152 The Story of The Bronx 



Oliver. The Queen's Rangers, organized by the renegade 

 Rogers, and, after the Battle of the Brandywine, commanded 

 by Lieutenant-Colonel John G. Simcoe, was another loyalist 

 battalion recruited from the neighborhood of New York. In 

 addition to these two regiments, there were the Chasseurs of 

 Lieutenant-Colonel Emmerick, partly German and partly 

 loyalist, and a loyalist battalion commanded by Major 

 Baremore. 



After the loss of Fort Washington, the Americans withdrew 

 to the Jerseys, and the brilliant successes of Trenton and 

 Princeton followed. General Lee was left in Westchester 

 County, but Heath was assigned to the command of the High- 

 lands and below, with headquarters at Peekskill. Lee finally 

 departed, and Heath was left without a superior in the district. 

 He established a line of posts from the mouth of the Croton 

 River to the Sound at Portchester, then called the "Sawpits." 

 In the spring of 1777, the British reoccupied the abandoned 

 fortifications of the Americans on the mainland, restored and 

 strengthened them, and built several new ones. Their line 

 of outposts extended from Philipse's Manor (Yonkers) through 

 Mile Square, Williamsbridge, and Eastchester, with an interior 

 line of posts at Kingsbridge, Fordham Heights, Morrisania, 

 West Farms, and Westchester, while the various necks and 

 points of land extending into the East River were not neg- 

 lected. There was thus left between the two opposing 

 armies a wide space of the county, which was subject to the 

 forays and marauds of both sides; — this constituted the 

 famous Neutral Ground. 



Both sides were equally active in these expeditions; but as 

 the Borough was British ground, it is with the American raids 

 into it that we shall principally deal. On account of the suc- 

 cess that De Lanccy's Horse met with in supplying the British 



