Home / Robert Bolton, Jr. (1848) / Passage

A History of the County of Westchester, Vol. II — Passage 87

Robert Bolton, Jr. (1848) 252 words View original →

[Robert Bolton, Jr. (1848)] had lined the fences of the road, and were exchanging shot with Lt. Cok Emmerick, whom they had discovered. The Queen's Rangers moved rapidly to gain the heights, and Lieut. Col. Tarleton immediately advanced with the Hussars and the Legion cavalry; not being able to pass the fences in liis front, he made a circuit to return further upon their right; which being re-ported to Lieut. Col Simcoe, he broke from the column of the Rangers, with the grenadier company, and, directing Major Ross to conduct the corps to the heights, advanced to the road, and arrived, without being perceived, within ten yards of the Indians. They had been intent upon the attack of Emmer-ick's corps and the Legion; they now gave a yell, and fired upon the grena-dier company, wounding four of them, and Lieut. Col. Simcoe. They were driven from the fences; and Lieut. Col. Tarleton, with the cavalry, got among them, and pursued them rapidly down Cortlandt's ridge. That active officer had a narrow escape; in striking at one of the fugitives, he lost his balance and fell from his horse; luckily, the Indian had no bayonet, and his musket had been discharged. Lieut. Col. Simcoe joined the battalion, and seized the heights. A captain of the rebel light infantry, and a few of his men, were taken; but a body of them, under Major Stewart, who afterwards wa^distinguished at Stony Point, left the Indians and fled. " Though this ambuscade, its greater part, failed, it was of consequence.