November, 1776, to September, 1783 163 



battalion and the Legion Dragoons of Tarleton, prepared a 

 plan for the ambush and capture of the whole party of Ameri- 

 cans and Indians. This was a combination of the ablest and 

 most dashing partisans of the British army — Simcoe, Tarleton, 

 Emmerick, and De Lancey. 



On the morning of August thirty-first, the attacking force 

 advanced out the Mile Square Road and reached Woodlawn 

 Heights about ten o'clock . The rangers and dragoons took 

 post on the right of the road; while Emmerick was ordered 

 forward to take post in Van Cortlandt's woods at the house 

 of Frederick Devoe, about half a mile up a lane leading to the 

 westward. By mistake, he took post near the house of Daniel 

 Devoe near the entrance to the lane and road, and sent a patrol 

 up the road. The intention was for Emmerick to draw the 

 attack of the Americans and Indians and then retreat. The 

 pursuing Americans would thus be led into the ambush of 

 rangers and dragoons and the whole party would be captured 

 or cut off. 



Before Simcoe, who was half-way up a tree reconnoitring, 

 could stop the movement, he saw a flanking party of Ameri- 

 cans approaching, while the Indians who lined the fence on 

 Emmerick's left began a smart fire upon the chasseurs. He 

 therefore pushed up the brook towards Husted's Heights, 

 where Colonels Gist and Stewart were in position, Tarleton 

 meanwhile advancing up the road to Emmerick's assistance. 

 The stone fence bordering the road prevented Tarleton 's 

 dragoons from passing, and he was obliged to make a circuit 

 to the right in order to regain the road. Simcoe, learning of 

 Tarleton's difficulty, left his rangers with Major Ross, and, 

 taking his company of grenadiers, pushed down the hill from 

 Husted's into Van Cortlandt's woods and reached the left of 

 the Indians without being seen by them, as they were so busily 



