It consisted of at least fourteen thousand men, in the highest state of health, discipline and equipment; in-cluding two regiments of light dragoons. Where he could, the American commander-in-chief placed his irregulars under cover of intrenchments; in which position he knew they would behave well. At Chatterton Hill, however, most of them re-mained firm under a long continued cannonade, although the second shot struck down one of their number, and their sub-sequent losses were serious. At a later hour of the day, it is true, five or six regiments fled before the dragoons. Still, toward the close of the battle, Webb's levies met, and for some time withstood in the field, the royal infantry and

62 THE MCDONALD PAPERS cavalry; exhibiting an intrepidity equal to that of the regular troops with which they were associated. Before he landed in Westchester, General Howe's tardiness of movement had become manifest. Washington ever afer-ward seems to have counted upon it in his operations. It has generally been the opinion of military men, that had the American army, on the 28th day of October, been promptly attacked upon the right and centre, it would have been over-thrown. All was then confusion and alarm, in Washington's camp. The lapse of a single night took from the British commander his golden opportunity. His hesitation and timidity at Whiteplains have generally been accounted for, by his unwillingness to attack American troops, when covered by any kind of intrenchments. He commanded for the King at the battle of Bunker's Hill, and the dear-bought experience of that day is supposed to have influenced him throughout the rest of his military life. Three days after the battle of Whiteplains, Captain Van Wyck, who commanded a company of rangers attached to General George Clinton's brigade, was unfortunately killed. He went out in the morning with about thirty men, to patrol upon the enemy's right.