It is said that Alexander Hamilton, visiting Chatterton's Hill many years after, remarked on this point: "For three successive discharges the advancing column of British troops was swept from hill-top to river," and in the writings of his son, John C, Hamilton, much is made of the artillery phase of the American defense. Dawson, whose animus against Hamilton is strong, utterly discredits the claims for the artillerymen and their young commander, and even asserts that this arm of the defense was distinctly neglectful of its duty, comporting itself almost as disgracefully as the Massachusetts regiment of militia. But this is not a detail of any essential importance. The two guns could not have been of more than minor consequence in any case. The aggregate force detached by Washington to Chatterton's Hill was not strong enough, even with the best support which a single company of artillery with two small pieces could have given it, to retain that station against the tremendous attacking power. The one essential thing is that it was strong enough to alarm General Howe in his progress toward the American intrenchments at White Plains, to divert him from the main business of the

CAMPAIGN

BATTLE

OF WHITE

PLAINS

dav, and to cause him absolutely to dismember his army for the purely incidental purpose of capturing an outlying post. After expelling the Americans from Ohatterton's Hill, the attacking party quietly occupied the ground thus taken, prepared dinner, and rested on its arms. To that inert and irresolute attitude the main body of the royal army also resigned itself. In the often-quoted words of Stedman, the English historian of the Revolution, " the difficulty of co-operation between the left and right wings of our army was such that it was obvious that the latter could no longer expediently attempt anything against the enemy's main body/' That is, in the storming and occupation of the hill Howe split his forces into two remotely separated parts, which could not co-operate in a general advance movement, whilst Washington with his entire body lay in an advantageous position ready to resist any attempt with satisfactory numbers.