[hannay] history of THE QUEEN'S RANGERS 1S7 



powder into the river. They returned towards Westover, the march 

 being a very severe one owing to the rain. 



On the night of the 8th January, Simcoe made a patrol from West- 

 over to Long Bridge, with forty of his cavalry. Before they had advanced 

 two miles they fell in with two of the enemy's videttes, one of whom 

 they captured, and also a negro, whom they had intercepted while on his 

 way to the British, and freedom. From these people they learned that 

 the enemy were assembled at Charles City Court House, and that the 

 corps which had appeared that day, opposite Westover, to the number of 

 nearly 400 men, lay about two miles in advance of their main body and 

 on the road to Westover. Simcoe immediately resolved to march to- 

 wards them, the negro guiding the party by an unfrequented pathway 

 between the 400 of the enemy thought to be in advance and the main 

 body at Charles City Court House. It turned out, however, that the 

 advance party had gained the main body; Simcoe, therefore, met with 

 no interruption until he got near the Court House, when a vidette gave 

 the alarm. Simcoe at once made a rush for the enemy at the Court House. 

 A scene of indescribable confusion followed. After firing a few shots 

 the militia fled and dispersed, many of them not stopping until they 

 reached Williamsburg. It appeared that there were eight hundred of 

 these heroes at the Court House, all under the command of General 

 Nelson. Some of them were taken, others wounded and a few drowned 

 in the mill pond. The Eangers had four Hussars wounded, one of 

 them. Sergeant James Adams, mortally. Simcoe relates that this gallant 

 soldier, sensible of his condition, said, " My beloved Colonel, I do not 

 mind djdng, but for God's sake, do not leave me in the hands of the 

 Eebels." Sergt. Adams, who was an Englishman, died at Westover on 

 the 7th and was buried in the colors which had been displayed and taken 

 from Hood's battery. This night attack on Charles Eiver Court House, 

 by which 800 men were defeated and dispersed by 40 Queen's Eangers, 

 was one of the most daring exploits of the war and shows how little 

 account that splendid regiment made of their enemies. 



Arnold having been joined by the remainder of his expeditionary 

 force, which had been delayed by the non-arrival of the vessels in which 

 it was embarked, dropped down to Flour de Hundred, where Simcoe was 

 ordered to land and surprise a body of American militia at Bland's 

 Mills. Simcoe took the infantry of the Eangers with him and Col. 

 Beverley Eobinson's Loyal American regiment. The detachment had 

 not proceeded above two miles when the Loyal Americans, who were in 

 front, received a heavy fire. There was no room to extend the front, as 

 the road ran through a thick wood. The troops were ordered to charge 

 and the enemy, although strongly posted, fled. The Loyal Americans 



