sions he obtained intelligence respecting the conduct of a corps stationed at Powles-Hook, which suggested to him the idea of surprising and carrying off the garrison. Powles-Hook is on the west side of the Hudson, immediately opposite the town of New York. It is a point of land penetrating deep into the river, narrowing at the neck which connects it with the continent as well as at the other extreme, and widening about midway. On the point nearest New York, a fort, three blockhouses, and some redoubts, had been constructed, in which was placed a garrison of between four and five hundred men. A deep ditch, into which the water of the river flowed, having over it a draw-bridge connected with a barred gate, had been cut across the isthmus, so as to make the Hook in reality an island. This ditch could only be passed at low water. Thirty paces within it was a row of abattis running into the river; and some distance in front of it, is a creek fordable only in two places. This difficulty of access, added to the remoteness of the nearest corps of the continental army, impressed the garrison with the opinion that they were perfectly secure; and this opinion produced. an unmilitary remissness of conduct in the commanding officer. On receiving Lee's communications, General Washington was inclined to favour the enterprise they suggested; but he withheld his full assent to it until he could be satisfied that the assailants would be able to make good their retreat. In this the principal difficulty consisted. The Hackensack, which communicates with the waters of the Hudson below New York, runs almost parallel with that river quite to its source, and is separated from it only a few miles. This neck is still further narrowed by a deep creek which divides it, and empties itself into the Hackensack below fort Lee. West of that river, runs the Passaick, which unites with it near Newark, and forms another long and narrow neck of land. From Powles-Hook to the new bridge, the first place where the Hackensack could be crossed without boats, the distance is fourteen miles; and from the North river to the road leading from the one place to the other, there are three points of interception, the nearest of which is less than two miles, and the furthest not more than three. The British were encamped in full force along the North river, opposite to these points of interception. The retreat would, of consequence, be attended with great danger, and, if made through this narrow slip of land, could only be secured by its celerity. To diminish this danger, it was intended to occupy the roads leading through the mountains of the Hudson to the Hackensack with a se lect lect body of troops, for the purpose of impeding the advance of any detachment which might be ordered to intercept the party in its return. Every preparatory arrangement having been made, the night of the 18th of August was fixed on for the enterprise. A detachment from the division of Lord Stirling, including three hundred men designed for the expedition, was ordered down as a foraging party. The American troops having frequently foraged in the same tract of country, this movement excited no suspicions. Lord Stirling followed with five hundred men, and posted himself at the new bridge, so as to afford his assistance should it be necessary. At the head of three hundred men, Major Lee took the road through the mountains which run parallel with the North river; and, having secured all the passes into York Island, reached the creek which surrounds the Hook between two and three in the morning. Here he halted, and detached a chosen officer with a few picked men to proceed under cover of the night to the ditch, in order to discover from the appearance of the garrison, whether notice of his approach had been received. Every thing within the Hook exhibiting the appearance of negligent security, Lee passed first the creek, and then the ditch, undiscovered. About three in the morning, after a feeble resistance, he entered entered the main work; and, with the loss of only two killed and three wounded, made a hundred and fifty-nine prisoners, including two or three officers. Very few of the British were killed. Major Sutherland, who commanded the garrison, threw himself, with forty or fifty Hessians, into a strong redoubt, which it was thought unadvisable to attack, because the time employed in carrying it might endanger the retreat. The guns fired in New York, and from the ships lying in the harbour, proved that the alarm was completely given. Major Lee determined not to hazard his party, and the advantage already gained, by attacking works which he had reason to suppose would be defended. Wasting no time in destroying what could easily be replaced, he with the utmost expedition brought off his prisoners and his detachment. To avoid the danger of a retreat up the narrow neck of land which has been already described, some boats had been brought from Pluckimin to Newark the preceding evening, from which place they were carried in the night to Dow's-ferry on the Hackensack, not far from Powles Hook. There they were guarded by a trusty officer of Lee's corps, who was directed to remain with them till the arrival of the troops engaged in the expedition. This, it was undersood, would happen before day, as it had been designed to make the attack at midnight; but in the morning, no intelligence having arrived arrived from Major Lee, the officer guarding the boats was led to believe that the attack had been postponed. The danger of his situation, and the fear that his being discovered would disclose the object, and prevent its execution on a subsequent night, induced him to retire with the boats to Newark. The head of the retreating column soon afterwards reached the ferry, where they had the mortification to perceive that the boats were gone. Fatigued as they were, no alternative remained but to pass as rapidly as possible up the narrow neck of land between the two rivers, to the new bridge. A horseman was dispatched with this information to Lord Stirling, and the line of march was immediately taken up. About nine in the preceding evening, Major Buskirk had been detached up the North river with a considerable part of the garrison of Powles Hook, and some other troops, for the purpose of falling in with the American party supposed to be foraging about the English neighbourhood. On receiving intelligence of the disappointment respecting the boats, Lord Stirling took the precaution immediately to detach Colonel Ball, with two hundred fresh men, to meet Lee, and cover his retreat. Just after he had passed Ball, Buskirk entered the main road, and fired on his rear. Taking it for granted, as was indeed very probable, that this was only the advanced corps of a much |