withdrawing from his hopeless campaign in the field, faced about and with a celerity, skill, and success which had never characterized his operations up to that hour proceeded to the investment and reduction of the betrayed stronghold. Fort Washington, to which reference has so frequently been made in these pages, barred all progress by land to and from New York City, and with its fall Westchester County was completely laid open to the enemy, remaining in that unhappy state until the signing of the treaty of peace -- a period of seven years. A particular description of it belongs, therefore, to this narrative. We quote from an article by Major-General George W. Cullum in the "Narrative and Critical History of America ": It was built by Colonel Rufus Putnam soon after the evacuation of Boston, and occupied the high ground at the northern end of Manhattan Island. It was a pentagonal bastioned earthwork without a keep, having a feeble profile and scarcely any ditch. In its vicinity were batteries, redoubts, and intrenched lints. These various held fortifications, of which Fort Washington may be considered the citadel, extended north and south over two and one-half miles and had a circuit of six miles. The three intrenched lines of Harlem Heights, crossing the island, were to the south ; Laurel Hill, with Fort George at its northern extremity, lay to the east ; upon the river edge, near Tnbby Hook, was Fort Tryon, and close to Spuyten Duyvil were some slight works known as Cockhill Fort ; and across the creek, on Tetard's Hill, Fort Independence. The main communication with these various works was the Albany Road, crossing the Harlem River at Kingsbridge. This road was obstructed by three lines of abatis extending from Laurel Hill to the River Ridge.