General Lee reviewed Glover's brigade the next day, and returned thanks to both officers and soldiers for their adroit and daring conduct throughout the action. General Wash-ington at the same time bestowed high praise upon them in his general orders. The affair of Pelham Heights was in fact a stand made by Glover's small brigade, against the main body of the British army, and was conducted throughout by the Americans with the greatest skill, coolness and intrepidity. As the story of the skirmish spread abroad, fame exaggerated its importance, and when the news reached the headquarters of the Northern

Chapter I

BEFORE THE BATTLE OF WHITEPLAINS 19

army, General Gates on the 27th, in the general orders of the day, dictated as follows, viz.: "All the troops off duty to be under arms at one o'clock at their respective alarm posts, when, upon a signal given by the firing a cannon from the northeast angle of the covert way of the old fort, the whole will give three cheers for the glorious success with which it has pleased Providence to bless the arms of the United States on the 18th instant, in defeating the Army of the enemy near Eastchester." After this action, the British army marched across the Manor of Pelham, and encamped with the right wing near the village of New Rochelle, while the left extended to Hutch-inson's River. On the next day, the Americans extended their left, in order to keep in advance of the King's forces, and Washington with the main body of the army commenced moving up along the west side of the Bronx. He determined, if the enemy persisted in their attempt upon his rear, to concentrate his troops at once, in a fortified camp at Whiteplains. The re-tention of Fort Washington having been determined upon in the council of war, it now became necessary to occupy it with a strong garrison.