To this hill, Heath ordered Colonel Malcolm, with his regiment of New York infantry, and Lieutenant Fenno of the artillery, with a field-piece. These officers were directed to take post at the south brow of the hill and mask themselves in the skirts of the wood. The weakest part of the American position was the centre which stood upon a gentle elevation. The slope of the hill in front, along the village road which ran from the Court House in a northwesterly direction, was gentle and very gradual. Ground so defective in natural strength required strong for-tification. Yet the lines here were by no means formidable. The breastworks were not fraised, and the ditch was of a depth very inconsiderable. The hill along which the right wing extended was steep and rocky. In addition to its intrenchments, the right flank was protected by the abrupt and precipitous termination of the hill at its southwestern extremity, and by a bend of the Bronx which ran immediately below. But the insecurity of the American camp on this side was great, arising from its contiguity to Chatterton Hill. This last was a commanding height, upward of a mile in length, situate about eight hun-dred yards to the west and south of the American right flank, from which it was separated by the Bronx, and by low mead-ows and marshy grounds. From the northern extremity of this eminence the American camp might be enfiladed down

42 THE MCDONALD PAPERS to its centre. The occupation of the hill became in conse-quence indispensable. A militia regiment stationed there, had thrown up some works for its defense, but these being unfinished were of no utility. After the 21st of October, the British commander-in-chief was engaged for nearly a week in concentrating his forces, with great caution, in an encampment, formed upon the ele-vated grounds which extend along the left bank of the Bronx, on the confines of Eastchester and Scarsdale.