The Militia who were ordered out for the protection of the storehouses and the passes in the Highlands, responded with great promptitude, 4 so much so, indeed, that General Washington was warranted in calling to the main Army some Massachusetts troops who had been sent to that vicinity ; 5 and the vessels dropped down and anchored " a little below Ver- "planck's Point," and ceased to make any attempt to effect a landing, anywhere. 6
On the twenty-sixth of July, the ships were said to have dropped down the river, still further,' probably to the mouth of the Croton-river ; 8 and it is very evident they fell down to their original station, off
1 General Clinton to General Washington, " Fort Montgomery, July " 23, 1776."
2 Colonel A. Hawkes Hay to General Washington, " Haverstraw, July "19,17715;" General Clinton to General Washington, "Fort Montgom- "ery, July 23, 1776;" Extract from a letter dated at Fort Montgomery, July23, 1776, in Force's American Archives, V , i., 546.
* Journal of Die Convention, "Thursday morning.July 18, 1776 ;" General Washington to John Augustine Washington, "New York, 22 July, "1776."
< Pierre Van Cortlandt and ZepJianiah Piatt, Jnnr. to the Convention, " Pkeksk [i.i,, July 18, 1776."
» General Washington to the Convention, " Head-quarters, New York, "July 19, 1776."
6 Pierre Van Cortlandt and Zephaniah Piatt, Jnnr. to the Convention, "Pebkskill, July 22, 1776."
t Memoirs of Major-general Heath, 50.
^Pierre Van Cortlandt and Zephaniah Plait,' Jnnr. to the Convention, '' Head-quarters, Mouth of Croton, Angt. 2, 1776."