hundred and fifty men, nearly
all from Connecticut and New York. A very few were killed and wounded,
Major Chapman, of Tyler's regiment, being among the former.

The officer of highest rank among the prisoners was Colonel Samuel
Selden, of Hadlyme, Conn., mentioned on page 121. (See biographical
sketches, Part II.) One of his officers was Captain Eliphalet Holmes,
afterwards of the Continental line, a neighbor of the Colonel's. Being
a man of great strength he knocked down two Hessians, who attempted to
capture him, and escaped.]

During the day, meantime, the British occupied the city. After the
departure of the last troops under Silliman (Knox with others escaping
to Powle's Hook by boats) a white flag was displayed on Bayard's Hill
Redoubt by citizens, and in the afternoon a detachment from the fleet
first took possession.[193] In the evening a brigade from Howe's force
encamped along the outer line of works. The next forenoon, the 16th,
"the first of the English troops came to town," under General
Robertson, and were drawn up in two lines on Broadway. Governor Tryon
was present with officers of rank and a great concourse of people.
"Joy and gladness seemed to appear in all countenances;" while the
first act of the victors was to identify and confiscate every house
owned and deserted by the rebels. "And thus," says the now happy
loyalist pastor Shewkirk, "the city was delivered from those Usurpers
who had oppressed it so long."

[Footnote 193: _Baurmeister's Narrative._ _Shewkirk's Diary._]

* * * * *

Fortunately, the demoralizing effect of the panic of the 15th was to
be merely temporary. Indeed, before the details of the affair had time
to circulate through the camps and work further discouragement or
depression, there occurred another encounter with the enemy on the
following morning, which neutralized the disgrace of the previous day
and revived the spirits of our army to an astonishing degree. So much
importance was attached to it at the time as being a greatly needed
stimulant for the American soldier that it becomes of interest to
follow its particulars. It has passed into our history as the affair
or

BATTLE OF HARLEM HEIGHTS.[194]

Never for a moment relaxing his watch over the enemy's movements,
Washington, before daylight on the morning of the 16th, ordered a
reconnoitring party out to ascertain the exact position of the
British. The party consisted of the detachmen