Having at length, completely effected his occupation of Throgg's-neck and completely provided for his probable need.s, General Howe determined to open his operations in We=tchester-county, without further delay ; and, at one o'clock in the morning of Friday, the eighteenth of October, the van of the Royal Army, consisting of the Light Infantry and Grenadiers of the British Regiments and a portion, at least, if not all, of the German Chasseurs, was re-embarked, in flat boats, on the western side of the Neck ; and, having passed around the Point of Throgg's-neck, was landed on Pell's, or, as it was sometimes called, Rodman's, neck, on the opposite side of Hutchinson'sriver, in the Town of Eastchester.^ The main body of the Army crossed over to the eastern side of the Neck ; and, during the day, that, also, with all its various appointments and stores and supplies, was carried over to Peli's-neck.^

It does not appear that the movement of the van of the Royal Army was seen by the Americans, through the darkness of the very early morning, notwithstanding one of the best of the Brigades in the American service, that of General James Clinton, then commanded by Colonel Glover of Marblehead, had been posted, as a guard, in front of Pell'sneck, the place of its debarkation ; and not until daylight had revealed the similar movement of the main body of the Army, was there any suspicion, among the Americans, anywhere, that such a movement was imminent -- indeed, the van had landed and moved up toward the main-land, a full mile and a half, before either of the movements was discovered.*