Westchester County, New York, During the American Revolution
It appears that Colonel Haslet's command was the first of the reinforcements to reach the hill ; z and it is very probable that it was either that Eegiment or that commanded by Colonel Brooks or both, together, on the summit of the high ground, on his right, which led Colonel Eall to check his Hessian Eegiments, in their pursuit of the fugitive New Englanders, and to occupy the position on the high ground, nearer to Hartsdale, to which reference has been made, whence he could move, if such a movement should become expedient, on the right flank and rear of whatever force of the Americans should occupy Chatterton's-hill -- a movement, by the way, since it was evidently made by Colonel Eall, on his own impulse, which reflected great credit on the military abilities of that subsequently unfortunate Officer. 3
While Colonel Eall was thus engaged, on the left
64,) has stated that, on that morning, that Engineer had been ordered to that hill, to superintend the construction of some more important entrenchments. But there is nothing inconsistent with either of these statements, if not distorted, in what we have written concerning the probable pre-occupation of Chatterton's-hill by the Eegiment of Massachusetts Militia commanded by Colonel John Brooks.
It is very evident that whatever defensive works there may have been on the hill, at the time of the engagement, if there were any, they afforded no shelter for the men.-- (Lietitenant-colonel Tilghman to William Doer, " Head-quaetehs, White-Plains, October 29, 1776.")