THE TOWN OK YORKTOWN. 679 



ing a captain's commission, and had just been arrested by Col. Dunmore 

 (who commanded a regiment of colored soldiers stationed near Pines 

 Bridge, about half a mile north-east of the pickets on Crow Hill) for 

 coming up with a flag, under peculiar circumstances, and a black sol- 

 dier placed over him as guard. Upon his discharge, shortly after, he 

 swore vengeance, "declaring that the next flag sent up would be a red 

 one." a "When Totten was up at Pines Bridge, in the spring of 1781, 

 and insulted, the officer of the guard said to him on parting : " When 

 will you be up again with a flag, (or another one be sent ?') To which 

 he replied : " The next flag that comes up "will be a bloody one? 

 With these ominous words he departed. " When Totten was insulted 

 at Pines Bridge, just before the capture of Davenport's house, he said 

 on parting, to the officer who commanded the guard, - When I come 

 up again it will be with a red flag, and after that niggers will be 

 scarce."* 



True to his word, he went directly to Col. de Lancey's head-quarters 

 at Morrisania and gave him the clue by which he might cross the Croton 

 and surprise, not only Green, but the negro guard at Pines Bridge. 

 Capt. Samuel Kipp (with Totten as guide) probably led the party, 

 (which he was pleased to denominate Invincibles) over the ford, with the 

 full determination neither to give or take quarter. 



July 1867, the late Joshua Carpenter informed the author, "that his 

 aunt Fanny Totten, told him that Gilbert Totten (her cousin) led de 

 Lancey's party to Davenport's house, and that the enemy came up 

 (after crossing the Croton at Oblenus's ford) by way of the valley on 

 the east side of Turkey Mountain, then a perfect wilderness, until they 

 struck just west of the house ; when suddenly they wheeled and galloped 

 up the hill, surprising the sentinel who fired and fled towards the house. 

 The American soldiers were lying on the stoop when alarmed by the 

 firing on the west side. Some managed to escape by jumping off the 

 east end of the piazza, and making for the orchard in the rear. When 

 the firing first began, the sun was about an hour high. The sliding of 

 the window by Mayor Flagg first attracted the enemies attention, and 

 induced them to fire into that part of the house. Between twelve and 

 twenty fell, in and around the house, and were afterward interred in one 

 common grave or pit in the north-west corner of the lot, near an ash tree. 

 The British returned by the way of the Crompond road and so to Pines 



a Testimony of Gen. Nat. Montross, of Yorktown.— McDonald's MSS. in possession of 

 George Moore, Esq., 



6 Test, of Abraham Weeks of Somers, aged 82.— McDonald MSS. in possession of George 

 Moore, Esq. 



c Totten was humane to prisoners and popular, bnt Capt. Samuel Kipp was severe.— Test. 

 Of Josepii Putney, McDonald's MSS. 



