Considering it possible that the enemy might make a lodgment on Throgg's-neck, the General immediately ordered Colonel Hand to detail one of his best Subalterns and twenty-five picked men, to that pass, " as " their alarm-post, at all times," with orders, if the enemy should effect a landing on the Neck, immediately to take up the planks of the bridge ; to oppose the movement of the enemy, to the mainland ; and, in case the fire of the detachment should appear to be insufficient to check the advance of the enemy, over the causeway, to set fire to a tide-mill which stood on the mainland, at the western extremity of the bridge. 1 He also ordered Colonel Hand to detail anotherparty to guard the fording- place, at the head of the creek ; and to reinforce both these parties, if the enemy should effect a landing on the Neck; and he promised the Colonel that he should be properly supported. Colonel Hand carefully obeyed all these Orders, we are told ; 2 and the only lines of communication with the mainland, from Throgg's-neck, were thus carefully guarded, when General Howe and his command debarked on that isolated ground.

When the enemy had effected a landing, on the Neck, in the morning, his advance pushed forward, towards the causeway, for the purpose of occupying that line of communication with the mainland; but the detachment whom Colonel Hand had sent for the protection of it, had taken up the flooring of the bridge, agreeably to the General's orders ; and it also opened a fire on the enemy, with its rifles, compelling him to fall back to the main body. A similar movement of the enemy against the fording-place, at the head of the creek, met with a similar repulse ; and no further movements, toward the mainland, appear to have been made; and, by way of precaution, abreastwork was thrown up, on the Neck, by the Royal troops, to cover the approach, by way of the causeway. 3