David Merritt of Cortlandtown, Oct. 12II1, 1845, says: "When the Refugees surprised Williams' post, at Orser's, a part of them went north and cut off ye retreat, driving Col. John Post, the guide and others upon ye ice, when Odell (Col. John Odell of the Westchester Guides) fought with two and escaped." It is said that he severely wounded one of his pursuers on the right by a heavy back stroke of his good sword, and also wounded the other on the left. A reward of /jioo had been offered for his capture, so obnoxious had he become to the enemy.

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HISTORICAL SKETCHES.

John Odell when appointed a Guide, was presented by Col. Van Cortlandt with a splendid gray steed and pair of pistols. The horse he rode all through the war while in service. In the surprise at Orser's the horse escaped from him, but was afterwards found. It was the Courtlandt gray that Lieut. Odell rede at the time lie conducted the daughter of Joseph Youngs to a place of safety at the time her father's house was burnt on the 25th of December, 1778. Jackson Odell says, "My father (Lieut. John Odell,) assisted in capturing Capt. Ogden twice. He was with the party that took him at Vermilyea's, at Kings Bridge, and with Cushing's party." John Odell was also with Arman d when he took Bearmore and Frederic Underhill, and is referred to by Gen. Timothy Pickering as the principal Guide in the advance of the Continental army through the Saw Mill River Valley on July 2d and 3d, 1781.