nel Dayton to apprehend him. Sir John,
with a number of his tenants, retreated for refuge among the Indians.
Shortly after this came intelligence that Sir John, with his Scotch
warriors and Indian allies, was actually coming down the valley of the
Mohawk, bent on revenge, and prepared to lay everything to waste.
Schuyler immediately collected a force at Albany to oppose him;
letters from Washington directed Schuyler to detach Colonel Dayton
with his regiment on that service, with instructions for him to secure
a post upon the old site of Fort Stanwix. Washington also authorized
Schuyler to hold a conference with the Six Nations, and secure their
active services, without waiting further directions from
Congress--that body having recently resolved to employ Indian allies.]

Lord Stirling, who, by Washington's orders, had visited and inspected
the defences in the Highlands, rendered a report of their condition,
of which we give the purport. Fort Montgomery, at the lower part of
the Highlands, was on the west bank of the river, north of Dunderberg
(or Thunder Hill). It was situated on a bank one hundred feet high.
The river at that place was about half a mile wide. Opposite the fort
was the promontory of Anthony's Nose, many hundred feet high,
accessible only to goats, or men expert in climbing. A body of
riflemen stationed here might command the decks of vessels. Fort
Montgomery appeared to Lord Stirling the proper place for a guard
post. Fort Constitution was about six miles higher up the river, on a
rocky island of the same name, at a narrow strait where the Hudson,
shouldered by precipices, makes a sudden bend round West Point. A
redoubt, in the opinion of Lord Stirling, would be needed on the
point, not only for the preservation of Fort Constitution, but for its
own importance.

The garrison of that fort consisted of two companies of Colonel James
Clinton's regiment, and Captain Wisner's company of minute men, in all
one hundred and sixty rank and file. Fort Montgomery was garrisoned by
three companies of the same regiment, about two hundred rank and file.
Both garrisons were miserably armed. The direction of the works of
both forts was in the hands of commissioners appointed by the
Provincial Congress of New York. The general command of the posts
required to be adjusted.

In view of all these circumstances, Washington, on the 14th of June,
ordered Colonel James Clinton to take command of both posts, and of
all the