Fort Washington, on the east bank of the Hudson, near New York city, fell into the hands of the enemy on the 16th of November, 1776, and the garrison of nearly three thousand men became prisoners of war. The skirmish at White Plains had recently [[October 28, 1776]] occurred, and Washington, penetrating the design of the enemy to pass into New Jersey and march to the capture of Philadelphia, had already crossed the Hudson with the main body of the American army, after securing some positions on the east bank, between Kingsbridge and the Highlands. He encamped at Hackensack, in the rear of Fort Lee where General Greene was in command. Lord Cornwallis crossed the Hudson at Dobbs's Ferry, with six thousand men, on the 18th, and landing at Closter, a mile and a [[November, 1776]] half from English Neighborhood, proceeded to attack Fort Lee. The garrison made a hasty retreat, and joined the main army at Hackensack, five miles distant. All the baggage and military stores at Fort Lee fell into the hands of the enemy. It was an easy conquest for Cornwallis; and had he followed up this successful beginning with energy, [[[Retreat of the Americans across New Jersey.--Decrease of the Army.--Tardy Movements of General Lee.]]] {222}there is every probability that he would have captured Washington and his army. The latter commenced a retreat toward the Delaware when Cornwallis approached, hoping to be sufficiently re-enforced by the New Jersey and Pennsylvania militia to be enabled to make a successful stand against the invaders at some intermediate point. But late reverses had dispirited the militia, and Washington found his army diminishing at every step rather than augmenting. [Illustration: 9230] By the last of November scarcely three thousand troops remained in the American army. For three weeks he fled before Cornwallis across the level districts of New Jersey. Newark, New Brunswick, Princeton, and Trenton were successively evacuated by the Americans and occupied by the enemy. Often the music of the pursued and the pursuers would be heard by each other, yet no action occurred. Arrived at Trenton on the 8th of December, Washington and his army crossed the Delaware in boats. The last one had reached the Pennsylvania shore just as one division of Cornwallis's army, with all the pomp of victors, marched into Trenton. This was about twelve o'clock at night. The British commander, with the main body of the troops, halted within six miles of Trenton.