defending its fortifications, and
exposed to the risk of a general action on unfavorable terms. For
these considerations, in which all his officers concurred, Washington
evacuated the post on the 18th, removing the cannon and stores, and
destroying the works; after which he drew his forces together in the
Highlands, and established his quarters at West Point. Sir Henry
retook possession of Stony Point, and fortified and garrisoned it more
strongly than ever, but was too wary to risk an attempt upon the
strongholds of the Highlands.

The brilliant affair of the storming of Stony Point was somewhat
overshadowed by the result of an enterprise at the eastward,
undertaken without consulting Washington. A British detachment from
Halifax, of seven or eight hundred men, had founded in June a military
post on the eastern side of the Bay of Penobscot, nine miles below the
river of that name, and were erecting a fort there, intended to
protect Nova Scotia, control the frontiers of Massachusetts, and
command the vast wooded regions of Maine.

The people of Boston, roused by this movement, which invaded their
territory, and touched their pride and interests, undertook, on their
own responsibility, a naval and military expedition intended to drive
off the invaders. A squadron of armed ships and brigantines under
Commodore Saltonstall put to sea, convoying transports, on board of
which were near four thousand land troops under General Lovel.
Arriving in the Penobscot on the 25th of May, they found Colonel
Maclean posted on a peninsula, steep and precipitous toward the bay,
and deeply trenched on the land side, with three ships-of-war anchored
before it.

Lovel was repulsed, with some little loss, in an attempt to effect a
landing on the peninsula; but finally succeeded before daybreak on the
28th. The moment was propitious for a bold and vigorous blow. The fort
was but half finished; the guns were not mounted; the three armed
vessels could not have offered a formidable resistance; but,
unfortunately, the energy of a Wayne was wanting to the enterprise.
Lovel proceeded by regular siege. He threw up works at seven hundred
and fifty yards distance, and opened a cannonade, which was continued
from day to day, for a fortnight. The delay gave time for Admiral
Collier at New York to hear of this enterprise, and take measures for
its defeat.

On the 13th of August, Lovel was astounded by intelligence that the
admiral was arrived before