Conduct of Sir William Howe Observations upon the Conduct of S-r W---m H-e at the White Plains; As Related in The Gazette of December 30, 1776

Excerpt

IR W——m H—e having called for papers for the satisfaction of the public, and thereby invited us to read and attend to them, I have been accidentally led to the perusal of one of them, and here offer what has occurred upon the occasion.

The observations are confined solely to the General's and Admiral's own account. And, that the reader's mind may not be prejudiced, he is desired first to peruse the letters themselves; with Faden's and many other larger maps of New York and Long Island. The latter part of the letters, upon the taking Fort Washington, is omitted as having no relation to that subject.

THE LONDON GAZETTE
Published by Authority

Extraordinary:
Monday, December 30, 1776

Whitehall, December 30, 1776

This morning, Captain Gardner, one of General Sir William Howe's aids de camps, arrived in his Majesty's ship Tamar from New York, with the following dispatches from General Sir William Howe to Lord George Germain:

MY LORD, New York, November 30, 1776.

The service in which I have been employed since the departure of Captain Balfour with advice of the reduction of New York, would not allow of an earlier time to send an account to your Lordship of the progress made from that period.

The very strong positions the enemy had taken on this island and fortified with incredible labour determined me to get upon their principal communication with Connecticut, with a view of forcing them to quit the strongholds in the neighborhood of King's Bridge, and if possible bring them to action. All previous arrangements having been made, the army embarked on the 12th of October, in flat boats and other craft, and passing through the dangerous navigation of Hell Gate in a very thick fog, landed on Frog's Neck, near the town of West Chester, about nine in the morning, the Carysfort being placed to cover the descent. The presence of Lord Howe, the activity of Commodore Hotham, most of the Captains of the fleet, and of the navy officers in general, were infinitely conducive to the King's service in this difficult movement; only one artillery boat was overset, having three six-pounders on board, which were lost, and three men drowned.

Lieutenant-General Earl Percy remained with two brigades of British and one of the Hessians in the lines near Haerlem, to cover New York.

The army remained in this situation until the stores and provisions could be brought up, and three battalions of Hessians drawn from Staten Island, which, together with some bad weather intervening, caused a delay of five days. On the 18th several corps re-embarked in flatboats, and passing round Frog's Neck, landed on Pell's Point at the mouth of Hutchinson's River; after which the main body crossed the mouth of that river to the same place, advanced immediately and laid that night upon their arms, with the left upon a creek opposite to East Chester, and the right near to New Rochelle.

On the march to this ground, a skirmish ensued with a small party of the enemy posted to defend a narrow causeway, who were pursued for a mile, when a considerable body appearing in front, behind stone walls and in woods, some companies of light infantry and a part of the chasseurs were detached to dislodge them, which they did effectually; Lieutenant-Colonel Musgrave commanding the first battalion of light infantry, and Captain Evelyn of the Fourth regiment, were both wounded; the latter is since dead, and much to be regretted as a gallant officer; but Lieutenant-Colonel Musgrave is in a fair way of recovery; three soldiers were killed and twenty wounded; the enemy's loss upon this occasion was a Lieutenant-Colonel killed, a Major wounded, and about ninety men killed and wounded.

The part of the Sixteenth Light Dragoons that arrived with Lieutenant-Colonel Harcourt on the third instant (one transport being still missing) and the whole of the Seventeenth Light Dragoons, joined the army on the 20th....