"I am amenable to the commander-in-chief, and cannot supply you with troops as you order," he said. "In point of _law_ you are right," said Lee, "but in point of policy I think you are wrong. I am going into the Jerseys for the salvation of America; I wish to take with me a larger force than I now have, and request you to order two thousand of your men to march with me." "I cannot spare that number." "Then order one thousand." "No, not a thousand." "How many, then?" continued Lee. "Not one," answered Heath. "I may as well bring this matter to a point at once; not a single man will I furnish from this post by _your_ order." "Then," exclaimed Lee in an excited manner, "I will order them myself." "That makes a wide difference," rejoined Heath. "You are my senior, but I have received positive written instructions from him who is superior to us both, and I will not _myself_ break those orders. Read them." He handed Washington's letter to Lee, in which he positively forbade the removal of any troops from that post. "The commander-in-chief is now at a distance," said Lee, after reading the letter, "and he does not know what is necessary here as well as I do." Turning to Major Huntington, Lee said authoritatively: "You will order two regiments (designating the two) to march early to-morrow morning to join me." General Heath was surprised and indignant at Lee's assumption of authority, and he said to the major, "Issue such orders at your peril!" Then turning to Lee, he added: "Sir, if you come to this post, and mean to issue orders here which will break the positive ones I have received I pray you do it completely yourself, and through your own deputy adjutant-general, who is present, and not draw me or any of my family in as partners in the guilt." "It is right," answered Lee. "Colonel Scammel, do you issue the order." "I have one more request to make," interrupted General Heath, "and that is, that you will be pleased to give me a certificate that you _exercise command_ at this post, and order from it these regiments." Lee objected, but General George Clinton, who was present, said: "That is a very reasonable request, General Lee, and surely you cannot refuse it." Without replying, he immediately wrote the following: "For the satisfaction of General Heath, and at his request, I do certify that I am commanding officer, at this present writing, in this post, and that I have, in that capacity, ordered Prescott's and Wyllis' regiments to march." The next morning General Lee rode up to Heath's door, and said: "Upon further consideration I have concluded not to take the two regiments with me. You may order them to return to their former post." Evidently the ambitious and conceited general had come to the conclusion that "discretion is the better part of valor." General Lee did not cross the Hudson until the 4th of December, moving snail-like, although he knew that Washington's army was in imminent peril.