and the suburbs, I hope has no influence on your Excellency's
measures. Remember the King of France. When Charles the Fifth, Emperor
of Germany, invaded his Kingdom, he laid whole Provinces waste; and by
that policy he starved and ruined Charles's army, and defeated him
without fighting a battle. Two-thirds of the property of the City of
New York and the suburbs belong to the tories. We have no very great
reason to run any considerable risk for its defence.... I would give
it as my opinion that a general and speedy retreat is absolutely
necessary, and that the honour and interest of America require it. I
would burn the city." John Jay before this also proposed its
destruction. Scott urged abandonment of the place for sound military
reasons, though the move would ruin him. Washington, however, on the
2d, presented the whole question to Congress. Also convinced by the
condition of the army, that the city must be evacuated, he asked, "If
we should be obliged to abandon the town, ought it to stand as winter
quarters for the enemy?" Congress voted, in reply, that "it should in
no event be damaged, for they had no doubt of being able to recover
it, even though the enemy should obtain possession of it for a time."
On the 7th, a council of war, inferring that Congress wished the place
to be held, decided to retain five thousand troops in the city and
concentrate the rest around and above Harlem; but on the 12th the
matter was reconsidered, and a second council voted to evacuate the
city and retire to Harlem Heights. The removal of stores and the sick
had already commenced; and on the 14th, when the enemy appeared to be
on the point of crossing from Montressor's, now Randall's, Island to
the mainland, all the teams and wagons that could be found were
impressed by the quartermasters to remove the remaining stores. In one
day more the removal would have been complete and the troops all
withdrawn to the heights. In the evening of the 14th Washington left
the city, and established his headquarters at the Morris Mansion, at
One Hundred and Sixty-first Street, overlooking Harlem River and the
plains.[178]

[Footnote 177: "Till of late I had no doubt in my own mind of
defending this place, nor should I have yet, if the men would do their
duty, but this I despair of. It is painful, and extremely grating to
me, to give such unfavorable accounts; but it would be criminal to
conceal the truth at so critical a juncture."--_Washington to
C