Final answer:
General George Washington managed a stealthy retreat from Harlem under the cover of darkness and fog, deceiving British forces while evacuating his troops to Manhattan.
Step-by-step explanation:
When British troops were pressing on Harlem, General George Washington executed a remarkable and stealthy retreat from the area. Despite being trapped, Washington and his officers devised a bold plan to escape the British encirclement. Troops from Pennsylvania boosted the numbers and pretended to be the entire army while the rest of the forces left in silence, with muffled wagon wheels and without speaking, to maintain the ruse that they were still encamped. Campfires were kept lit to deceive the British into thinking the American forces were still present. The subsequent morning's fog further concealed the retreat, and by the time the British realized Washington was gone, he and his entire army of 9,000 soldiers were safely on Manhattan Island.