The Spirit of '76 3^7 headquarters at Peekskill, wrote to General George CUnton as follows:

I have received intelligence on which I can fully depend, that the enemy had received a reinforcement at New York last Thursday, of about three thousand British and foreign troops, that General Clinton has called in guides who belong about Croton River; has ordered hard bread to be baked; that the troops are called from Paulus Hook to Kings Bridge, and that the whole troops are now under marching orders. I think it highly probable the designs of the enemy are against the posts of the Highlands or of some part of the counties of Westchester or Dutchess. . . . The ships are drawn up in the river and I believe nothing prevents them from paying us an immediate visit but a contrary wind.

Clinton, absent from his military post w^hile attending to his civil duties as Governor, received this urgent letter at Kingston, and at once hastened to the Highlands, collecting all the militia that he could, more effectual!}' to man the defences. Irving has given the following descri]:)tion of the forts at that time:

We have spoken of his (Clinton's) Highland citadel of Fort Montgomery, and of the obstructions of chain, boom, and chcvaux-de-frise between it and the opposite promontory of Anthony's Nose. Fort Clinton had subsequently been erected within rifle shot of Fort [Montgomery, to occupv ground which commanded it. A deep ravine and stream, called Peploep's Kill, intervened between the two forts, across which there was a bridge. The governor had his headquarters in Fort Montgomery, which was the northern and largest fort, but its works were unfinished. His brother James had charge of Fort Clinton, which was complete. The whole force to garrison the associate forts did not exceed six hundred men, chiefly militia, but they