. The Palisades of the Hudson : their formation, tradition, romance, historical associations, natural wonders and preservation. little garrisonto meet. Nearer and nearer came the crack of the muskets. Againand again an opening was made in the defenses. Again andagain it was resolutely closed. The little force of Americansfought shoulder to shoulder, as men only fight when desperatelypressed. For an hour and a half Cadwalladers 800 Pennsyl-vanians held back 5,000 British. Among these 800 stood Cor-bin, a Pennsylvania gunner. Behind him crouched his wife,Margaret. A shot mortally wounded him. Hi
. The Palisades of the Hudson : their formation, tradition, romance, historical associations, natural wonders and preservation. little garrisonto meet. Nearer and nearer came the crack of the muskets. Againand again an opening was made in the defenses. Again andagain it was resolutely closed. The little force of Americansfought shoulder to shoulder, as men only fight when desperatelypressed. For an hour and a half Cadwalladers 800 Pennsyl-vanians held back 5,000 British. Among these 800 stood Cor-bin, a Pennsylvania gunner. Behind him crouched his wife,Margaret. A shot mortally wounded him. His wife instantlytook his place at the gun and fired it steadily till a grape-shotprostrated her. She was the first woman to fight in the cause ofAmerican liberty, and the first woman to receive a pension fromthe Government in recognition of her services. WASHINGTON VIEWS THE DISASTER. While the din was at its height a silent and impressivescene was being enacted at Fort Lee on the opposite side of theriver. Upon the crest of the Palisades stood Washington andhis officers gravely watching the tide of battle. As the attack-. J^- ?%r^- The Palisades of the Hudson 21 ing columns worked nearer and nearer to the defenders a lookof anguish overspread the Commanders strong face. Takingpaper and pencil he hastily wrote a message to Magaw. Wash-ington had already seen that the defense was hopeless, but hebelieved that the little army might still be rescued. He im-plored Magaw to hold on till night when a rescuing force fromFort Lee would attempt to bring his men across the river. Captain Gooch, of Boston, took the message from the Gen-erals hand, and dashed down to the river bank with it. Here heleaped into a boat and rowed across to Jeffreys Hook. Helanded, leaped up the rocky bank, rushed into the fort and inperson handed the message to Magaw. Then the messenger ranout from the fort, reached his boat and rowed across to thewestern shore, which he regained in safety. Washingtons urgent
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