The writings of George Washington; being his correspondence, addresses, messages, and other papers, official and private, selected and published from the original manuscripts; with a life of the author, notes and illustrations. By Jared Sparks.

326 LIFE OF WASHINGTON. [1779.
through the hands of General McDougall, who commanded at West Point, and who would be in readiness
to send down a detachment by the way of Peekskill to
attack Verplanck's Point on the land side, while it was
cannonaded from Stony Point across the river. By
some misunderstanding, the messenger neglected to call
at West Point, and thus several hours were lost before
General McDougall received the intelligence. To this
delay has been ascribed the failure of the undertaking
against Verplanck's Point. From the letters of General
McDougall and other officers written at the time, however, it is evident that the want of horses and conveniences for the transportation of artillery was such,
as to render it impossible in any event to arrive at Ver
planck's Point with the adequate means of assault, before the enemy had assembled a sufficient force to give
entire security to the garrison.
When Washington examined Stony Point after the
capture, he resolved to evacuate the post, remove the
cannon and stores, and destroy the works. Being accessible by the enemy's vessels of war, a larger number
of men would be required for the defence than could
properly be spared from the main army; and at the
same time it might be necessary to hazard a general
action, which was by no means to be desired on such
terms as would be imposed, and for such an object.
Every thing was brought off, except one heavy cannon.
The enemy afterwards reoccupied the post, and repaired
the works.
About a month after the storming of Stony Point,
another enterprise similar in its character, and not less
daring, was executed by Major Henry Lee. At the
head of three hundred men, and a troop of dismounted
dragoons, he surprised the enemy's post at Paulus
Hook, opposite to New York, and took one hundred