The New York herald., 1876-09-17

Mra Murray responded with such graceful tact and
pleasant hunor that two hours more wero wnirisa
away before they had finished their resaie Duilhg
that precious time Putnam and hts command, IN their
struggling and dsordery retreat along The Blooming
dale road, had passed In safety within mile oi Tue
comfortable parors where the ilustrous generals who
were TO conquer America quafed with appreciation the
OLD Madeira jested complaceny at the discontinue Oh
the rebels. and unconsciousy measured the military
prudence OF the royal staff with the patriotic Wit oi an
American woman.
RELATIVE POSITIONS OF THE YoRcEs-
Tho headquarters OF the British Commander General,
Sir William Howe, the house OF Mr.. Apthorpe,
which stands near the corner Of Ninth avenue and
Nincty-nrst street, and 10 now known as Elm Park.
The encampmen OF the British extended the East
River, where General Howe's right rested on Horen's
Hook, near Eighty ninth street. 10 the North River,
where his lett Blooming gdac the distance being
about Two miles and both TANKS beng covered by MS
ships The encampmeDt extended from the fourth
to the eighth milestone. The division OF the
army lying near the Roger Morris House ex-
tended souhwardly to the Hollow Way
running from Harlem Plain To the Hudson RIVER at the
site OF the present Manhattanvilc a natural break
between the Harlem and the Bloomingdae heghis
Between the Point OF Rocks the southern extremity OF
the Harlem Heights, now being cut away the property
OF the Convent OF the Sacred Heart, and McGowan's
Pass at the northern extremity OF the Central Park and
lying the eastward OF Bloomingdalo Hoights, inter-
vcned low ground known as the Harlem Plans The
Point OF Rocks at l2th street. the advance post oil
the American army, and on the hill slope below Me-
Gowan's Pass At Tooth street, n mile anu half
distant, the advance post of tho British army.
The picket line OF eacn army extended beyond
these points into the Plains along the ridge which
overlooked them. As night closed around the Two
armies tho opposing heights cold driving RAIN
succeeded TO the sultry heat OF the morning. aud the
contrast between the thorough equipment of the Brit
sh troops ana the haclad, unshctered condition OF
the Americans, without tents or blankets, might have
extended, perhaps TO the temper OF the two armies.
The events Of the day had tended to confirm the
preston made by the battle of Long Island; TO in.
belief Of the British n their resistes supc
rioritv, and lower the confidence OF the Americans
in their officers and in themselves
OPENING THE BATTLE
On the morning OF Monday, the 10th OF September,
Washington concluded letter TO Congress the
affair at Kipps' Bay with the remark IL have sent out
some reconnoitcring parties to gain intelligence II pos
sibe OF the disposition OF the enemy" From the con
tcmporaneous authority OF an officer engaged In the
affair it appears that scouting party OF tho regiment
Colonel Thomas Knowlton, set out before
daybrcak with instructions to ascertain tho
position Of The m enemys r,su advanced need guard
have described as the Bloomingdalo Heights. Wash
lng,on, learning that the body OF the enemy, who
kept themselves concealed. was about 800, ordered
three companies OF Colonel Weedon's regiment IRON
Virginia. under the command Of Major Lcitch, and
Lieutepant Colonel Kuowlton with his Rangers try
and get their rear, while disposition made as
to attack them front and 70 draw their attention
that way Knowton, who was familiar with the
ground seems TO have guided his party by tho left
fank OF tho enemy through the woods OF tho western
slopes of the Bloomiuedalo Ridge, in which he had
fought in tho morping, ID order TO ail upon tnor
the field, put under the guidance of Adjuant Gen.
eral Reed Meanwhile at ten O'Clock demonstration
feint made on the front, which had the elect
intended by Washington The British troops immcdi-
ately down Tie hill to the round meadow at its
foot Here in the words of General Clinton, who
whose report the New York Convention is the
most detailed and intelIgible account Of 1t, they
opposed with spirit and soon made TO
retreat TO clear Held about 200 PAGES
$500 feet distant) southeast Of the ay
fence with bushes In this ght in which, IN the
words OF General Heath, there was good "inarksuan-
ship both sides, :, Colonel knowlton fell about noon
The officer OF the Rangers whose account of the early
morning skirmish we have freely quoted caught him
In his arms, and sent hm oil the field by two OF his
men, and he was taken to lines the horse Of
Adjuans General Reed, probably by the road we
have described, which, IN fact is the only road
laid down the maps OF the period, and the only
path practicable for horse. Knowion behaved With
the greatest courage and accepted his iatc with
brave composure. ''He seemed, T" wrote one OF his
officers unconcerned as though nothing mad hap
pcned to him" HIS last inquiry was us to the result OF
the action
Tho Americans having silenced the British fire in a
great measure Washington judged 1t prudent to order
retreat fearing the enemy he aftcrward learned
really tae case, were sending large body TO sup
port their party which would have involved his draw
ing supports from his strong position the Harlem
Heights and have brought on general engagement,
which he determined to avoid.
BRITISH yIgw or IT.
The British order for the 18th, tho day after the
battle, while expressing the highest opinion Of the
bravery OF the troops who 1t remarked had yester
day beaten back very superior body OF the rebels,
and, returning thanks 10 the battalion and the
officers OF the artillery that came TO
their support expressed tho ,disapproval by tho
Commander Chef of the light company in pursu-
ing the rebels without discretion, without support.
In the American ranks were the descendants OF the
Hollandcrs and Waloons, who, in the Netherlands,
had fought under the Prince OF Orange against Philip
OF spair and the Duke OF Ava; oil frenchmcn who
had served under Cogn ana Henry of Navarro, whose
kinsmen had fallen in the massacre OF ST. Bartholo-
news Day, had passed through The siege Of La Ro
cncllc WAITING vain FOR the assistance promised by
Elizabeth and never brought by the Earl OF Leicester
There the descendants OF those who had
fought for Denmark against rilly and walenstein,
following the banner OF the great Gusiavus Of the stout
Euglishncn who had batled for the paramentarians
Naseby and who had brought the king to the block
at whitehall; OF the Swiss, who with pixies in their
hands and stirred by tho horns Of Cr and INTER
walden, had defended the freedom OF the cantons
the delles OF the Alps against the trained soldiers Of
Austria; of the sturdy burgers who had maintained
against the Duke Of Burgundy the liberties Of Client
and Iiege; OF the heroes OF different nationality
but similar vigor who fought under Sobieski
aud saved Vienna from the Turks: who stood
with William OF Orange or with the partiSans
OF James the Battle OF the Boyne, which placed
frmer foundation the unity, strength and freedom Of
Great Britain; with the Dutch at La Hague, or with
that advcpiurous warrior, Charles XII. OF Russia,
against his victorious rval Peter the Great OF Russia
Misty as may be to Us the distant periods
through the cloudy medium OF imperfect annals, we
may still trace the transatlantic sources Of our varied
civilization, which, developed in this Western conti-
ncnt IN our hundrcdh birth year, make the American
traveller as he sets foot in parts of Europe feel as
Tcknor said when he crossed the Pyrenees, las II he
had gone back two centuries in timo"
EXAMPLE WORTHY or IMITATION.
The example OF Washington, whether at the head OF
the army or IN the char oil STATE stands alone III his
tory, and there scarcely event in annals in
which that stately figure is conspicuous from which
We may not learn lesson should the opening cen
tury have in store for you as the sovcrcgns
OF the land tria.s difficulties like those which
Washington encountered ct Kipp's Bay should
you chance upon emcrgcncics calling for ihe
highest courage devotion to protect the honor OF
the country, and should you, finding cowardice and
trcachery where you looked bravery and truth, be
moved TO exclam. ''Arc these the men with whom
defend American learu from the action OF thc
Father OF his Country as he rode down those heights
looked upon those plains how TO inspire with
age your demoralized forces, and TO wrest victory
from defeat
CONCLUDING KxEIcIsEs.
On the conclusion of this eloquent address Rev. DR..
Richard s. Storrs made few stirring remarks, in
which he adverted briefly to the Revolutionary stories
that had been told, and paid glowing tribute to
woman, giving much OF the credit OF the American
victory TO the Quaker lady, Mrs. Murray, who by her
charms and graces beguiled Clinton Tryon and other
roy alist commanders who had harod their advance
At her residence until their cooperation Of
va ue to the British leader
Ex-senator Beekman followed the reverend gentle