At the com-mencement of the cannonade, Michael Chatterton, who lived at the foot of the hill, conducted his whole family to the cellar of the house, where they continued in safety until the termination of the action. The night after the battle was spent by the American Commander in strengthening his position, upon the centre and right. Additional redoubts were formed. Most of the neighboring trees were felled. Some of these were set in front for abatis. Others, having the extremities of their limbs cut and pointed, were placed across the breastworks for the purpose of fraising them. On the morning of the 29th, the American fortifications scowled upon General Howe with an aspect so threatening that he deferred his intended attack, and ordered the Fourth brigade, left with Lord Piercy near Harlem, and part of the Sixth brigade, to join the army forthwith. In the meanwhile his forces upon the hill were busy in constructing redoubts, which were intended to operate against Washington's right and centre. The expected reinforcements reached the British camp in the afternoon of the 30th. Dispositions were thereupon made for an assault upon the American camp on the morning of the last day of October; but toward nightfall, a cold and heavy

56 THE MCDONALD PAPERS rain storm set in, which continued until the middle of the next day. During the whole of this night, which the sur-vivors afterward described as the most miserable of their lives, the Americans, expecting an attack, were either on the alert under arms, or working uncovered in their trenches. They were engaged in different places, at this time, in the construction of redoubts, lines and abatis, both for the pro-tection of the position they were then in, and for the forma-tion of a new one in their rear. At two o'clock in the after-noon of the next day, it cleared off and the weather became fine; but the ground, wet and slippery, was considered by the British Commander unfit for rapid movement.