New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-01-25

a clsse and deadly conflict The enemy bed pitched
number of tents about mile distant. Their sentres
were but 9 quarter of a mile ID, and close 10 the
American sentres. AZ 90 clock IN the morning, ssh
gton went the round of the works, to see that s was
night, and 10 speak words of encouragement. The
m.Iling broke lowering and dreary. LaTge encamp-
m,nts were gradually deserted; 10 appearance, the
ertny were twenty thousand strong. As the day ed.
varced their ordnance began To play upon the works
They wtr. proceeDg To ntrench the selycs bat were
driven into their tents by drrnchiDg rain.
Early in the morning Gen. Miffiin sulved IN camp,
with part of the troops which had been stationed a.
Fort Washington and Kings Bridge. He brought
with him She's prime Philadelphia Regiment. and
Nagawr Pennsylvania Regiment, both well disciplined
and offered and accustomed 10 act together. They
were so much reduced in number, however. by sick
ness that they did not amount IN the whole to NOR
than eight hundred men. With hithin came also Col
Gloyers Massachusetts, regiment composed ehehy oil
Marbehead fishermen and sailors, hardy, adroit, and
veatherproof trimy clad in blue jcckcts and trow-
sors. The detachment numbered, IN the whoe, aoou'
thirteen hundred men, al fresh and tuil OF spIlte'
Every eve Frightened as they marched brRkiy along
the hne with alert step and CHEEKY aspect They were
posted at the et exrC nifty of the inTcnchmenS, TO-
ward the Walabout.
There were ski1nishes throughout the day between
the rifemen on tho advanced posts and the British
rregulars," which at times were quite severe; but
no decided attack was attempted. The main body OF
the eremy kept within their tents until the latter part
of the day when they began to break ground at about
FIVE hundred yards distance from the works a. If pre-
On the 29th there dense tog over the ISLAND,
that appel everything in mystery In the course OF
the morning General hfiin, with Adutant.General
Reed, Colonel Grayson OF Virginia one OF ash
inet MS aide s-decamp, rode TO the western outposs
in the neigbborhood OF Red Hook. While they were
there light breeze ited the fog from part of the
NewYork Bay and revealed the British ships nj their
anchorage opposite Staten Island. There appeared TO
be an unusual hustle among them. Boats were pas.
ing to and from the Admrals ship az If seeking or
caIrying orders. Some movement was apparently IN
agitation. The idea occurred to the accommodating
party that the fleet was preparing, should the "inu
Turn of the tide silence the feeble batteries at Red
aud the city, and anchor in the East River In
that case the army on Long lslsnd would be- com
petely surrounded and entrapped
Alarmed at this pcri,ous probability, they spurred
back TO headquarters TO urge the immediate with
drawa of the army. As this might not be acceptable
advice, Reed, embolentd by his intimacy with the
CommandeI-in-C hef undertook to give it. Washing
ton instantly summoned council OF war. The dlih-
Guilty already apparent of guarding such extensive
works with troops atgued and dspirted, and exposed
to the inclemencits OF the weather Other dangers
now presented themselves. Their communication with
Nev-York might BE- cut of from the feet below.
Other ships had passed round Long Island, and were
al Flushing Bay on the Souni. These might land
troops on the East side OF Harlem River, and make
themselves masters of Kings Bridge, that key of Man
haitian Island. Taking all these things into consllera
tion resolved to cross with thetr"ops TO the city
tlat very night.
Never did retreat require greater secrecy and cir
cumepection Nine thousand men, with all the NUM-
tons of war to be withdrawn from before VIC
torious army encnmped near that every stroke Of
spade and pcksx from their trenches could be heard
The retire atirg troops, moreover wercto be embarked
and conveyed n strait three quarters ot mile
wide, swept by rapid tides. The least alarm OF their
movement would bring the enemy upon them, and
produce a terrible # confusion and carnage at
the place of embaIkaion.
Washington made the preparatory arrangements
With great alertness yet profound secrecy Verbal
oIdtr' were sent to Col. Hughes, who acted quar-
general TO impress ell water croft, large
ard mall, from Spuyten Duyve, on the Hudson, round
10 Hell Gate on the Sound, and have them on the east
tide Of the city by evening. The order issued at
neon and so promptly executed that, although some
OF the sells had to be brought distance OF fifteen
miles, they were all at Brooklyn at o'clock in the
evening, and put under the management OF Col GLOW
er's auphibious Marblehead regiment.
To r, pare the army for q general movement with
out be.raying tho object, orders issued for the
troops to hold themselves in readiness for night
attack upon the enemy. The orders caused surprise
for the poor fellows exhausted, AMI their arms
re nd red nearly useless by the rain; ALL however, pre-
pared 10 obey; but several made nuncupative wills ~
stomary among soldiers on the eve Of sudden and
deadly peril.
According to WashiDgtons plan of retreat, to keep
the enemy from discovering the withdrawal OF the
Americans until their main body should have embarked
in the boats and pushed oft from the shore Gen. Milf
din was TO remain at the lines with his Pennsylvana
trOOps ana the gallant renAlDs Ol
and Hands regiments, with guards posted and senti-
nels ale If nothing extraordinary was taking place.
when the main embarkation was effected, they were
Themselves to move of quietly, march brsky to the
frry and embark. la ease of any alarm that might
dis ouceIt the arrangements Brooklyn Church was to
be tie alyng- place, whittier all should repair, 80 a.
unit. dly to resist any attack.
II WIS late in the evening when the troops began 20
ret re ION the breastworks. As one regiment quietly
withdrew from their station guard the troops on the
right and eft moved up and filed the vacancy. There
a stined puImur IN the camp unavoidable in
mov, IN, ut OF the kind but it gradually died away 10
tie direction OF the river the main body moved on
in silence and order. The youthful Hamilton, whose
military m. rits had the favor of General Greene,
and who had lost his baggage and oldpiece IN the
battle brought mp the rear OF the rereaIng party In
the d, ad Of the night and in the midst OF this hushed
and anxious movement, a cannon went oH with tire
mendous roar. The effect says an American VINO
was pretent was at once alarming and sublime. IL
the explosion within lines the gun WA prob
ably discharged the act ofspking it, and could have
Le.n 30 ass matter sfspeculstion to the enemy than
TO ourselves.
What with the greatness of the stake, the dark.
ness of the night, the uncertainty Of the design and
tie .Irs hazard Ofthe ISSUE adds the same writer,
" il would be difficult to conceive o more deeply
po mn aud interesting scene"
Tie meaning OF this midnight gun was never as
c.rtained fon unatey, though startled the Ameri-
cars il failed to rouse the BIitsh camp.
In the me- an time the embarkation went on with al
TO, ,ibe di,pacb under the vigiant eye of Washing
top VII stationed bimself at the ferry experimenting
,veIy movement. In bis anxiety for dispatch, be sent
Lack Col. scamme Of his ads-de-camp, to hasten
fIv ard al tie Ioo ps that were on the march seam
blunder,d in executing bis Grand and gave the
order t. Hifin likewise. The General instantly called
in Lis ptkets and sentnes and set off for the ferry.
BY this time tie tide had turned; there was strong
ind from the northeast; the boats with oars Were
insufficient TO convey the troops; those With sails
oou.d not make tsadway against wind and tide There
was s.me confusion at tie ferry and in the midst OF II,
a. with he gho