Bushnell, of New York, well known among numismatists and antiquaries, was of the same family as the Mr. Bushnell referred to, iu the text ; and he gathered, with great labor and much cost, everything which was known to exist, concerning that early inventor. The only description of the machine for destroying vessels at anchor, invented by him and destroyed by the enemy whom it was intended to annoy, as far as we have knowledge, may be seen in the Memoirs of General Heath, 69.

* We have some reasons for supposing that both these ships were saved ; although no direct evidence appears that more than one of them was brought off. See, however, Lieutenant-colonel Tilghman to General Heath, " Head-quarters, October 9,1776;" Colonel Reed to the same, " October 9, 1776 ; " General Putnam to the same, " Wednesday, noon ; " Lieutenant-colonel TUghmam to Robert R. Livingston, " Head-quarters, " Harlem Heights, October 10, 1776 ;" etc,

t> Lieutenants Putnam and Cleaves to General Washington, "NORTH

Dobbs's-ferry, a boat's crew was sent ashore, and signalized its presence by plundering a store, and by staving the casks and setting the building on fire ; but the fire was extinguished by the Americans, after the enemy had returned to his boat. 6

The movement of the ships, up the river, and the consequent control of the latter, notwithstanding the obstructions on which so much dependence had been rested, very promptly called forth the entire energies of General George Clinton' and General Heath, 8 both of them in Westchester-county, to prevent the enemy from effecting a landing and for the protection of the property which was exposed to the ravages of his tenders and boats ; and, of course, the vigilant Commander-in-chief immediately despatched an express to the Convention, that notice might be immediately communicated to General James Clinton, commanding the forts, in the Highlands, putting him on his guard, and directing that precautions should be taken to prevent the river-craft from tailing into the hands of the enemy -- the General was not informed of the destination of the ships nor of the purposes of the movement ; but he was not, apparently, very much alarmed, and supposed, only, that they were sent to cut off the communication of the American Army, by water, to the northward •, " probably to gain recruits ;" and to close the supplies of the Americans, especially those of Boards, for the construction of Barracks,