On the 12th of July the ships of war "Rose" and "Ph(enix" sailed up the Hudson, and unaware of the new batteries which had been j)lanted on Tippett's and Cock Hills, anchored near the mouth of Spuyten Duyvil Creek. A dozen guns opened fire on them and " did great execution." On the 15th additional troDps were hurried out to King's Bridge, the destruction of which was apprehended. I'hree hundred men were sent up the Harlem River in boats on the 19th and were put to work on the forts. Engineers were assigned, tools supplied and the work carried on night and day during the ensuing fortnight. On the 8th of August General Clinton was directed to send expresses to Ulster. Dutchess, Orange and Westchester Counties, to hasten levies and march them down to the fort erected on the north side of the bridge. On the 13th General Heath was

1 This ancieot depository of the city records is still used m a burialplace by the family, aud gives the name to tlio hill on which it is located.

put in command of the division stationed there and large ([uantities of provisions aud ammunition were sent up. The " Rose "and " Plxenix " with their tenders were anchored off Mt. St. Vincent. On the nights ol the 14th, IGth and IGth numbers of oflicers and men, (including on two occasions Generals Heath and Clinton) gathered on Tippett's Hill to witness an attempt to destroy these vessels with fire-ships. It was made at midnight on the 17tli. A fiamiiig galley set fire to one of the tenders and consumed her with " horrid flames." At sunrise on the IHth the frigates and remaining tenders fied down stream, and ran through the chevaux-de-frise under a heavy cannonade from the " Blue Bell Fort " ^ and Fort Lee.