The Americans thwarted the landing, and Gen. Sir William Howe, commander-in-chief of British forces in North America, looked for another location along Long Island Sound to disembark his troops.

The battle delayed British movements long enough for Washington to move the main army to White Plains and avoid being surrounded on Manhattan.

After a victory at the Battle of Long Island in late August, the commander-in-chief of British forces in North America, Gen. Sir William Howe landed his troops at Kip's Bay, on the eastern shore of present-day Manhattan, on September 15.

[3] George Washington and his army retreated to Harlem Heights, a plateau situated on the north end of Manhattan Island.

[6] After 26 days of contemplation, Howe decided against a frontal attack on Harlem Heights and Fort Washington, and chose instead to attempt a flanking maneuver.

[7] On October 12, leaving behind three brigades under the command of Lord Hugh Percy on Manhattan Island, Howe embarked his main army in 80 vessels and proceeded up the East River, through Hell Gate, and landed at Throgs Neck.

[7] Under the cover of fog, an advance force of 4,000 men under the command of General Henry Clinton was landed on Throgs Neck.

Col. Edward Hand and a detachment of 25 men from the 1st Pennsylvania Regiment positioned themselves behind a length of cordwood along the causeway, after having removed the planks of wood from the bridge.

[7] They surprised the British troops, who fell back and made an attempt to cross at the ford, which was guarded by another detachment.

[8] He made camp on Throgs Neck and remained there for six days while supplies and reinforcements, including 7,000 Hessian soldiers under the command of Gen. Wilhelm von Knyphausen, were brought up from New York.

[9] Just after midnight on October 18, Howe embarked his army again[8] and decided to land at Pell's Point near the town of Pelham, a few miles to the north.

By October 17, the Continental Army was on its way to White Plains,[11] leaving behind 2,000 men to garrison Fort Washington.

[13] Glover prepared an ambush by placing the main body in staggered positions behind the stone walls that lined either side of the laneway leading from the beachhead to the interior.

[17] The ambush worked, and the column of British troops took heavy losses and fell back to the main body of the invading army.

"[1] Historian George Athan Billias argues in support of Baldwin's estimates, due in part to the corroborating admission of another British deserter.

[1] With the British advance delayed, the main American army under Washington was able to safely evacuate from Harlem (on the island of Manhattan) to White Plains.