. Papers and proceedings of the Bergen County Historical Society . n-gress, to the Governor of New Jersey (Livingston), andothers, urging measures for recruiting the army, even thoughhe was discouraged at the apathy of the states. The 15thof the month passed, the 16th, the 17th, and the 18th—all wasquiet. The night of the 19th was dark and rainy. Then itwas that Lieutenant-General, the Earl Comwallis, bosomfriend of General Howe, left the New York side of the riverwith 6,000 men and landed at the foot of the Palisades at theold Closter landing. A queer picture of this landing represent-ing sol
. Papers and proceedings of the Bergen County Historical Society . n-gress, to the Governor of New Jersey (Livingston), andothers, urging measures for recruiting the army, even thoughhe was discouraged at the apathy of the states. The 15thof the month passed, the 16th, the 17th, and the 18th—all wasquiet. The night of the 19th was dark and rainy. Then itwas that Lieutenant-General, the Earl Comwallis, bosomfriend of General Howe, left the New York side of the riverwith 6,000 men and landed at the foot of the Palisades at theold Closter landing. A queer picture of this landing represent-ing soldiers scaling the heights by a blind road, was foundsome years ago in a country house in England among thepapers of Lord Rawdon, an English officer, and was later pub-lished in Harpers Magazine. Before daylight his troops stoodon the top of the Palisades, about five miles above Fort Lee,and one and a half from the Liberty pole. General Greenehad posted sentinels in expectation of this move, but he saysth«y kept such a slack watch that the enemy had scaled the. heights before they knew it. News came to General Greenewhile in bed. The men were preparing their breakfasts, buthe at once ordered them into line for the retreat (at first hethought he would give battle but he soon gave up that idea),and sent a despatch to Washington at the old house on theGreen. Then began the march from darkness to daylight ;from weakness to strength. Records relating to this march are very full and thereneed to be little mistake in regard to it. Washington andGreene, Howe and German diarists, besides contemporary his-torians, have left accounts. Good maps exist,-and yet thereare many points omitted which we, here on the spot, wouldlike to know. Washingtons account shows that he was some-what misinformed and nervous. He says in his letter to thepresident of Congress: As Fort Lee was always consideredonly necessary in conjunction with that on the east side of theriver, it has become of no importance
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