Lasher, in Fort Indei>endence, was "to burn the barracks, quit the post and join the army, by way of the North River, at White rlains." At three in the morning of the 28th the lon^ lines of barracks were fired and the forts abandoned. Their garrisons either withdrew to Fort Washington, or, crossing to New Jersey, rejoined their regiments at White Plains by way of King's Ferry. Gen. Greene, coming out from Fort Washington, found several hundred stand of small arms, great numbers of spears, shot, shells, etc. To carry these off he impressed all the wagons in the neighborhood. He then dismantled King's Bridge and the Free Bridge. On the evening of the 29th General Knyphausen, with a force of Hessians and Waldeckers which had landed at New Rochelle, approached Fort Independence by the old Boston road, and, finding it deserted, occupied it the following day. He took possession of the other works on Tetard's Hill and occupied them until November 2d. Then, with part of his forces, he descended and took a position on Paparinamin, north of King's Bridge. Having repaired the bridge, he crossed over and occupied the deserted American post on the opposite hill, but retired on the 4th. He crossed again on the 7th with fifteen hundred men and took positions on the hills commanding the old King's Bridge road.

On the 16th the remainder of General Knyphausen's force crossed over the Free Bridge and united in the capture of Fort Washington, which thereafter took his name.