THE TOWN OF WHITE PLAINS. 567 



to obtain command of the two principal routes leading to New England, one 

 through Rye and the other by the way of Bedford, and thereby cut off the Ameri- 

 can army from its supplies, principally derived from the East, and obtain the 

 rear of General "Washington's army, and force him to a general battle, or to a 

 precipitate retreat. But Washington pentrated their intentions, and conducted 

 his forces northward from King's Bridge with great skill, moving in a line 

 parallel with the British, a little in advance of them, facing them constantly, 

 with the Bronx in his front, which was fortified at every assailable point. 



"On the 12th of October, 76, a portion of the British army, consisting of the 

 Guard, Light Infantry reserve, and Colonel Dunop's Corps landed at Throg's 

 Neck ; and the night of that day, Colonel William Smith, (then a Lieutenant,) 

 with a Corporal's guard, broke down the bridge connecting the Neck with West. 

 Chester town, and left Sir William Howe upon an island. On the 16th and 17th 

 of October, the English forces at Throg's Neck were augmented by the 1st, 2nd 

 and 6th Brigades crossing from Long Island, and by the 3d Hessian battalion 

 from New York. On the ISth, the whole British army crossed to Pelham Point, 

 and marching northerly, encamped the same night on the high ground between 

 Hutchinson's River and New Rochelle village, where it remained till the 21st. 

 On the 21st, the British removed and encamped on New Rochelle heights, north 

 of the village, and on both sides of the road leading to Scarsdale. This camp 

 was broken up on the 25th, and the army moved forward to a position upon the 

 high grounds in Scarsdale, in the vicinity of the late John Bennett's farm, and 

 there remained till the morning of the 28th of October. 



General Washington during that time had not remained inactive — as early as 

 the 11th of October, a part of his army crossed from Harlem heights, reached 

 White Plains on the 12th, and commenced erecting fortifications ; and on the 22d 

 General Washington, leaving his head-quarters at Fort Washington, established 

 them at Valentine's hill, whence they were removed to White Plains on the 23d. 



' ' The entrenchments at White Plains were erected under the directions of a 

 French engineer, and consisted of a square fort of sods in the main street with 

 breast works on each side running westerly over the south side of Purdy's hill to 

 the Bronx, and easterly across the hills to Horton's pond. When the English at- 

 tacked Chatterton's hill on the 28th, they were unfinished ; but during the night 

 of the 28th and 29th of October they were raised and strengthened, being only 

 intended for temporary use until the position above Abraham Miller's in North 

 Castle could be fortified, which was done, and to which the American army after- 

 wards retired. 



"General Howe committed a great mistake in not attacking General Wash- 

 ington's fortifications in White Plains on the 28th instead of Chatterton's hill. 

 He gained nothing in taking that hill. After the works at White Plains were 

 completed, great loss to Howe's army must have attended their capture, and 

 Washington's new position, (above Mr. Mdler's,) appears to have been regarded 

 as impregnable. Washington's policy at this time was, as he expressed it ' to 

 entrench and fight with the spade and mattock.'' The experience at Bunker's Hill 

 had made the English cautious in attacking Americans behind entrenchments.* 1 



a "General George Clinton, in a postscript to a friend, writing from Washington'3 entrench- 

 ment on the night of the 20th October, says : ' Love to Mrs. Clinton— tell her 1 write from au 

 entrenchment. The British forces are in sight, and we shall probably have battle to-morrow 

 —tell her to entertain no fears for my safety,' " — Mr. Tompkin's Addre»s. 



