eleven
o'clock
A cannonade was kept up for several days . On September 13 some ships-of-war were brought up to cover the passage . Washington , seeing the preparations , began to evacuate the city and to abandon the strong intrenchments which he had thrown up . At eleven o'clock on the morning of the 15th the men-of-war opened a heavy fire , and Clinton 's division , consisting of 4000 men in eighty-four boats , sailed up the river , landed on Manhattan Island at a place called Kipp 's Bay , and occupied the heights of Inclenberg , the enemy abandoning their intrenchments at their approach . General Washington rode toward Kipp 's Bay to take command of the troops stationed there , but found the men who had been posted at the lines running away , and the brigades which should have supported them flying in every direction , heedless of the exertions of their generals . Puttenham 's division of 4000 men was still in the lower city , and would be cut off unless the British advance should be checked . Washington therefore made the greatest efforts to rally the fugitives and to get them to make a stand to check the advancing enemy , but in vain ; for , as soon as even small bodies of redcoats were seen advancing , they broke and fled in panic .