The McDonald Papers, Part I: Introduction
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
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sat still while he drank the cider and ate the cake. He then handed Griffin the mug, drew up the reins, drew his sword, put spurs to his horse and rode out of the gate when the enemy were within twenty yards of him and made his escape in safety.
INTERVIEW WITH SAMUEL OAKLEY, OCT. 12, 1844 My grandfather and the father of Cornelius Oakley were brothers. James Oakley was my uncle. One of Delancey's men was up with a flag and talking of some prisoners they had recently made said to Cornelius Oakley-- "We'll have you next." Oakley replied, "That may well be for none of us can tell what may happen." He soon afterward received word from a spy that there was to be a great ball at a house near Fort No. 8. Oakley and a party went down on the appointed night. They passed the advanced posts undis-covered and crept along a wall by Redoubt No. 8, close to the sentinels and reached the house in question without being seen or heard. The revellers were completely sur-prised being engaged in dancing while they surrounded the house and up to the moment they entered. The men were seized before they could get their arms and threatened with death if they resisted. The women shrieked and a scene en-sued when their partners were captured, but they brought off most if not all the prisoners.