The Kingsbridge enterprise was to be under the charge of General Lincoln, of the American army, who was to drop down the river under cover of night, reconnoiter the works at the northern end of Manhattan Island, and, if he found them not too strongly defended, attack Kingsbridge. At the same time the Duke de Lauzun, of the French army, was to come down to Morrisania from Connecticut by a forced march and fall upon de Laneey. In the event that Lincoln should find it imprudent to attack Kingsbridge, he was to take a station near that place so as to prevent de Laneey from escaping to Manhattan Island. And finally Washington and Rochambeau, with their main bodies, were to descend swiftly down through Westchester County and be ready for further immediate operations in force if Kingsbridge should be taken. It was a thorough plan of instant aggression, well calculated to cause Sir Henry Clinton the greatest concern whether it succeeded or failed. The date selected for the combined attempt was the 3d of July.

OPERATIONS

1TS1

On the evening of the 1st of July General Lincoln, with 800 men and several pieces of artillery, left the camp in the vicinity of Peekskill, marched to Teller's (Croton) Point, and put his expedition on board of boats, which were rowed with muffled oars down the Hudson to the present Ludlow section of the City of Yonkers. For the purpose of concealment the flotilla was drawn close to the shore. General Lincoln crossed to the west bank, and from the Palisades reconnoitered the Manhattan Island forts. To his disappointment he discovered that a large body of the enemy was encamped there. Thus his intended surprise of Kingsbridge was made impracticable. He returned to his boats and remained in them till before dawn of the 3d, when he landed his men and guns and advanced to a height opposite Kingsbridge ( the site of the former Fort Independence) in order to support de Lauzun in his attack on de Lancey.