[hannayJ history OF THE QUEEN'S RANGERS 141 



was now set for the Americans. Capt. Stephenson's light company of 

 Rangers was got into a public house close to the bridge and by the side 

 of the road, which went straight away from Aloes Creek. Two companies 

 under Capt. Saunders were placed in ambush close to the road, and the 

 remainder of the corps remained hidden in the wood. The detachment 

 of the 27tli Regiment which was posted near the house then called in' 

 their sentinels and marched in full sight away from the creek. A large 

 body of the enemy followed in pursuit, passed the house where Stephen- 

 son's company were ambushed and would also have passed Capt. Saun- 

 ders's men witliout seeing them had it not been that one of them was 

 heard stifling a laugh. The Americans then fled in every direction, but 

 about one hundred of them were taken or drowned in the creek ; among 

 the prisoners was the French officer who commanded them. The only 

 loss of the Rangers was one hussar, who was shot and mortally wounded 

 by a man to whom he had given quarter. 



As the enemy were reported to be in force at Hancock's bridge, 

 Simcoe was sent with his Rangers to make a night attack upon their 

 post. Unfortunately for the complete success of the enterprise, the main 

 body of the Americans had been withdrawn. Only thirty men had been 

 left, and these were in Hancock's house, a large brick building near the 

 bridge. Capt. Dunlop"'s and Stephenson's companies attacked those in 

 the house with such fury that every man in it was killed. This was a 

 lamentable occurrence and has enabled American writers to assert that 

 these men were massacred, but it must be remembered that it was a night 

 attack and that Simcoe's Rangers, instead of this insignificant detach- 

 ment, e vpected to meet a force of at least 700 or 800 men, and, of course, 

 a desperate resistance was expected. A patrol of seven men that had 

 been sent down the creek were also surprised by the Rangers and all 

 but one killed. 



Two days after this, the Queen's Rangers patrolled to Thompson's 

 bridge, also on Aloes Creek, but it was deserted. The militia were so 

 thoroughly demoralized by the affairs at Quintin's and Hancock's bridges, 

 that on the previous evening when a cow was leisurely approaching 

 Thompson's bridge it was taken for an enemy, fired î^t and wounded. 

 The American militia, however, did not wait for its onslaught, but took 

 to their heels and never halted until they had placed several miles be- 

 tween themselves and the dangerous bovine. The Rangers returned to 

 Philadelphia on the 31st March. Shortly after this a large drove of fat 

 cattle intended for "Washington's army was captured by a clever ruse. 

 They were met about thirty miles from Philadelphia, between the Dela- 

 ware and Schuylkill, by a friend of the British who passed himself upon 

 the drovers as an American Commissary, billeted them at a neighlioring 



