In the night time, the British lighted up a vast number of fires, the weather growing pretty cold. These fires, some on the level ground, some at the foot of the hill, and at all distances to their brows, some of which were lofty, seemed to the eye to mix with the stars, and to be of different magnitudes. The American side, doubtless, exhibited to them a similar appearance." Washington now, with his utmost energy, proceeded to fortify the hills along the summit, of his new position. To facilitate the speed completion of their field-works, a novel element in their construction, in the shape of cornstalks, was upon this occasion first introduced to notice by General Heath and was subsequently much used during the continuance of the campaign in Westchester. The following is the account given by this officer, of the first experiment made with this new material in fortification. "On this day (No-vember 1st) our general," that is to say, Heath himself, "ordered three redoubts, with a line in front, to be thrown up on the summit of his post, so constructed that the whole of them could make a defence, and support each other at the same time, if attacked. These, to the enemy, in whose view they fully were, must have appeared very formidable, al-though they were designed principally for defence against small arms; and perhaps works were never raised quicker. These were the stalks of a large cornfield at the spot. The

BATTLE OF WHITEPLAINS, ETC. 59 pulling these up in hills, took up a large lump of earth with each. The roots of the stalks and earth on them, placed in the face of the works, answered the purpose of sods, or fascines. The tops being placed inwards, as the loose earth was thrown upon them, became as so many ties to the work, which was carried up with a dispatch scarcely conceivable." The quiet that for three days had reigned in the hostile armies, was put an end to on the night of the 4th, by a busy hum which proceeded from the enemy's camp, and increased with the advance of daylight, when the rumbling of artillery-carriages and baggage-wagons, plainly indicated some great movement on the part of the British commander.