General Heath reported to General Washington, on the morning after the attack, that the galleys Lady Washington and Independence had behaved well, in their co-operation with the firevessels, while the other galleys were inactive ; and the Commander-in-chief answered, on the same day, expressing his pleasure in hearing of the good behavior of those who had participated in the adventure, and instructing General Heath to " inquire into the cause of the inactivity of the other galleys, "and inform him thereof."-- {Bidim-d Oarey, Jun. A.D.C.io General Heath, " Head-quarters, August 17, 1776.")

In Adjutant-general's Reed's reply to Governor Trumbull's letter concerning the Connecticut galleys, after having recited the notorious mis-

WESTCHESTER COUNTY.

repeated attacks and the want of intercourse with the fleet and the perils to which they were exposed, prompted the commanders of the ships, on the eighteenth of August, less than forty-eight hours after the last attack had been made on them, to take advantage of a strong easterly wind and a very rainy morning, to run down the river, past the fortifications thrown up by the Americans, and to join the main body of the fleet, off Staten Island, a feat which was successfully accomplished, without any considerable damage, " the air resounding with acclamations from the " fleet, re-echoed by the Army encamped on the "heights above," 1 as they came to the anchorage. During the period occupied in this early naval debehavior of the crews of all of them, " in the first attack made on the "shipB in the North River," for which they had been tried and condemned by a Continental Court-martial, that officer, writing "by his Excellency's commands," (vide page 214, ante) said of the subsequent operation of those galleys, " In the late affair, Captain McCleavo mint be ex "cepted from the general censure, an he managed with prudence and "propriety.