History of Westchester County, New York, Vol. I
On the morning after the withdrawal of the main body of the American Army from its lines, at the head of the Wliite Plains, \_Fridaij, Nocembcrl, 1776,] General Howe gave orders for the occupation of those lines, by the Royal Army ; but, again, a violent rain interposed; and the project was abandoned.^ At a later hour, however, the Hessian Grenadiers were moved from Chatterton's-hill, and occupied those lines,* very possibly as the beginning of a movement against the new position of the American Army, which, after a due examination of its strength, was conducted no further.*
1 Letter from a GenVeinan in the Army, '• Camp near the Mills, about " THREE MILES North OF THE White-Plains, November 1, 1770," pulilislie<l HI Ihe Peiiusyhuinia Kceiiiuij I'osL, No. 28U, Philadelphia, Tliuisday, November 14, 1776 ; General Jloice to Lord Geortje Germaiiie^ "New- " YoRK,:i() November, 177G ; " [Hall's] History of the Virit War in America, i., 210 ; Gordon's History o f the American Ueroliition, ii., 344 ; etc.
^Memoirs of General Heath, 80.
See, also, a Letter from a Gentleman in the Army, Anted " Camp near "the Mills, about three miles North oi' the White-Plains, Novem- "berl, 177G," published in The I'ennsyhania Erenimj Post, No. 280, Philadelphia, Thursday, November 14, 177(5; General George Clinton to John MeKeason, "Camp at the old place, near the White Plains, 2 "November, 1776 ;" General Hoite to Lord George Gennaine, *^ Hew- "York, :)0 November, 1770 ;" etc.
General Howe and several othei-s have fallen iuto the error of supposing that the Village of the White-Plains was also burned, on the occasion now under notice : it was not burned until the night of the fifth of November, when, after he had robbed the huust'S, it was destroyed by ai)arty of MassiH-Iiusetts truops, commaiided by Jlajor Austin.