The British were now threatening the American defenses
on the Heights of Harlem. General Washington summoned his subordinates for
another council of war. General Sullivan and Lord Stirling (just released by
the British as part of a prisoner exchange) joined the council.
2 “We must continue to occupy the fort and protect the
Hudson, but I do not want to give the enemy the grand battle he so desires,”
Washington began. “It is, therefore, my decision to withdraw the main part of
our forces to White Plains. Lord Stirling’s men will go there immediately to
secure the place for us.”
3 The generals nodded their understanding of the plan,
and the council was finished. Everyone was tired, discouraged and a little
numbed by the events of the previous two months.
4 In fact, despite the reinforcements which the army
had just received from the South, the dispirited men under Washington’s command
had begun to desert at an alarming rate. Joshua Harney was not immune to the
melancholy that infected his comrades.
5 “My enlistment is almost up, and I’m going home when
it’s finished – I’ve had enough of this mess,” he confided to a friend. “Don’t
know if I’ll wait that long,” his friend responded.
6 As they were finishing their conversation, Captain
Hall approached their tents. “Colonel Haslet wants everyone ready to move out,”
he announced. Joshua sighed and turned to take down his tent and pack what
meager belongings he still had.
7 In the meantime, General Howe was determined to
pursue the retreating Americans and finish them off once and for all. Toward
that end (and to cover his own advance), he ordered Major Robert Rogers and his
rangers to Mamaroneck. When they arrived, the British soldiers quickly set up
their camp and prepared to get some rest for the anticipated campaign against
the rebels.
8 Colonel Haslet, however, did not plan on allowing
the enemy soldiers to have their ease that evening. “We will surround their
encampment and attack tonight,” he told his men. Thus, it was that the boys
from Delaware surprised the British rangers and forced them to fight for their
camp. Nevertheless, Rogers was able to rally his men in short order and repel
the Americans.
9 “I don’t know what that accomplished,” Joshua
complained. “It may give them pause about attacking our army before we can get
situated at White Plains,” Captain Hall explained. Whether or not it helped in
that regard, the Americans were able to get situated there without much
interference from the British.
10 The American Army occupied the low hills around
White Plains and waited for the British to arrive. They didn’t have long to
wait. General Howe arrived outside of the village on the 27th of
October, and immediately sent out several patrols to reconnoiter the area.
“They are very interested in Chatterton’s Hill,” Washington observed. “Send
Colonel Haslet’s men to fortify it,” he ordered.
11 As a consequence, the following morning, the men
from Delaware occupied the summit of Chatterton’s Hill. They had barely had
time to get in position when the British attack commenced. Moreover, to
everyone’s horror on the hill, the British seemed to focus all of their energy
and attention on that position.
12 British and Hessian troops advanced up the hill
from the south toward the defenders. Joshua and his fellow soldiers opened
fire, and the British advance wavered for a moment. Then the enemy began to
bombard the hill with artillery fire. Suddenly, the Hessians were swarming up
the hill from the west, and many of the Americans began to abandon their
positions and flee across the Bronx River toward the main body of the Army.
Even so, Joshua and his comrades covered their retreating countrymen and slowly
followed them across the river.
13 With the British now in possession of Chatterton’s
Hill, the entire Army was exposed to the enemy’s superior artillery. Washington
ordered his men to abandon White Plains and withdraw to higher ground. “The
Army must be preserved, or our cause will be lost,” he explained to his
subordinates.
14 To everyone’s surprise, the British did not pursue
them. Instead, about a week later, they withdrew to the south and began to make
the necessary preparations to attack Fort Washington.
15 A little over a week later, the American garrison
there had surrendered. In one fell swoop, the enemy had captured almost three
thousand Americans.
16 Joshua Harney had had enough. His brother was dead
or captured, and the army had suffered one defeat after another. His enlistment
was up, and he was going home!
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