courage his soldiers were displaying. 
 Hence he despatched to their aid about fifteen 
 hundred men, a number of whom had been 
 runaways at Kip's Bay hardly twenty-four 
 hours previous. If the panic-stricken militia 
 proved to be excellent in a foot-race when the 
 British were the pursuers, here was another 
 chance for them to show their vigor at run- 
 ning — but this time with the positions re- 
 versed. Had Washington any misgivings 
 when he resolved to try the mettle of the 
 skittish militia under more favorable circum- 
 stances, his anxiety vanished when he beheld 
 the fugitives of yesterday valiantly supporting 
 
 ^ 1* 
 
ITbe Battle of Ifoarlem Ibeiabts 
 
 373 
 
 their comrades, and charging "the enemy 
 with great intrepidity."" Scarcely had the 
 buckwheat field been reached when the 
 remainder of the light infantry, the Forty- 
 second Highlanders, and a company of Hes- 
 sians came up with two field-pieces. Then 
 occurred the real battle of Harlem Heights — 
 or to speak somewhat more precisely, Morn- 
 ingside Heights — "a smart action," observes 
 a Maryland colonel, " in the true bush-fighting 
 way, in which our troops behaved in a man- 
 ner that does them the highest honor." " 
 During nearly two hours the conflict raged for 
 the possession of the buckwheat field. Ter- 
 rible as were the British with the bayonet, 
 they proved no match for the accurate marks- 
 manship of the Americans. The field, snowy 
 with the blossoms of coming harvest, an hour 
 before peacefully smiling under the rays of a 
 September sun, was now ruthlessly trampled 
 by the hurrying feet of the combatants, its 
 sunlight obscured by a pall of dust and smoke, 
 its whiteness reddened by the life-blood of 
 many a valiant soldier who furrowed, as he 
 fell, its forest of waving grain. Still, though 
 the harvest of grain might be destroyed, a 
 harvest of hope was to be garnered. An- 
 other impetuous charge and the British were 
 driven headlong from the field. Exhilarated 
 by the sight of their fleeing enemies, the 
 Americans enjoyed to the full the novel sensa- 
 
 "Ketreat 
 of tbe 
 JBritisb 
 
374 
 
 ^be Battle ot Ibarlem Ibeiobts 
 
 tRctreat 
 of ffiritisb 
 
 tion of a fox-chase, in which they did not 
 personate the fox ! 
 
 In an orchard near the Boulevard and One 
 Hundred and Twelfth Street the British again 
 stood their ground; but the onward rush of 
 the Americans could not be borne. Once 
 more the enemy fled "across a hollow and 
 up another hill not far distant from their own 
 lines." ** Here in the vicinity of Jones's house 
 (One Hundred and Sixth Street west of the 
 Boulevard), where the contest had begun in 
 the morning, it ended about three o'clock in 
 the afternoon. For hardly had the redcoats 
 left the orchard, when Washington, surmis- 
 ing that reinforcements would soon arrive, 
 "judged it prudent to order a retreat. " "' But, 
 says Reed, "the pursuit of a flying enemy 
 was so new a scene, that it was with diffi- 
 culty our men could be brought to retreat."" 
 At length "they gave a Hurra! and left the 
 field in good order,"" just as the foremost 
 columns of the British reinforcements ap- 
 peared. From Jones's house to the " Hollow 
 Way " the redcoat had pursued the blue- 
 coat; from the "Hollow Way" to Jones's 
 house the bluecoat chased the redcoat, or, 
 in the somewhat picturesque language of 
 Captain Brown of the Rangers, "drove the 
 dogs near three miles." *' The derisive bugle 
 call of the morning was answered by the ex- 
 ultant hurrah of the afternoon. 
 
" Hail to the shades where Freedom dwelt ! 
 
 Where wild flowers deck her martyrs' grave, 
 Where Britain's minions keenly felt 
 The stern resistance of the brave. 
 
 " 'T was here in firm array they stood — 
 Here met Oppression's giant power ; 
 Here nobly poured their sacred blood, 
 And victory crowned their dying hour." •*' 
 
 The effect of this encounter on the droop- 
 ing spirits of the Americans was simply 
 magical. " A most timely and well delivered 
 return stroke," observes Professor Johnston, 
 "it revived the energies of our army, and had 
 its influence in compelling another delay in 
 the enemy's movements." " Its effect is seen 
 in the glow of joyful hope that pervaded the 
 hearts of the patriot soldiers. " 1 assure you 
 it has given another face of things in our 
 army," writes Reed ; "the men have recov- 
 ered their spirits, and feel a confidence which 
 before they had quite lost." " " The impres- 
 sion it made upon the minds of our people," 
 says Major Morris, " is [that of] a most signal 
 victory."" "Our troops," declares Major 
 Shaw, "behaved with as much bravery as 
 men possibly could. . . . Now or never 
 is the time to make a stand, and rather than 
 quit our post [we will] be sacrificed to a 
 man."" "An advantage so trivial in itself," 
 remarks Colonel Humphreys, "produced, in 
 event, a surprising and almost incredible effect 
 
 Ubc 
 
 Effect 
 
 upon tbe 
 
 Bmecican 
 
 Ktmg 
 
;76 
 
 Xlbe JBattle of Ibarlem Ibeujbts 
 
 Ube 
 
 Effect 
 
 upon tbc 
 
 Hmerican 
 
 Hrm? 
 
 upon the whole army. Amongst the troops 
 . . . every visage was seen to brighten, 
 and to assume, instead of the gloom of de- 
 spair, the glow of animation. " " Colonel Silli- 
 man and General Knox take about the same 
 view. Says the former: "They [i.e., the 
 British] have found now that when we meet 
 them on equal ground we are not a set of 
 people that will run from them, but that they 
 have . . . had a pretty good drubbing." " 
 Says the latter : "They [/. e., the Americans] 
 find that if they stick to these mighty men 
 they will run as fast as other people." " In- 
 deed, General Greene somewhat extravagantly 
 asserts that, with good discipline and leader- 
 ship, the Americans "might bid defiance to 
 the whole world." " And what words of 
 commendation had the commander-in-chief 
 to bestow ? In the general orders issued 
 the next day Washington "most heartily" 
 thanked the troops for their courageous be- 
 havior, and added: " Once more . . . the 
 general calls upon officers and men to act up 
 to the noble cause in which they are engaged, 
 and support the honor and liberties of their 
 country."" The crisis had passed. The 
 doubts of Washington as to the staying quali- 
 ties of the American soldier vanished with 
 the receding forms of the enemy. The morti- 
 fication of yesterday was replaced by the 
 gratification of to-day. The success for which 
 
Ube Battle of Ibarlem Ibeigbts 
 
 377 
 
 he had so earnestly wished, to retrieve mis- 
 fortune and infuse new courage, had been 
 attained. Henceforth the devotion of the 
 American soldier to his chief was only equalled 
 by the confidence of that chief in his soldier. 
 
 Because the Americans who had enjoyed 
 the rare sport of chasing their enemies for 
 over a mile, and, deeming it unwise to attack 
 the main body, had reluctantly withdrawn, 
 the British construed the "affair of outposts " " 
 at Harlem Heights into a victory for themselves. 
 According to General Howe, they "repulsed 
 the enemy with considerable loss, and obliged 
 them to retire within their works " *" ; and in 
 his orders of September 17, he "entertains 
 the highest opinion of the bravery of the few 
 troops that yesterday beat back a very supe- 
 rior body of the rebels," although he disap- 
 proves, the "want of attention in the light 
 companies pursuing the rebels without . . . 
 proper discretion." *' Colonel von Donop, 
 however, who commanded the Hessians, 
 comes nearer the truth when he modestly ob- 
 serves that had it not been for his "Yagers 
 (riflemen), two regiments of Highlanders and 
 the British infantry would have all perhaps 
 been captured."" But the utterance of an 
 English officer, as related by an American 
 prisoner on one of his Majesty's ships, affords 
 the best commentary on the events of Sep- 
 tember 15 and 16, at Kip's Bay and Harlem 
 
 3Britisb 
 Wiew of 
 tbe Cns 
 counter 
 
378 
 
 Ubc Battle of Ibarlem Ibeigbts 
 
 present 
 Site of tbe 
 Encounter 
 
 Heights. It seems that, on the evening after 
 the unfortunate occurrence at Kip's Bay, this 
 officer went on board denouncing "the Yan- 
 kees for runaway cowards, and storming that 
 there was no chance to fight and get honor 
 and rise." Quite different the burden, if not the 
 manner, of his complaint when, having fairly 
 encountered the patriot soldiers at Harlem 
 Heights, he again went on board cursing the 
 war, and " saying he had found the Americans 
 would fight, and that it would be impossible 
 to conquer them." °' Unwittingly the bluster- 
 ing soldier told the truth. From Harlem to 
 Yorktown the story of the Revolution is his 
 witness. 
 
 On the buckwheat -field of Morningside 
 Heights, the American soldier studied and 
 learned a lesson of bravery in the school of 
 warfare. The woods and fences, fields and 
 orchards, have long since disappeared, but on 
 their site the genius of education still lives to 
 perpetuate the memory of that lesson, and of 
 that school, in the mind of the American 
 student, — on their site arise to-day the stately 
 buildings of Barnard College and Columbia 
 University. Here, in the centre of what once 
 was the buckwheat-field — the historic land- 
 mark of a victory in war — stands Barnard Col- 
 lege, a magnificent memorial of a far grander 
 victory in peace, of a victory over the nar- 
 rowness of Revolutignary days, of a victory 
 
Zbc Battle of Ibarlem Ibeiabts 
 
 379 
 
 for the enlightenment of the nineteenth cen- 
 tury, of a victory for the higher education of 
 the American woman. 
 
 IPrescnt 
 Site of tbe 
 Sncounter 
 
?8o 
 
 ^be ^Battle of Ibarlem Ibeigbts 
 
 NOTES AND REFERENCES. 
 
 "fftotes 
 
 and 
 
 tReferencee 
 
 For a collection of original authorities on the battle of 
 Harlem Heights, see the appendix to Jay, The Battle 
 of Harlem Plains, Oration before the New York 
 Historical Society, September 16, 1876; Johnston, 
 The Campaign of 1776 around New York and 
 Brooklyn — Memoirs of the Long Island Historical 
 Society, iii., part ii. ; The Magazine of American 
 History, iv., pp. 3^9-375 ; viii., part i., pp. 39-49 ; 
 part ii., pp. 627-629 ; Johnston, The Battle of Har- 
 lem Heights, -pY*- '-5~-34- The best account of the 
 battle — particularly for its precision in locating the 
 various sites of the conflict — is The Battle of Harlem 
 Heights, by Professor Henry P. Johnston (Columbia 
 University Press). Indeed, so far as topographical 
 details are concerned, the present sketch is based al- 
 most wholly upon Professor Johnston's observations. 
 Besides giving a brief description of the campaign of 
 1776 around New York City, Professor Johnston also 
 critically reviews earlier versions of the battle, and 
 appends practically all the original authorities. , 
 
 Force, American Archives, Fifth Series, ii., p. 467. 
 
 Johnston, The Battle of Harlem Heights, ^y>- '4'. '42- 
 Collections of the New York Historical Society, Lee 
 
 Papers, i., p. 309. 
 New York City during the American Revolution, 
 
 p. 88. 
 Johnston, The Campaign of iyy6, etc., part i., pp. 
 
 95, 9^- 
 Johnston, The Correspondence and Public Papers of 
 
 John Jay, i., p. 47. 
 Johnston, The Campaign of 1776, etc., p. 93, note. 
 Irving, Life of George IVashington (1857 ed.), ii., pp. 
 
 267-270. 
 
XTbe 3Battle ot Ibarlem IbeiQbts 
 
 10. Ford, The Huntings of George IVashington, iv., pp. 
 
 379, 381. 
 
 1 1. Graydon, Memoirs of His Own Time, p. 174. 
 
 12. Hid., p. 175. 
 
 1 3, Journals of Congress, i., p. 465. 
 
 14. [Martin], A Narrative of some of the Adventures, 
 
 Dangers, and Sufferings of a Revolutionary Soldier, 
 p. 26. 
 
 15. For a picture of this mansion, see The Magazine of 
 
 American History, xxi., p. 3 ; Lossing, Field Book 
 of the American Revolution, ii., p. 609. 
 
 16. [Martin], A Narrative, etc., pp. 26-28. 
 
 17. Upcott Collection in the library of the New York 
 
 Historical Society, iv., p. 41 1. 
 
 18. Ford, The IVrititigs, etc., iv., pp. 407,408; Force, 
 
 American Archives, Fifth Series, ii., p. 370 ; Heath, 
 Memoirs, p. 60 ; Graydon, Memoirs, p. 1 74 ; Gor- 
 don, A History of the United States, ii., p. 327 ; 
 Thacher, a Military Journal during the American 
 Revolutionary War, p. 59. 
 
 19. Ford, The Writings, etc., iv., p. 408. 
 
 20. Thacher, A Military Journal, etc., pp. 59, 60 ; His- 
 
 tortc New York, i., pp. 246, 317. 
 
 21. Lossing, Field Book, ii., p. 611. 
 
 22. Humphreys, An Essay on the Life of the Honorable 
 
 Major-General Israel Putnam, pp. 136, 137. 
 25. Ford, The Writings, etc., iv., p. 409. 
 
 24. Marshall, The Life of George Washington, ii., p. 
 
 465. 
 
 25. Woodward, Memoir of Colonel Thomas KnowUon, 
 
 p. 14. 
 
 26. The Connecticut Gazette and the Universal Intelli- 
 
 gencer, September 27, 1 776. 
 
 27. Reed, Life and Correspondence of Joseph Reed, i., p. 
 
 237. 
 
 28. Ibid. 
 
 29. Ford, The Writings, etc., iv., p. 471. 
 
 ?8i 
 
 tnotee 
 
 and 
 
 IRcferencea 
 
38^- 
 
 Zbc Battle of Ibarlem Ibeiabts 
 
 IRotes 
 
 30 
 
 Memoir of Lieutenant-Colonel Tench Tilghman, p. 
 
 an6 
 
 
 .38. 
 
 IRcferenccs 
 
 31 
 
 Ford, The IVritings, etc., iv., p. 417. 
 
 
 32 
 
 Johnston, The Battle, etc., p. 141. 
 
 
 3? 
 
 Ford, The IVritings, etc., iv.^ p. 417. 
 
 
 34 
 
 Johnston, The Battle, etc., p. 162. 
 
 
 35 
 
 The Connecticut Gazette, September 27, 177b. 
 
 
 36 
 
 Woodward, Memoirs, etc., p. 15. 
 
 
 37 
 
 Reed, Life and Correspondence, etc., i., p. 237. 
 
 
 38 
 
 Marshall, The Life, etc., ii., p. 468. 
 
 
 39 
 
 Ford, The IVritings, etc., iv., p. 417. 
 
 
 40 
 
 Johnston, The Battle, etc., p. 141. 
 
 
 41 
 
 Ibid. , p. 89. Note in the handwriting of Sir Henry 
 Clinton in his copy of Stedman, History of the 
 /American War, now in the James Carter Brown Li- 
 brary, Providence, Rhode Island. 
 
 
 42 
 
 Ford, The IVritings, etc., iv., p. 417. 
 
 
 43 
 
 LossiNG, The American Historical Record, ii., p. 260. 
 
 
 44 
 
 Johnston, The Battle, etc., p. 141. 
 
 
 45 
 
 Ford, The IVritings, etc., iv., p. 417. 
 
 
 46 
 
 Manuscripts of Joseph Reed in the library of the New 
 York Historical Society, iv. : Joseph Reed to his wife, 
 September 22, 1770. 
 
 
 47 
 
 Memoir of Lieutenant-Colonel Tench Tilghman, p. 
 
 .38. 
 The Connecticut Gazette, September 27, 1776. 
 
 
 48 
 
 
 49 
 
 These stanzas and four others " appeared originally in 
 the New York Evening Post, and were reprinted in 
 the New York IVeekly Museum of October 5, 181 1 ." 
 They are stated to be " lines occasioned by a ramble 
 over part of Harlem Heights, particularly a spot re- 
 markable for an action said to have taken place there 
 between a party of Americans and a detachment of 
 the British army." See The Maga:^iue of American 
 History, viii., part ii., p. 629. The stanzas must 
 have had a special significance in view of the ap- 
 proaching renewal of conflict with Great Britain. 
 
Xlbe Battle of Ibarlem Ibeigbts 
 
 SI. 
 5-- 
 53- 
 
 54- 
 
 5S. 
 
 57- 
 
 58. 
 
 59- 
 60. 
 61. 
 62. 
 63. 
 
 Johnston, 7/?^ Battle, etc., p. 90. 
 
 Reed, Life and Correspondence, etc., i., p. 237. 
 
 JohNSTON, 7"^^ Battle, etc., p. 147. 
 
 QyiNCY, 7"A^ Journals of Major Samuel Shaw, p. 
 
 20. 
 Humphreys, yin Essay, etc., p. 141. 
 Johnston, The Campaign of iyy6, etc., part ii., p. 
 
 Sb. 
 Johnston, The Battle, etc., p. 151. 
 Ibid., p. 163. Extracts from the manuscript literary 
 
 diary and journal of occurrences kept by Ezra Stiles, 
 
 D.D., now in the library of Yale University. 
 Ihid., p. 162. 
 Ibid., p. 206. 
 Ibid., p. 204. 
 Ibid., p. 209. 
 Ibid., p. 225. 
 Ibid., p. 164. 
 
 notes 
 
 anB 
 
 -References 
 
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 the pathoSj and the humor of which Daudet's genius, at its very best, was capable. 
 The book is certainly one of his greatest works." 
 
 In the Midst of Life. 
 
 Tales of Soldiers and Civilians. By Ambrose Bierce. 
 12° $1.25 
 
 " No one could forget the impressions of these grimly powerful vignettes, 
 chiefly of our Civil War. This little volume deserves the widest circulation as a 
 peace tract of the first order in the present craze for bloodshed." — N. K. Post. 
 
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 In Town and Out. By Agnes Blake Poor. 12°. $1.25 
 
 " A distinctly readable little volume, comprising eight clever stories and char- 
 acter studies by a shrewd observer of men, women, and things. The author 
 writes in a sprightly satire, with an occasional touch of gen\iine pathos, and shows 
 a frank appreciation of Boston characteristics." — .V. ]'. Comtnercial Advertiser. 
 
 Lost Man's Lane. 
 
 A Second Episode in the Life of Amelia Butterworth. 
 By Anna Katharine Green, author of " That 
 Affair Next Door," *' The Leavenworth Case," etc. 
 12°, cloth, $1.00 ; paper .... 50 cts. 
 
 " Miss Green works up a cause celebre with a fertility of device and ingenuity 
 of treatment hardly second to Wilkie Collins or Edgar Allan Poe." — The Outloek. 
 
 Beleaguered. 
 
 By Herman T. Koerner. With illustrations by the 
 author. 8° $1.50 
 
 a dramatic story of the 17th century. The scene is laid in the Uplands of 
 Baden, that territory which during the Thirty Years' War was so often the arena 
 •f battle. 
 
 G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS, New York and Londok 
 
lRecor&s of an Barlier Uimc 
 
 Knickerbocker's History of New York 
 
 By WASHINGTON IRVING. k^an Twiller Edition, 
 From new plates. With 225 original illustrations by 
 E. W. Kemble. Each page surrounded by an appropriate 
 artistic border. 2 vols. 8°, gilt tops, with slip covers, 
 $6.00. Three-quarter levant .... $12.00 
 Other editions from 75 cts. upwards. 
 
 " A work honourable to English literature, manly, bold, and so 
 altogether original^ without being extravagant, as to stand alone 
 among the labours of men." — Blackwood^ s Magazine. 
 
 Last Days of Knickerbocker Life in 
 New York 
 
 By ABRAM C. DAYTON. With an Introduction by 
 Richard B. Kimball. New edition, re-set with selected 
 full-page illustrations, specially produced for this volume. 
 Octavo, gilt top $2.50 
 
 " This interesting work, written in 1871 and originally published 
 in i88d, is now for the first time put before the public in a shape be- 
 fitting its merits as a historic record of an interesting period in the 
 life of this city. The volume is illustrated with a number of portraits 
 and curious old drawings." — N. V. Sun. 
 
 Historic New York 
 
 Half Moon Series. Edited by Maud Wilder Goodwin, 
 
 Alice Carrington Royce, Ruth Putnam, and Eva Palmer 
 
 Brownell. 
 
 First Series. With 29 Illustrations. 8°. . . $2.50 
 
 Second Series. Illustrated. 8" . . . . $2.50 
 
 "A delightfully attractive volume possessing much historic value, 
 and illustrating a careful, conscientious scholarship worthy of high 
 praise. The papers describe old New York in a simple, vivid, 
 picturesque, and truthful fashion." — TAe Congregationalist. 
 
 H^nickers 
 
 bockec's 
 
 IblstoiB of 
 
 mew Hovh 
 
 last 2)a\is 
 
 of 
 
 Iknlchcis 
 
 bocfcer 
 
 Xife 
 
 in Hew 
 
 Korh 
 
 Ibietoi-tc 
 tAcw morh 
 
 G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS, Nev/ York & London 
 
MILITARY HISTORY. 
 
 THE ART OF WAR. 
 
 The Middle Ages, From the Fourth to the Fourteenth Century. 
 By Charles Oman, M.A., F.S.A., Fellow of All Souls' College, 
 Oxford. 8°, pp. 667. With 24 plates of maps, plans and illus- 
 tiations ......... $4.50 
 
 The above volume forms the second of a series of four in which the 
 author intends to present a general sketch of the history of the art of 
 war from the Greek and Roman times down to the beginning of the 
 igth century. The first volume in chronological order, which will 
 cover tlie classical division of the subject, will be issued shortly. 
 The third volume will be devoted to the 15th, i6th, and 17th cent- 
 uries, while the fourth volume will treat of the military history of 
 the 1 8th century, and the Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars down 
 to Waterloo. 
 
 THE STORY OF THE CIVIL WAR. 
 
 A Concise Account of the War in the United States of America 
 between 1861 and 1865. By John Codman Ropes. 
 To be complete in four parts, printed in four octavo volumes, 
 with comprehensive maps and battle plans. Each part will be com- 
 plete in itself and will be sold separately. 
 
 Part I. — Narrative of Events to the Opening of the Campaigns of 
 1862, with 5 maps, 8° (now ready), pp. xiv. + 274 . $1.50 
 
 ''The most complete, comprehensive, and interesting account of the Civil War 
 which has ever been published. . . . We unhesitatingly recommend it as con- 
 taining a wealth of information that no one can afford to be deprived of." — New 
 Haven Eve. Leader. 
 
 " The work is thoroughly impartial, and moreover is free from individual 
 caprice. . . . The manner is much that of a skilled attorney stating his case, 
 only in this instance the writer states the case for both sides." — Cincinnati 
 Commercial Gazette. 
 
 Part II. — Ready shortly. 
 
 DECISIVE BATTLES SINCE 
 WATERLOO. 
 
 A Continuation of Creasy's " Decisive Battles of the World." By 
 Thomas W. Knox. With 59 plans and illustrations. 8°, 
 pp. viii. -1- 490 $2.50 
 
 " Must go wherever Creasy's invaluable preceding book of 1852 has gone, and 
 perhaps where it has not found its way. . . . The author has done his work 
 well and attractively." — Hart/ord Post. 
 
 THE NAVAL WAR OF 1812 ; 
 
 or. The History of the United States Navy during the Last War 
 with Great Britain. By Theodore Roosevelt. 3d edition, 
 8°, pp. xxxviii. + 531 ...... $2.50 
 
 " Shows in so young an author the best promise for a good histori.in — fearlessness 
 of statement, caution, endeavor to be impartial, and a brisk and interesting way 
 of telling events." yV. }'. Times. 
 
 "The reader of Mr. Roosevelt's book unconsciously makes up his mind that he 
 is reading history and not romance, and yet no romance could surpass it in 
 interest." —Philadelphia Times. 
 
 G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS, New York and London. 
 
The City History Club 
 of New York 
 
 The City History Club aims to awaken a general 
 interest in the history and traditions of New York, 
 believing that such interest is one of the surest 
 guarantees of civic improvement. Its work is car- 
 ried on through three channels : 
 
 I. — A Normal Class 
 2. — Popular Classes 
 3- — Public Lectures 
 
 For further information, conditions of member- 
 ship, etc., address 
 
 Secretary dry History Club, 
 II West 50th Street, 
 New York. 
 
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
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 011 712 461 7' 
 
 XLhc 1baIfs=nDoon Series 
 
 Series of (898 
 
 Published monthly. Per number, locts. 
 Subscription price for the 12 numbers, $1.00 
 
 The Second Series of the Half Moon 
 Papers will commence in January, 1898, 
 with a paper on "Slavery in Old New 
 York," by Edwin V. Morgan. 
 "Tammany Hall," by Talcott Williams; 
 ** Old Family Names," by Berthold Fernow ; 
 " Bowling Green," by Spencer Trask ; 
 "Prisons and Punishments," by Elizabeth 
 Dike Lewis ; " Breuklen," by Harrington 
 Putnam ; " Old Taverns and Posting Inns," 
 by Elizabeth Brown Cutting ; " The New 
 York Press in the i8th Century," by Char- 
 lotte M. Martin and Benjamin Ellis Martin ; 
 " Neutral Ground," by Charles Pryer ; " The 
 Doctor in Old New York," by Francke H. 
 Bosworth ; " Old Schools and Schoolmas- 
 ters," by Tunis G. Bergen ; "The Battle of 
 Harlem Heights," by William R. Shepard. 
 
 G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS 
 New York and London