And finally White Plains commanded the whole country below, and equally the country above, since all the roads centered there; while directly in its rear rose the range of North ' In most historical references to Washington's march through Westchester County the Irnpression is given thai the intrenched camps along tlie Bronx wer nslrneted by detachments from the army during its actual progress. But

Dawson's remarks on this point (Scharf, i.. 427. note) seem, to our mind, to establish beyond question thai these defensive works were prepared in advance by pioneers detailed for the special pin-pose.

HISTORY

WESTCHESTER

COUNTY

almost Castle hills, where the army could be made secure against farther. back fall to necessary be should it case in attack anv possible the These various conditions positively indicated White Plains as actual essential point for Washington to reach-- even before his under movement was inaugurated. The stores at White Plains were the guard of a militia force of some 300 men. Before proceeding farther in our narrative, Ave think it indispensaWashington's moveout the true character geof to ble to briefly point Heights White Plains. It and Kingsbrid ment from Harlem is generally characterized by loose and hasty writers-- and not infrequently bymore careful ones -- as a retreat. This is a strange misconception ofits nature. It was not a retreat in any proper or admissible sense of the term, but really a deliberate conntermove for position, fearless and almost aggressive in its fundamentals.^ So far from retreating upon the appearance of his foe at Throgg's Neck, He calmly held his original posiWashington did not even retire.