526 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER. 



his retreat with so much skill and gallantry, though charged repeatedly 

 by the enemy, that no injury was sustained. The enemy were far 

 advanced up the Saw Mill valley, ere they relinquished the pursuit. On 

 this occasion Abraham Uyckman arrested Captain Ogden in Colonel 

 Emmerick's quarter's (the house now standing at the foot of the steep 

 hill, on the road leading from Fordham to Kings Bridge, close by what is 

 known as Farmer's Bridge, was the scene of the exploit) at the moment 

 when a British sentinel was pacing the bridge within musket shot. 



"On the 19th of January, 1781, (says General Heath,) 150 men from 

 the Connecticut line and 200 from the New Hampshire line were to move 

 towards the lines; these, with those who marched from Hazen's the 

 day before, were to form a covering party to the detachment under 

 Lieutenant Colonel Hull, who was to make an attempt on De Lancey's 

 corps." a 



The result of the enterprise, (which took place upon the 28th of Janua- 

 ry, 1781,) is thus related by Thacher: — 



"A detachment, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Hull, 

 has returned from a successful expedition, having attacked by sur- 

 prise the Royal Refugee corps under the command of the noted 

 Colonel De Lancey, posted at Morrisania. Colonel Hull has for 

 several months past sustained the command of a detachment of our 

 troops posted in advance of our army, a situation requiring the most 

 active vigilance and precaution, to guard against surprise and strata- 

 gem. In this station, as in many others, this officer has evinced his 

 military skill and judgment. He has executed an enterprize with 

 such address and gallantry as to merit for himself and his detach- 

 ment the highest honor. He bravely forced a narrow passage to the 

 enemy, and besides a number being killed, he took upwards of fifty 

 prisoners, cut away the bridge, 6 burnt their huts and a considerable 

 quantity of forage, and brought off a number of horses and cattle. Col- 

 onel Hull possesses in a high degree the confidence of the commander- 

 in-chief; and for his judicious arrangements in the plan, and intrepidity 

 and valor in the execution of the enterprize, he received the thanks of 

 his Excellency, and afterwards of Congress. The enemy pursued our 

 troops, and fell in with a covering party, under command of Colonel 

 Hazen; and in a skirmish which ensued, they suffered an additional loss 

 of about thirty- five. Of Colonel Hull's detachment, one ensign, and 

 twenty-five rank and file were killed and wounded. This successful ex- 

 ploit is calculated to raise the spirits of our troops, and to divest their 

 minds from the unhappy occurrences, which has recently taken place in 

 camp, and at the same time it may convince the enemy that the affairs 

 of our army are not altogether desperate."" 



a Heath's Mem. 271. 



b The pontoon bridge across the Haarlem river. 



c Thacher'B Journal, 245. 



