FORT

WASHINGTON'S

FALL

his mastery of the lower Hudson complete; second, to transport his army to the west bank of the Hudson, and by a march through New Jersey seize Philadelphia, the Revolutionary capital; or third, to proceed up the Hudson River along its west bank and take possession of the Highlands. In the case of an intended capture of Forts Washington and Lee it was manifestly impossible to do anything more toward retaining those positions than had already been done, as both of them were well garrisoned and it would have been injudicious to deplete the army for their further protection. But it was necessary without delay to provide for thwarting the other two possible objects of Howe. At a council of Avar held on the 6th it was unanimously agreed to so distribute the army as to have a portion of it available for confronting Howe whithersoever he might go -- to retain a part in the encampment at North Castle, to dispatch another part into New Jersey, and to establish a third part in the neighborhood of Peekskill as a guard for the Highlands. Conformably with this decision Washington on the 9th detached 3,000 men under General Heath to Peekskill and removed 5,000 to New Jersey under the temporary charge of General Putnam, intending to assume this command personally within a few days, and on the 10th he committed to General Loo the command of the North Castle residue, at that time about T.oOO. In making this disposition ho had two fundamental purposes -- first, to keep Heath's body of 3,000 permanently in the Highlands, without drawing upon it in any event for the re-enforcement of the main operating army; and second, to have Lee remain at North Castle only for the time being, until Howe's intentions should be developed.