Before Oakley could get on his feet, Dyckman sprang in over him at the same time the soldiers burst in the door and they took 24 prisoners and one of them was a cornet in De-lancey's Horse; their surprise was so sudden, that but three or four of the enemy had time to seize their muskets. Oak-ley hurried off the prisoners and had gone three miles, when the alarm gun of the enemy was fired. They hurried on the prisoners and reached the American lines in safety.

OAKLEY'S ESCAPE FROM THE REFUGEES AT MAMARONECK Cornelius Oakley had been down as a guide to a lieutenant's party, when returning through Rye and Mamaroneck he saw Benjamin Griffin standing at the door of a house on Rye Neck about 12 or 15 yards from the road. When Griffin saw Oakley he drew back and disappeared. Oakley rode into a gate near the road and enquired if they did see Benjamin Griffin there; they said no. He insisted that he had seen him at the door and told them to tell him to come out, that he should not hurt him. He then came to the door and Oakley asked him for something to eat. Griffin gave him some cake and a mug of cider while sitting on his horse. Griffin expected they would be pursued and kept looking out for the enemy; he soon saw they were in sight and told Oakley of it. He paid but little attention to it although he was there alone, the rest of the party having gone on. He