Upon the 15th, two months to a day after the hurried evacuation of New York by Putnam's hard-pressed columns, Howe sent Magaw a summons to surrender. The latter answered in somewhat stilted butunequi\'ocal English that, " Actuated by the most glorious cause

1 88 The Hudson River

that mankind e\'er fought in, I am determined to defend this post to the very last extremity." Greene, across the river, dispatched a rider to Washington with tlie intelligence of Magaw's peril; and sent reinforcements to the Colonel, who was now menaced on three sides by the enemy.

It was nightfall [says Irving] when Washington arrived at Fort Lee. Greene and Putnam were over at the besieged fortress. He threw himself into a boat and had partly crossed the river, when he met those generals returning. They informed him of the garrison's having been reinforced and assured him that it was in high spirits and capable of making a good defence. It was with difficulty, however, that they could prevail on him to return with them to the Jersey shore, for he was excessively excited.

Less discreet historians than Irving have not hesitated to say that the Father of his Country on that occasion expressed his excitement in language of much greater vigour than is countenanced by polite custom. In other words, this is believed to have been one of the rare occasions upon which Washington swore. And certainly, if there was ever an excuse for profane invective, he could plead it at that time. Besides Magaw there w^ere Cadwalader, Rawlings, Baxter, and other officers of merit at the beleaguered fort, together with a force of about two thousand picked men, the flower of the army ; while opposed to them was an overwhelming force of British regulars and German hirelings, bred to the trade of war.