[hannay] history of THE QUEEN'S RANGERS 161 



they marched towards Petersburg. When within two miles of that 

 place the army halted until the troops in the rear closed up. The enemy 

 were seen at a distance, but upon being approached gave one volley and 

 fled. A sergeant with the party of Yagers got upon their flank and fired 

 upon them with great effect as they retreated. The artillery were brought 

 up and fired upon the enemy, who were drawn up a quarter of a mile 

 away. Simcoe and his Bangers passed through the wood, to gain the 

 enemy's flank, while Col. Abercrombie advanced in front against the 

 enemy, who fled so rapidly that the Eangers could not get an opportunity 

 of closing with them. The Americans, who were commanded by Baron 

 Steuben, finally got across the Appamotox River, destroying the bridge 

 behind them, with the loss of one hundred killed and wounded. The 

 British loss was one man killed and ten wounded. Steuben and his 

 forces retired to Chesterfield Court House, ten miles distant. 



Next day the bridge was repaired and the Eangers crossed the river. 

 Gen. Phillips, with one division of the army, went to Chesterfield Court 

 House, while the Rangers, the 80th and 76th regiments went to Os- 

 boume's where the enemy had some shipping. The first notice they had 

 of the approach of the British was the firing of their cannon. Arnold, 

 who commanded, sent a flag of truce to the enemy, offering half the con- 

 tents of their cargoes in case they did not destroy any part, but they 

 answered that they were determined to defend their ships and would 

 sink rather than surrender. An immediate attack was made and one of 

 the ships which was fired upon by the Rangers with musketry, and one 

 boat's crew that was trying to escape, surrendered to T^eut. Spencer. 

 Lieut. Fitzpatrick of Capt, Kerr's Company and Volunteer Andrew Arm- 

 strong with 12 of the Rangers, took the boat and boarded the ship, of 

 which he took possession. The Highland Company were then sent on 

 board the captured frigate and Fitzpatrick immediately rowed to the 

 most distant ship of the fleet. A scene of great confusion followed. 

 The enemy had scuttled several of their ships; others, boarded by the 

 intrepid Fitzpatrick, were on flre, and though cannon and musketry from 

 the opposite shore kept up a smart fire upon him, he still rowed on. 

 He put three men on board one ship and cut her cable, and heleft Volun- 

 teer Armstrong with three men in another, while he himself attended 

 the headmost, the guns of which he turned upon the enemy. One ship 

 was blown up and set fire to, the frigate " Tempest," the ship first taken ; 

 the Highlanders with difficulty succeeded in extinguishing the flames. 

 " To add to the horror," says Simcoe, " Volunteer Annstrong. finding 

 the ship he was on board of in flames, beyond his power to master, had 

 swam on shore to procure a boat to bring off ihe men he had wilb him ; 



Sec. II., 1908. 11. 



