The post of Fort Washington, or rather the grounds which he had to defend, extended from the Hudson to the Harlem River, and were bounded on the north by a line which will about corresjjond to Inwood Street on the New York City nuip, and on the south by One Hundred and Forty-fifth Street. Its extreme length north and south was about two and a half miles, its circuit say six miles. The northernmost point, near what is now known as Inwood Station, was under command of Colonel Rawlings, with a ^Maryland regiment. Magaw ke]>t a small reserve in the citadel or main fort, which was situated on the site of the residence of James Gordon Bennett. Cadwallader commanded the American lines near One Hundred and Forty -fifth or

' Force, 1294; Heath's "Memoirs."

< BuDcrofl, V. 448 (Brown & Little's edition).

' One Hundred and Fifty-fifth Streets, and on the Harlem River side Baxter commanded a redoubt on the high hill or blutl' now known as the terminus of Tenth Avenue, and almost opposite the present station of the railways at Morris Dock, on the Westchester shore. This red iubt was known as Laurel Hill.' The interval between Laurel Hill and One Hundred and Fifty-fifth Street was left to the casual siipi)ly of troops.

On November l(>th the British opened fire with I heavy artillery from Fordham Heights, and made four sei)arate attack,,. Rahl led his troops through I the hills and to the west of King's Bridge road; Von Knyphausen marched nearer the road, towards the Inwood gorge, with officers and men dismounted. The Americans had cannon planted along the north end of the high hill facing the approach from King's I Bridge, and had also constructed an abattis of felled trees. But the British outnumbered the Americans, scaled the steep heights and a hand-to-hand conflict ensued.