high, if practicable, as to cover the garrison from the fire that may be made against it from the ground on which Colonel Putnam is now encamped. This redoubt is so important, that it must be finished without delay. The chain to be fixed on the west side, in or near the Gap of the Snook, commanded by the fire from the east curtain of the work. The water-batteries now erected on the Point, to be completed as soon as possible, and two cannon placed in each, with the necessary shot and stores placed near them; if any of the cannon to be placed there require to be proved, it must be done before they are brought into the batteries. Such provisions as are on the Plain, to be removed into the Fort on the enemy's first appearing in force on the river, and no quantity left out at any time. Two small temporary magazines for ammunition to be made in the Fort for the present, to guard against rain; one also to be made for that of the cannon, in the batteries on the Point.

"It must be left to the discretion of the commanding officer at West Point, all circumstances considered, when to fire the alarm. In case of this event taking place in the present state of the works, the security of the Fort depends so much on the heights in the rear, on which the greatest force should be placed, that the commanding officer at West Point should take his quarters on the hill Colonel Putnam is now fortifying. Colonel Meigs's regiment, now at Robinson's farm, on hearing the alarm, will repair to West Point by the safest and securest passage. Six companies of his and Colonel Wyllis's regiment will take post in the works they are respectively erecting. The other two companies, with the invalids of the post and artificers, are to garrison the Fort,

under the orders of Major Grosvenor. Colonel Webb's
regiment is to take post in the works they are now mak-
ing, and Colonel Sherburn's to defend the redoubt to
be erected near the northwest corner of the Long Bar-
rack. Colonel Putnam's to take post on the hill which
they are now fortifying, and not to be ordered from
thence, but such detachments as he or the commanding
officer at the Post may judge necessary to secure the
avenues to his works. Should the enemy force the regi-
ments of Colonels Wyllis, Meigs and Webb from their
works, it will be most advancive of the defence of the
hills, which command the Fort, that those corps retire
to defend to the last extremity, the avenues leading to
Colonel Putnam's redoubt, and the ground on which he
is now encamped, unless some manoeuvre of the enemy
should induce the commanding officer of the post to de-
tach some of those corps for the security of Putnam's
redoubt. If the ground on which the enemy intend to
land, or the route on which he advances to our works,
render it necessary to detach any corps to oppose him,
it must be taken from the works erecting by Colonel
Wyllis's, Meigs's or Colonel Webb's regiment, and not
from the Fort, or Putnam's redoubt, as in case of mis-
fortune, the enemy's possessing the works first mention-
ed, will not be so fatal to the Post as his getting posses-
sion of the Fort, or Putnam's redoubt."

"P. S. The west face of the redoubt to be built near the Long Barrack, to be eighteen feet [high], the north and east faces fourteen feet; the stones to be kept as .much as possible from the upper part of the parapet of the works."*

*Zodiac, Nov., 1835, 67.

Two days after the foregoing instructions were issued [13th], General McDougall wrote that "the Fort was so nearly enclosed as to resist a sudden attack of the enemy; but the heights near it were such that the Fort would not be tenable if the enemy should possess them. For this reason we are obliged to make some works on them.

"Mr. Kosciuszko is esteemed by those who have attended the works at West Point to have more practice than Colonel Radière,* and his manner of treating the people is more acceptable than that of the latter, which induced General Parsons and Governor Clinton to desire the former may be continued at West Point."+

On the 18th of April, Colonel Robert Troup wrote from Fishkill to General Gates, President of the Board of War, that the works at West Point were in a great state of forwardness; that Kosciuszko was very much

*Colonel Louis Deshaix de la Radière, was one of four Engineers sent over from France by the Commissioners Franklin and Deane, and was employed by order of Congress. On the 8th of July, 1777, he was appointed Lieutenant-Colonel of Engineers, in accordance with a Treaty made in France. Feb. 13, 1777; promoted to the rank of Colonel, Nov. 17, 1777; retained at reorganization of the Army, January 1, 1779, and died in service, at New Windsor [in camp], on the 30th of October, 1779, in the 35th year of his age.*

Writings of Washington, Sparks, V., 311.

Thaddeus Kosciuszko was born in Lithuania, Poland, in 1756, and educated in the Military School at Warsaw. Under the auspices of Franklin, he came to America and was appointed an Aide to Washington. In October, 1776, he was appointed by Congress an Engineer, with the rank of Colonel. In this capacity he served as the Chief Engineer of the Northern Army against Burgoyne, and was subsequently assigned to the works in progress at West Point, where his reputation became greatly increased. He remained in service until the close of the War, receiving the thanks of Congress, and the grade of Brigadier-General by Brevet, Oct. 13, 1783. Returning to his native country in July, 1784, and becoming identified with the Polish Revolution, he there rose to the rank of Major

* Phila. Packet, Nov. 9, 1779.

esteemed as an able engineer, and that the latter had made many alterations in the works, which were universally approved.

The chain, he added, "will be put across the river this week, and if the enemy let us alone two weeks longer, we shall have reason to rejoice at their moving this way.

"

General under Poniatowski. On the 10th of October, 1794, he was captured by the Russians and confined at St. Petersburg.

After his liberation he visited the United States, in 1797, at which time Congress presented him a grant of land.

He died in Switzerland, Oct. 16, 1817, and was buried at Warsaw, with the highest honors.-[Encyclopædia Americana.]

* Gates, MSS. N. Y. Hist. Col.

CHAPTER V.

PROGRESS OF OBSTRUCTING THE HUDSON.-RELIC OF THE BOOM AND
CHAIN. LETTERS OF GENERAL GLOVER AND CAPTAIN MACHIN.-
DISPOSITION OF THE BOOM, CHAIN, ETC.-
.-FORT ARNOLD.-DIS-
CREPANCIES IN THE NAME OF THE WORK. ASSIGNMENT OF MAJOR-
GENERAL HEATH TO THE COMMAND.-HEAD-QUARTERS OF WASH-
INGTON ESTABLISHED AT WEST POINT.-WASHINGTON'S ORDERS.—
SEVERITY OF THE WINTER OF 1779-'80.--ASSIGNMENT OF GEN-
ERAL HOWE TO THE COMMAND OF THE POST.

THE obstructions to the navigation of the river had suffered less from the delay before mentioned than the Forts. Governor Clinton, in accordance with his promise to render any assistance in his power," had exercised considerable supervision over that branch of the service; and had directed Captain Machin, who had been employed in completing the obstructions at Pollopel's Island, to take charge of the obstructions at West Point also. The links of the Chain were brought from the Stirling Iron Works to Captain Machin's Forges at New Windsor, where they were joined together and properly fastened to the logs which formed the support of the Chain when completed.

From the Contract of Noble & Townsend, dated Feb. 2d, 1778, we are enabled to fix the time of the com

*Thomas Machin was born in Staffordshire, England, 20th March, 1744. He took up his residence in Boston, and, espousing the popular feeling of the time, made one of the Tea-Party in 1773; was wounded at Bunker Hill. while acting as Lieutenant of Artillery. He continued in service until the close of the War, having attained the rank of Captain of Artillery, and died April 3d, 1816, at the age of 72-[Sim's History of Schoharie County]