, amounted to
nearly three thousand men. As the fort could not contain above a third
of that number, most of them were stationed about the outworks.
Colonel Lambert Cadwalader, with eight hundred Pennsylvanians, was
posted in the outer lines, about two miles and a half south of the
fort, the side menaced by Lord Percy with sixteen hundred men. Colonel
Rawlings, of Maryland, with a body of troops, many of them riflemen,
was stationed by a three-gun battery, on a rocky, precipitous hill,
north of the fort, and between it and Spyt den Duivel Creek. Colonel
Baxter, of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, with his regiment of militia,
was posted east of the fort, on rough, woody heights bordering the
Harlem River, to watch the motions of the enemy, who had thrown up
redoubts on high and commanding ground on the opposite side of the
river, apparently to cover the crossing and landing of troops.

Sir William Howe had planned four simultaneous attacks; one on the
north by Knyphausen, who was encamped on the York side of King's
Bridge, within cannon shot of Fort Washington, but separated from it
by high and rough hills, covered with almost impenetrable woods. He
was to advance in two columns, formed by detachments made from the
Hessians of his corps, the brigade of Rahl, and the regiment of
Waldeckers. The second attack was to be by two battalions of light
infantry and two battalions of guards, under Brigadier-general Mathew,
who was to cross Harlem River in flat-boats, under cover of the
redoubts above mentioned, and to land on the right of the fort. This
attack was to be supported by the first and second grenadiers, and a
regiment of light infantry under command of Lord Cornwallis. The third
attack, intended as a feint to distract the attention of the
Americans, was to be by Colonel Sterling, with the 42d regiment, who
was to drop down the Harlem River in bateaux to the left of the
American lines, facing New York. The fourth attack was to be on the
south, by Lord Percy, with the English and Hessian troops under his
command, on the right flank of the American intrenchments.

About noon, a heavy cannonade thundering along the rocky hills, and
sharp volleys of musketry, proclaimed that the action was commenced.
Knyphausen's division was pushing on from the north in two columns, as
had been arranged. The right was led by Colonel Rahl, the left by
himself. Rahl essayed to mount a steep, broken height called Cock
Hill, which rises from Spy