THE TOWN OF WEST FARMS. 533 



pendencc overcame every other consideration, and he commenced an independent 

 career by rendering important services to the Guides and scouting parties that 

 approached the British lines, whether for attack or observation. Minutely 

 acquainted with all the passes about Kingsbridge, Fordham and Morrisania— and 

 withal of a disposition sprightly, intelligent and communicative — Ids services 

 were anxiously sought for; when in the summer of 1781, after the allied forces 

 had been encamped upon the heights of Greenburgh about two weeks, Washing- 

 ton and Roehumbeau made ready for a formidable movement, with a select por- 

 tion of their army, towards the lines of the enemy. Preparatory to this operation, 

 Count Mathieu Dumas, the two brothcis Berthier, and several other young officers 

 belonging to the French staff, who had, for some days, been zealously engaged 

 in exploring the ground and roads and in sketching maps of the country between 

 the allied camp and Kings Bridge, were ordered by the French commander to set 

 out before daylight, and to push their examinations till they came within sight of 

 the enemy's most advanced redoubts, at the northern extremity of New York 

 island. To protect these youthful adventurers, a strong detachment of the lan- 

 cers of Lauzun was sent along under Lieutenant Kilmaine, a young Irishman in 

 the French service, who some years afterwards became a General of Division and 

 enjoyed the reputation of being one of the best cavalry officers in Europe. The 

 command of the whole party w T as bestowed upon Dumas, while the celebrated 

 Cornelius Oakley of White Plains was selected to act as principle Guide, accom- 

 panied by his cousin James Oakley and young Corsa. Below Mile-square the 

 reconnoitering party formed a junction with a select body of American light 

 infantry, who on the same morning had gone down to explore the ground on the 

 right ; and the two allied detachments then attacked and dispersed a strong patrol 

 of Delancey's Refugees, and soon afterwards assaulted and drove across Kings 

 Bridge the Chasseurs that occupied the Hessian outposts : — pursuing the fugitives 

 till they came within musket shot of Prince Charles' redoubt. This recomioisance 

 established in favor of Kilmaine and of the elder Berthier, — the latter of whom 

 was afterwards a Marshal of France under Napoleon, and Prince of Wagram and 

 Neufchatel, — reputations for partisan skill and intrepidity that led to their sub- 

 sequent preferment. 



A few days later occurred the grand recomioisance, which was made on the 

 22d and 23d of July by the American and French commanders and engineers 

 supported by 5000 troops of the two nations, for the purpose of examining with 

 precision the British posts on New York Island between Hudson River and the 

 Sound, — and of cutting off, if possible, such of the enemy's corps as might be 

 found upon the main. Young Andrew Corsa's intelligence and exact knowledge 

 of the country about the British lines were such that his services were again 

 earnestly sought for upon this occasion ; and during both these days he was con- 

 stantly on horseback, riding and conversing with Washington, Rochambeau. 

 Lauzun, and the other Generals of the combined arm}-, while they passed through 

 the fields of Morrisania, Fordham and Yonkers, halting from time to time as 

 they moved along for the purpose of enabling the engineers to examine the 

 grounds along Haerlem river and Spuytenduyvil creek. He used to relate that 

 when the allies, marching from the east near the Bronx and passing over the 

 high grounds around Morrisania house came in sight of the enemy, the fire which 

 the British artillery opened upon them from the fortifications at Randall's Island 



