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. General Heath was directed to leave behind one of his regiments for the defense of Fort Inde-pendence. Stores to a large amount, intended for the American army, were at this time deposited in and near the Church in the village of Eastchester. General Lee was anxious to secure them before they fell into the hands of the enemy, and ac-cordingly, sent for Colonel Glover on Sunday the 20th, com-municated the fact to him, and requested him to devise some plan for bringing them off. Glover found that the enemy had not yet taken possession of them. He sent out to the neighboring farmhouses, pressed fifteen wagons, and when nigh came, went to the village with the whole brigade, and carried off two hundred barrels of pork and flour. They had to approach so near the British camp upon this occasion, that Glover's advance parties heard distinctly the conver-sation of the enemy and the music of their bands. The

Chapter I

20 THE MCDONALD PAPERS