For some unaccountable reason Howe did not press on towards King's Bridge, but followed a route which corresponds to the present road leading from Throgg's Neck to Pelham Bridge, and being well provided with boats, he crossed Pelham Bay and that evening the head of his column was at New Rochelle, where he was joined by the Hessian reinforcements.* Had he pushed directly for the Harlem River and Spuyten Duyvil Creek he would have been able to cut off part, if not the whole, of the American army. Soldiers of our last war and military men generally may regard this small fight at the old Westchester Bridge as a mere skirmish and hardly worth recording, but it was the Lexington of Westchester and a son of the soil should always regard the prosaic old causeway and the ruined foundations of the old mill still to be seen on that historic spot, with sentiments of reverence and patriotism. The Westchester Militia and Hand's riflemen at Westchester Creek and bridge covered Washington's retreat with his army to the entrenchments at White Plains and enabled him to inaugurate his masterly defensive policy which resulted in the establishment of the best and freest govern-

='For a good map of these oiieratious, see Lamb's "Hi.>tor}' of New York," vol. ii. page 140. * Force, ii. page 1078.

5 Heath's "Memoirs ;" Dwight's " Travels ;" Edward de Lancey's paper in "Magazine of American History," on battle of Fort Washington; Force's "Annals."

WESTCHESTER.

inent ever known to history. It is hoped that the wealth and patriotism of the town of Westchester will some day cause an appropriate monument to be erected near the bridge in commemoration of the battle of Westchester Creek.