Dear General

I have to inform you that in Consequence of Intelligence received by General Putnam from Gen^l. Parsons (who lay with his Brigade at the White Plains) of the Enemy's having received a Reinforcement from Europe, at New York, and that by their Movements there was Reason to believe they intended an Attack on Peekskill, and possess themselves of the Passes in the Highlands.—The General immediately wrote me these Circumstances: and to prevent, if possible, the disagreeable Conse­quences that might arise if the Army at the different Posts, was not timely reinforced, I ordered that Part of the Militia of this State that had not already marched to the Northward, to move, and Part of them to join General Putnam; and the Remainder to reinforce the Posts of Fort Montgomery and Fort Clinton; but it being a critical Time with the Yeomanry, as they have not yet sown their Grain and there being at that Time no Appearance of the Enemy, they were extremely restless and uneasy, so­licited General Putnam for Leave to return, and many of them went home without his Permission; urged by these Considerations he thought proper to dismiss a Part of them.—As I thought it essentially necessary that they should remain in the Field for some Time in Order to check the Progress of the Enemy should they attempt to put their Designs in Execution, I issued another Order, for one half of them immediately to march, Part of them to join General Putnam and a sufficient Number to reinforce the Forts and the Pass at Sydman's Bridge at the Mouth of the Clove; and in Order to induce them to turn out with the greater Alacrity, I thought it necessary to fix their Time of Service to one Month, at the Expiration of which Time they were to be relieved by the other half—While this was in agitation, and before a proper Arrangement could possibly be made by the respective Officers, what Part of them could serve for the first Month, in which they were not so expeditious as was ab­solutely necessary, as the Event has fully evinced. For a Number of the Enemy's Ships having made their Appearance on the 3^d. Ins^t. in Tarry Town Bay from whence they weighed Anchor the next Day, being joined by several Ships of War and Transports from New York. They proceeded up the River as high as King's Ferry, and at Day­ break on Sunday the 5^th. landed a considerable Body of Men on Verplank's Point. As I was apprehensive from many Circumstances that an Attack on the Forts was in­ tended, I dispatched Major Logan,¹ an alert Officer, who was well acquainted with the Ground on Sunday Evening thro' the Mountain to reconnoitre and if possible gain Intelligence of the Enemy's Motions—The Major returned about nine O'Clock on Monday, informing me that from the best Intelligence he could procure, and the rowing of the Boats, he had Reason to believe they had landed a considerable Force on the West Side of the River at King's Ferry, and between that and Dunderbergh: But as the Morning was foggy it was impossible to discern them so as to form any Judgement of their Numbers.—As soon as I had obtained this Intelligence I imme­diately dispatched Lieu^t: Jackson² with a small Party to discover the Enemy's Move­ments; But they had not proceeded more than two Miles on the Haverstraw Road when they were attacked by a Party of the Enemy who had formed an Ambuscade at a Place called Doodle Town—they immediately retreated after returning the Fire—as soon as the firing was heard I detached Lieu^t. Colo. Bruyn³ with 50 Continental Troops and as many of the Militia under Lieu^t. Colonel M^c.Laughry⁴ to sustain Lieu^t. Jackson, the Garrison being at that Time so weak we could not afford them greater Aid on that Road, and I imagined it would be necessary to send out a Party likewise on the Road which leads to the Forest of Dean. The Detachments under Colonels Bruyn and M^c:Laughry were soon engaged, but being too weak to withstand the Enemy's great Force retreated to Fort Clinton, disputing the Ground Inch by Inch. Their gallant Opposition and the Roughness of the Ground checked the Progress of the Enemy for some Time. While Matters were in this Situation in the Neigh­bourhood of Fort Clinton, a large Body of the Enemy were advancing on the Road which leads from the Forest of Dean to Fort Montgomery—As I had only one Field Piece at the above Fort, I ordered Col^o. Lamb⁵ of the Artillery to send it off to an ad­vantagious Post on that Road, with a Covering Party of 60 Men, and another of the same Number to sustain them in Order to give the Enemy a check and retard their Movements 'till I could receive a Reinforcement from Gen^l. Putnam to whom I had sent an Express for that Purpose. This Order being immediately complied with the Piece had hardly reached the Place of it's Destination and the Covering Party posted on strong Ground, when the Enemy were seen advancing with hasty Strides, but being unexpectedly annoyed by Discharges of Grape Shot from the Field Piece, and a well­ directed Fire from the Musquetry, which made great Havock among them, (as we have since been informed) they were repeatedly driven back 'till filing off thro' the Woods upon the right and left with a View of surrounding our Men, and the  Hand­ful of brave Fellows being alarmed at their critical Situation were constrained to aban­don the Field Piece after rendering it useless to the Enemy by spiking it. In Order to cover the Men who were retreating and to check the farther Progress of the Enemy I ordered out a twelve Pounder, which being well served with Grape Shot annoyed them greatly and gave the Men an Opportunity of retreating into the Garrison with very little Loss on our Side; except that of Capt: Lieu^t: Fenno,⁶ who commanded the Field Piece, and was made a Prisoner. This was about two O'Clock P:M. and the Enemy approached the Works and began the Attack, which continued with few Intervals till about five OClock when an Officer appeared with a Flag. I ordered L^t. Colo. Liv­ingston⁷ to meet him without the Works and know his Business. Colo^l. Livingston, having demanded his Rank and Business, he was told by the Bearer of the Flag that he was a Lieu^t. Colo^l. Campble,⁸ and that he came to demand a surrender of the Fort to prevent the Effusion of Blood. Colo^l. Livingston replied he had no authority to treat with him, but if they would surrender themselves Prisoners of War, they might depend on being well treated, and if they did not chuse to accept of those Terms they might renew the Attack as soon as he should return within the Fort, we being determined to defend it to the last Extremity. As soon as L^t. Co^l. Livingston returned the Attack was renewed with great Violence, and after as obstinate a Resistance as our Situation, and the Weakness of the Garrison would admit of, having defended the Works from two OClock 'till the Dusk of the Evening, when the Enemy, by the Superiority of Numbers, forced the Works on all Sides—The Want of Men prevented us from sustaining and supporting every Part, having received no Reinforcement from General Putnam. Our Loss killed, wounded and Prisoners is not so great as might have been expected, when the Strength of the Enemy and our Weakness is properly considered. My Brother Wounded with a Bayonet many Officers and Men, and myself, having the Advantage of the Enemy, by being well acquainted with the Ground, were so fortunate as to effect an Escape under cover of the Night, after the Enemy were possessed of all the Works. I was so happy as to get into a Boat, crossed the River, and immediately waited on General Putnam, with a View of concerting measures for our future Operations, to prevent the Designs of Gen^l. Clinton and im­pede his Progress in facilitating the Movements of Burgoyne from the Northward. I can assure your Excellency that I am well convinced if Night had not approached rather too fast to correspond with our Wishes the Enemy would have been disap­pointed in their Expectations, as a Reinforcement of 500 Men from General Put­nam's Army were at the East Side of the River ready to pass for our Relief when the Works were forced, and many of the Militia in the Mountains on their March to join us, had not the Communication between us and them been cut off.—

I have to add that by some Fatality the two Continental Frigates were lost, they hav­ing been ordered down by Genl: Putnam for the Defence of the Chain; but being badly manned they could not be got off in Time, though I ordered the Ship Congress to pro­ceed to Fort Constitution the Day before the Attack, lest she should meet with a Dis­aster; and the Ship Montgomery, which lay near the Chain, having neither Anchors nor Cables to secure her, it being the Tide of ebb, and the Wind failing, she fell down so near the Chain, that Capt^n. Hodge⁹ was constrained to set her on Fire to prevent her falling into the Hands of the Enemy, and  the Congress unfortunately getting aground on a Flat near Fort Constitution shared the same Fate,¹⁰ And Fort Constitution being destitute of Troops to defend it was evacuated, after bringing off Part of the Stores—I am now about 3 miles from New Windsor, with Col^o. Samuel B. Webb's Regt. of Con­tinental Troops, the Remains of Co^l. DuBois's,¹¹ and about 100 of Col^l. Lamb's Regi­ment which escaped from the Fort (with some Militia) and intend to collect what Force I possibly can to oppose the Enemy should they land on this Side the River.—

General S^r. Henry Clinton commanded in Person. Governor Tryon,¹² Genl. Vaughan¹³ and two other General Officers were with him. The Army who attacked us by the lowest Accounts consisted of 4000, chiefly British and Hessian troops. The Gar­rison of both our Posts did not exceed 600 Men, and many of these unarmed Militia. The ordinary Garrison was thus reduced by detaching Major Moffat with 200 Men to the Post at Sidman's Bridge an[d] Col^o. Malcom 's Regim^t. being ordered from thence, and 60 Men on Anthony's Nose by Gen^l. Putnam's Orders received the Day before the Action. I have only to add that where great Losses are sustained, hower unavoidable, public Censure is generally the Consequence to those who are immediately concerned. If in the present Instance this should be the Case I wish so far as relates to the Loss of Fort Montgomery and it's Dependencies it may fall on me alone; for I would be guilty of the greatest Injustice were I not to declare that the Officers and Men under me of the different Corps behaved with the greatest Spirit and Bravery.—I am [&c.]

I have not yet been able to ascertain the Number of Missing on our side—Part of the Garrison were Militia frome whom it is difficult to get Returns—Lieu^t Col^os Livingston [and] Bruyn, Majors Logan & Hammill are Prisoners, Col^o. Allison¹⁴ Lieu^t Col^I Mc­Claghry of the Militia & my Brigade Major Lush¹⁵ are missing—I hope my peculiar Situation will be a sufficient Appology for not writing your Excellency sooner espe­cially as I had Gen^l Putnams Promise to give you an early Acc^t of this Important Event—I inclose your Excellency a Letter from Gen^l Sir Henry Clinton to Gen^l Burgonie which I found on one Dan^l. Taylor—It was inclosed in a small Silver Ball which when taken he swallowed; but a strong Dose of Tarteremettic brought it forth—I have good Authority to assure your Excellency that the Enemy suffered great Loss at Fort Montgomery they had 4 Field Officers & a Young Noble Man a Vollunteer  killed & by their own Account about 300 Rank & File