From September to November, 1776 143 



During the six days after his landing at Throgg's Neck, 

 Howe was establishing a base there and receiving numerous 

 reinforcements. At last, word came of the arrival of seventy- 

 two ships with the German mercenaries under Knyphausen. 

 On the morning of the eighteenth, Howe embarked his army in 

 over two hundred boats, protected by the smaller war vessels, 

 and passed from the northern side of Throgg's Neck across 

 Eastchester Bay, and landed at the end of Pell's Point, oppo- 

 site City Island. The post at Westchester saw the movements 

 in its front and immediately notified Heath, who came up with 

 numerous reinforcements, which, upon the receipt of an 

 express from the alarm post at the ford stating that the enemy 

 were attempting a crossing there, were diverted to its support. 

 No advance was made by the enemy at either point; and 

 Washington, who was personally on the ground, believed that 

 the enemy's movement was a feint and that his real point of 

 attack would be at Morrisania; he therefore ordered Heath 

 and his troops to that position to watch the enemy. Howe's 

 landing was successfully made at Pell's Point; and nothing 

 prevented the capture or destruction of the widely scattered 

 American army but the outpost at the entrance of the neck, 

 which has been mentioned above. 



This outpost had been strengthened by the brigade of Gen- 

 eral James Clinton, who, however, was not personally on the 

 ground. It consisted of the regiments of Colonels Glover, 

 Shepard, Read, and Baldwin, in all about seven hundred and 

 fifty men with three field-pieces, all under command of Colonel 

 Glover, whose regiment was composed of Marbleheaders, 

 sturdy fishermen and sailors of Massachusetts. Their amphibi- 

 ous qualities had been utilized by Washington in the with- 

 drawal of the army from Brooklyn after the defeat of Long 

 Island, Glover being in charge of the embarkation of the troops 



