146 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



Cavalry, all under Col. Simcoe, formed a flying camp between the Bronx 

 River and Chester Creek. As this corps was liable to be struck at, it 

 seldom camped two days and nights in the same place and constantly 

 occupied a strong position. In October, Gen. Grant being about to em- 

 bark for the West Indies, was so well satisfied with the Queen's Rangers 

 that he offered to take with him that corps among the number of chosen 

 troops destined for that service. 



This higlily-flattering offer was declined by Simcoe from a feeling 

 that to accept it would not be just to the native American non-commis- 

 sioned officers and soldiers. Major Ross, however, went on the expedi- 

 tion as Brigade Major and was killed at St. Christopher. Capt. Arm- 

 strong of the Grenadiers became major in his room. 



The last exploit of the Queen's Rangers this year was the capture of 

 Col. Thomas, a very active partizan of the enemy, and the breaking up 

 of a post of dragoons. These services, which involved a march of fifty 

 miles, were successfully accomplished, and on the 19th November the 

 Rangers went into winter quarters at Oyster Bay, Long Island. This 

 post was greatly exposed to attack, iliere being no available support 

 nearer than Jamaica, thirty miles distant, where the British Grenadiers 

 lay. Simcoe elaborately fortified his post and arranged a general plan of 

 defence in case of attack. No attack, however, was made, although sev- 

 eral were contemplated by the enemy. The Hussars of the Rangers, 

 who had heretofore belonged to the several infantiy companies, were 

 now formed into a separate troop, and Lieut. Wickham became their 

 captain. The situation of Oyster Bay was well calculated to secure the 

 health of the soldiery; the water was excellent, vegetables and oysters 

 were abundant, and the Rangers were kept in a high state of efficiency 

 for the field. New York being in great want of forage. Oyster Bay be- 

 came a central place of deposit for it, and, frequently, expeditions towards 

 iflie eastern and interior parts of the island were made to enforce the 

 orders of the Commander-in-Chief. Excursions were also made fre- 

 quently to execute other orders relative to the intercourse with the in- 

 habitants within the American lines, and to escort messengers between 

 Sir William Erskine, who commanded on the east end of the island and 

 Jamaica. On one of these expeditions, on the 11th April, 1779, Capt. 

 Kerr, together with Sergeant James McHardy and privates John Stokes 

 and Henry McBroon of his company, were captured by the enemy. 



During the winter the corps was constantly exercised in the firing 

 motions and charging with bayonets, upon their respective parades. As 

 the season opened they were assembled together and trained to attack a 

 supposed enemy posted behind fences, a common position of the Ameri- 



