This campaign included the battles of the Brandywine (September 11). and Germantown (October 4), and the

fall of' Philadelphia, which Howe entered on the 25th offof toSeptember. PhiladelAfter Washington, resolving his doubts, marched phia, Putnam, commanding at Peekskill, was let alone by the British for two months. This did not suit the old lighter's temperament. He longed for action, and if the enemy would not come after him, he saw no reason why he should not go after the enemy. He planned a variety of chimerical attacks-- on New York, Long Island, Paulns Hook (Jersey City), and even Staten Island; and doubtless he felt much aggrieved at the coldness with which Washington viewed his

HISTORY

WESTCHESTER

COUNTY

was revealed, had aggressive ideas. The latter, before Howe's object on against Kingsseconded a scheme of Putnam's for a night expediti was bridge by way of Spuyten Duyvil Creek; but after the campaign Peekat forces the employ to it the height of folly begun mere diversions. skill in heanydeemed But the humdrum life of these two months at Peekskill was relieved by one sensational incident, for which the pages not only of history but of literature are the richer. Early in August a spy, informaEdmund Palmer by name, was detected furtively collecting tion as to the forces and condition of the Peekskill post. Putnam granted him a court-martial trial, which resulted in his conviction comand condemnation. Sir Henry Clinton, whom Howe had left in upon mand at New York, hastily sent up a ship of war, from which, its arrival at Verplanck's Point, a message was forwarded to Putnam under a flag of truce, claiming Palmer as a lieutenant in the British made if harm befell service, and intimating that reprisal would be stic reply: him. Putnam returned the following characteri Headquarters, 7th August, 1777. lurking withSir • Edmund Palmer, an officer in the enemy's service, was taken asanda spy shall be executed in the American lines.