George Clinton, the Council agreed that " it is not possible to prevent " the communication from being cut off ; and that " oue of the consequences mentioned in the question " must certainly follow." Largely, if not entirely, in deference to the expressed will of the Continental Congress, the Council resolved, however, apparently with entire unanimity, " that Fort Washington be re- " tained as long as possible." '

^General Greene to Governor Uooke, " Hbad-qc aeters, New-York Is- "land, October 16, 177U."

Singular ns it would appear to be, were not the propensity for securing all the honor which belongs to them and as much more as is possible, so genenilly prevalent among those who have occupied public places, Gordon, who was so largely the exponent of General Greene's ujtinions and pretensions, made the latter take a leading part, in the Council, in opposing the movement of the iVrmyfrom HarleniHeights ; but the official Minutes of the Council clearly show that General Greene was not present, and, therefore, could not have taken any part in the proceedings of that body, {CoDipiire the Proceedings of a Council of General Officers at the Head quartei-s of Gi nenil Lee, October 16, 1776, irilh Gordon's History of the American Revolution ii.. :t.'58.)

'> ProceedinijB of a L'ounril of Getieral Officers held at the Head-quarters of General Lee, October 16, 177fi.

Because of evident eiTors in the copy of that paper which is printed in Force's American Aichives, V.,ii.,ni7, 1118, we have preferred the copy of it, evidently taken from the original manuscript, which appears in Sparks's Writings of George Washington, Ed. Boston: 18.34, iv., 155, note.