It was separated from the mainland by a narrow creek and a marsh, and was surrounded by water, every high-tide. At the time of which we write, a bridge across the creek, connecting with a causeway across, the marsh, afforded means for communication between the mainland and the Neck ; besides which, however, the upper end of the creek was fordable, at low-water. 9 As early as the third of October, General Heath, who commanded those detachments from the Army who were in Westchester-county, had reconnoitred his position, accompanied by Colonel

5 Annual Register for 1776, History of Europe, 176*.

6 [Hall's] History of the Civil War in America, i., 203 ; Stedman's History of the American War, i., 210 ; etc.

It is very evident, from indirect questions put to the Government's witness against Sir William Howe, General Robertson, before a Committee of the House of CommonB, on the fourteenth of June, 1779, that Lord George Germaine was also inclined to criticise the occupation of Throgg'sneck, adversely.

7 It is said that the place for the landing of the troops was entirely entrusted to the naval officers, by whom Throgg's-neck was selected, because of the unfitness of Pell's-neck, for that purpose ; and a glance at the official Chart of the Coast Survey, will satisfy any one of the wisdom displayed in the choice-- the shallowness of the water, elsewhere, would have prevented the co-operation of the larger vessels of evrry class ; and, certainly, the landing of the troops at Pell's-neck could not have been