After the reduction of this Post [Fort Washington] which the Rebels had looked upon as allmost impregnable, The General [Howe] lost no time in pursuing his success, and imediately sent my Lord Cornwallis with 5. Thousand Men into the Jerseys to attack the Fort on the opposite side of the River. They embarked in the Flat Boats early in the Evening, intending to land at Midnight at a place about 5 Miles further up the River: But when his Lordship came to see the place, the path seemed so narrow, & difficult of access, that he could not be persuaded that it was the right spot, and went alongshore 2 or 3 Miles further to look for a better: by which delay the Enemy got apprized of their being landed and had just time enough to make their escape before the Army appeared in sight, and had drawn out of the Fort some of theirCannon & Mortars, but as My Lord Cornwallis was imediately reinforced to 10 Thousand Men he marched into the Country, where the Rebels flew every where before him, and all their Cannon & Military stores fell into his hands, among which were the Mortars that had been taken in the Nancey ordnance Brig the last winter,² and every thing else of any consequence that they had taken from us. During this time My Lord Howe was exerting himself to the utmost to annoy the Enemy by sea: every Ship was sent out to cruize on different stations the moment they could be no longer useful at New York