As we have said, the two Armies were occupied, during several weeks after the Royal Army had taken the City of Now York, in throwing up defensive i works -- the American Army, on the Heights of Harlem, to the northward and eastward of the present village of Manhattanville, back, to Kingsbridge, and in the more exposed portions of Westchester-county : the Royal Army, on the Heights of Harlem and on I A''andewater's Heights, southward from the village of j Manhattanville, and thence to McGowan's-pass. where the postroad to the northward and eastward descended from the high grounds, forming the northernmost portion of the present great City's Central Park, to the Harlem-plains, below ' -- and some time was, also, necessarily employed by General Howe, in obtaining information concerning the face of the country, in the rear of the positions occupied by the American Army, "upon a supposition that the enemy" [_fhe American Armyl " should remove from King's- •' Bridge," which information, thus sought in advance of any movement of the Army, was become more necessary since he had found the Americans not so well-disposed to join and to serve the Royal Army, in the field, as he had been taught to expect ; and because the country referred to, the County of Westchester, " was so covered with wood, swamps, "and creeks, that it was not open, in the least de- " gree, to be known, but from post to post or from

iVide page 307, ante.

See, also, General Hotre to Lord George Germaine, "New York "Island, 25 September, 177fi;" the same to the same, "New-Yohk, 30 " November, 177G ; " Speech of Sir IVilliam Howe hefort: a Committee of the House of Cf/mmong, April 29, 1779, -- Almon's Parliamentary Register, xii. 323; Testimoutf of the Earl of Com icallis before a Committee of the House of Commons, May!!, 1779. -- Almon's Parliamenlarij Kegisln-, xiii., 3; etc.