t den Duivel Creek, and was covered with
woods. Knyphausen undertook a hill rising from the King's Bridge road,
but soon found himself entangled in a woody defile, difficult to
penetrate, and where his Hessians were exposed to the fire of the
three-gun battery, and Rawlings' riflemen.

While this was going on at the north of the fort, General Mathew, with
his light infantry and guards, crossed the Harlem River in the
flat-boats, under cover of a heavy fire from the redoubts. He made
good his landing, after being severely handled by Baxter and his men,
from behind rocks and trees, and the breastworks thrown up on the
steep river bank. A short contest ensued. Baxter, while bravely
encouraging his men, was killed by a British officer. His troops,
overpowered by numbers, retreated to the fort. General Mathew now
pushed on with his guards and light infantry to cut off Cadwalader.
That officer had gallantly defended the lines against the attack of
Lord Percy, until informed that Colonel Sterling was dropping down
Harlem River in bateaux to flank the lines and take him in the rear.
He sent off a detachment to oppose his landing. They did it manfully.
About ninety of Sterling's men were killed or wounded in their boats,
but he persevered, landed, and forced his way up a steep height, which
was well defended, gained the summit, forced a redoubt, and took
nearly two hundred prisoners. Thus doubly assailed, Cadwalader was
obliged to retreat to the fort. He was closely pursued by Percy with
his English troops and Hessians, but turned repeatedly on his
pursuers. Thus he fought his way to the fort, with the loss of several
killed and more taken prisoners; but marking his track by the number
of Hessians slain.

The defence on the north side of the fort was equally obstinate and
unsuccessful. Rawlings with his Maryland riflemen and the aid of the
three-gun battery, had for some time kept the left column of Hessians
and Waldeckers under Knyphausen at bay. At length Colonel Rahl, with
the right column of the division, having forced his way directly up
the north side of the steep hill at Spyt den Duivel Creek, came upon
Rawlings' men, whose rifles, from frequent discharges, had become foul
and almost useless, drove them from their strong post, and followed
them until within a hundred yards of the fort, where he was joined by
Knyphausen, who had slowly made his way through dense forest and over
felled trees. Here they took post behind a