British Infantry to take in opposing Crary's
party. The soldier Martin speaks of their taking a post and rail fence
with a field in their rear. General George Clinton, who gives a clear
description of the fighting from this point, also mentions this field
and fence, but appears to have been mistaken in stating that the enemy
were driven back to that position. They ran down the hill and took up
that position. Then, when driven back, they retreated in the general
direction of their first advance--that is, towards their camp, passing
through a buckwheat field, and orchard to the Bloomingdale Road, and
not, as generally stated, to the high ground in Central Park east of
Eighth Avenue. General Clinton says they fell back from the orchard
"across a hollow and up another hill not far distant from their own
lines," which doubtless refers to undulations on Hogeland's place, and
possibly to the then hilly ground about One Hundred and Seventh Street
and Eleventh Avenue. One of the Hessian accounts states that the
Yagers who were sent to support the Light Infantry came into "a hot
contest on Hoyland's Hill"--a reference clearly to Hogeland's lands;
and this with the fact that the Yagers and Grenadiers afterwards
bivouacked "in the wood not far from Bloomingdale," and that the
British "encamped in two lines" at the same place, indicates the point
where the action terminated--namely, near Bloomingdale, between
Hogeland's and Apthorpe's.

In regard to the beginning of the action, General Clinton, in his
account, starts with a locality called "Martje Davits Fly," and
estimates distances from it. This name, more properly "Marritje
David's Vly," strictly described the round piece of meadow at the
western end of the Hollow Way close to the Hudson. It formed part of
Harlem Cove. Old deeds, acts, and surveys give the name and site
exactly. Clinton speaks of the "Point of Martje David's Fly" as if he
had reference to a point of land in its vicinity, possibly the Point
of Rocks, and from which he gives his distances.

The name of the battle appears perhaps most frequently in modern
accounts as that of Harlem _Plains_. Greene and others speak of it as
the action of Harlem _Heights_ or the heights of Harlem. As the
movements were directed by Washington from the Heights, and as the
fighting was done practically in defence of the Heights, this seems to
be the proper name to adopt. Heath says the fighting took place "on
the Heights west of Harl