[hannay] history of THE QUEEN'S RANGERS IBS 



which they were too cautious to fall into. That evening the Queen's 

 Eangers and the Yagers attacked the enemy's advance post, for the pur- 

 pose of taking some prisoners who might give intelligence, in which they 

 succeeded, with the loss of two men, killed. 



On the 23rd June, General Matthews with a division of the troops, 

 marched before day to Springfield; the Eangers making the advance 

 guard. The enemy's smaller parties fell back upon a larger one, which 

 was well posted on an eminence, covered on the right by a thicket and 

 on the left by an orchard ; the road being in a deep hollow between them. 

 While the battalions of General Skinner's brigade who flanked the march, 

 were exchanging shots with these troops, Lieut.-Col. Simcoe closed the 

 companies of the Eangers and directed them to rush down the hollow 

 road in column without firing, and then by wheeling to the right, to 

 ascend to the orchard and divide the enemy's parties. This was done and 

 Capt. Stephenson, who led both, the riflemen and light infantry company, 

 obtained the ground on their flank without loss, making several prisoners. 

 The enemy fled and the Eangers pursued closely on the right. On the 

 left, the enemy finding themselves liable to be outflanked by the Eangers, 

 also retired and crossed the bridge at Springfield, where they had some 

 cannon. They fired a few shots by which two of the Eangers were killed 

 as they slept. General Mattbews then halted until the arrival of Gen. 

 Knyphausen with the main body of the araiy. A very heavy fire being 

 heard from this column, the Eangers proceeded, unopposed, over the 

 brook and attacked the enemy on the heights, dispersing them without 

 loss. The column then marched to Springfield, but while about to exe- 

 cute another forward movement. Gen. Knyphausen received orders from 

 the commander-in-chief to return immediately to ISTew York, news hav- 

 ing been received that a French armament, destined for Ehode Island, 

 vras about to land. Two or three hours were given for refreslnnents and 

 then the orders were given to march back to Elizabethtown Point. 

 The Eangers were ordered to cover the retreat of the army, and, to deceive 

 the enemy as to the intended movement, took up their position in an old 

 orchard which enabled them to interdict the passage of the river. The 

 American General Greene, with the bulk of his army, occupied a strong 

 position on the hills and despatched two or thr^e field pieces to the right 

 flank of the British, but their cannonade had little effect. His light 

 troops and militia, in great numbers, came as close to the front as the 

 intervening thickets could shelter them and kept a constant (though 

 irregular fire on every side. Most of these shot passed over the heads of 

 the Eangers or 'dropped with little effect in the hollows which concealed 

 them. On their right ran a ri\Tilet forming small and swampy islets, 

 covered with thickets. Assisted by the irregularity of the ground, the 



