. The works of Washington Irving. security, by havingworks erected on the most advantageous placesfor that purpose. I/ce, in reply, objected to removing from hisactual encampment at Northcastle. It wouldgive us, said he, the air of being fright-ened ; it would expose a fine, fertile countryto their ravages ; and I must add, that we areas secure as we could be in any position what-ever. After stating that he should deposithis stores, etc., in a place fully as safe, andmore central than Peekskill, he adds: As toourselves, light as we are, several retreatspresent themselves. In short, if we keep
. The works of Washington Irving. security, by havingworks erected on the most advantageous placesfor that purpose. I/ce, in reply, objected to removing from hisactual encampment at Northcastle. It wouldgive us, said he, the air of being fright-ened ; it would expose a fine, fertile countryto their ravages ; and I must add, that we areas secure as we could be in any position what-ever. After stating that he should deposithis stores, etc., in a place fully as safe, andmore central than Peekskill, he adds: As toourselves, light as we are, several retreatspresent themselves. In short, if we keep agood look-out, we are in no danger; but Imust entreat your Excellency to enjoin theofficers posted at Fort Lee, to give us thequickest intelligence, if they observe any em-barkation on the North River. As to theaffair of Fort Washington, all that Lee observedon the subject was: O general, why wouldyou be over-persuaded by men of inferior judg-ment to your own ? It was a cursed affair. Lees allusion to men of inferior judgment,. o h. was principally aimed at Greene, whose influ-ence with the commander-in-chief seems tohave excited a jealousy of other officers ofrank. So Colonel Tilghman, Washingtonsaide-de-camp, writes on the 17th, to Robert ^ivingston of New York, We were ia afair way of finishing the campaign with creditto ourselves, and, I think, to the disgrace ofMr. Howe; and, had the general followed hisown opinion, the garrison would have beenwithdrawn immediately upon the enemys fall-ing down from Dobbs Ferry. But GeneralGreene was positive that our forces might at anytime be drawn off under the guns of Fort I^ experience has evinced the contrary. *Washingtons own comments on the reduc-tion of the fort, made in a letter to his brotherAugustine, are worthy of special note. Thisis a most unfortunate affair, and has given megreat mortification ; as we have lost, not onlytwo thousand men, f that were there, but agood deal of artillery, and some of the bestarms we
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