[hannat] history of THE QUEEN'S RANGERS 145 



mistook a nearer house for the one at a greater distance of the same name 

 and this error nearly spoiled the plan. Emmerick then sent forward a 

 patrol. Lieut.-Col. Simcoe, who was half-way up a tree, on the top of 

 which was a drummer boy, saw a flanking party of the enemy approach. 

 The troops had scarcely fallen into their ranks when a smart firing was 

 heard from the Indians, who had lined the fences of the road and were 

 exchanging shots with Emmerick, whom they had discovered. The 

 Queen's Eangers moved rapidly to gain the heights and Tarleton im- 

 mediately advanced with the Hussars and Legion cavalry. Not being 

 able to pass the fences in his front, he made a circuit to return further 

 on their right, which being reported to Simcoe he broke from the column 

 of the Rangers with the Grenadier Company and directing Major Eoss 

 to conduct the corps to the heights, advanced to the road and arrived 

 without being perceived within ten yards of the Indians, who now gave 

 a yell and fired upon the Grenadier Company, wounding four of them 

 and Simcoe. The Indians were driven from the fences and Tarleton got 

 among them with the cavalry and pursued them rapidly down Courtland 

 Eidge, while Simcoe joined the battalion and seized the heights. An 

 American captain of light infantry and some of his men were taken, but 

 a body of them under Major Stewart left the Indians and fled. Forty 

 of the Indians were killed or desperately wounded, among the former 

 being the Chief Nimham. The Indians were so demoralized by this 

 affair that a large number of them who had intended to join Washing- 

 ton's army gave up their design. The Legion cavalry had one man 

 killed and one man wounded ; several of the Eangers were wounded, two 

 of them being Hussars. 



Col. Gist, who commanded a light corps of Americans, was posted 

 at Babcock's house near Yonkers and from thence made frequent patrols. 

 Simcoe resolved to attack him and if possible capture his party, and made 

 such dispositions of the Eangers, Tarleton's Legion, Wreden's German 

 Yagers and Emmerick's infantry as seemed likely to effect that object. 

 Gist would certainly have been captured with his whole force, for the 

 Eangers had passed all his sentinels and got in his rear, but for the 

 blunders of a portion of the German Yagers who were to have seized a 

 bridge, but neglected to do so, the only one by which Gist could have 

 escaped. Gist got away, but one of his patrols was captured and his 

 ramp destroyed, and soon afterwards Washington quitted White Plains 

 with his army, a result which was largely due to the continual checks 

 which his light troops had received. 



In the latter part of September, the British outposts were advanced 

 and the Queen's Eangers with Delancey's, Emmerick's, and the Legion 



Sec. II., 1908. 10. 



