The British cavalry having managed to turn the left flank of their antagonists, cut off their retreat to the camp and chased them furiously over the hill in the westerly direction; killing and wounding some and making others prisoners. Notwithstanding the fierceness of the pursuit, it is related that about one hundred of the fugitives, urged by their officers, attempted a rally, after flying about half a mile; and that forming themselves into a solid body, they for a while offered to the horsemen an unavailing resistance; but that after losing many of their number, a few of the survivors surrendered and the rest escaped to the woods. While General Leslie was conducting his column across the Bronx, a detachment of the Sixteenth light dragoons suddenly advanced from the enemy's right toward the Amer-ican centre. This movement was made, ostensibly, for no other purpose than display. Its real purposes no doubt were, to distract General Washington's attention, and to examine more closely the strength of his position. They rode several times round the Court-House, scrutinized the intrenchments from each side of the main street, and remained for a while in undisturbed possession of the lower part of the village. Assurance increasing with impunity, they even had the auda-city to approach within five hundred yards of the central works, where they brandished their swords, hurraed for King George, and sounded with their trumpets a flourish of defi-ance. The officer in immediate command of this part of the lines had received the most peremptory BATTLE OF WHITEPLAINS, ETC. 53 Unable, however, to endure the bravado of the royal cava-liers, he directed two cannon to be discharged upon them simultaneously. One of these shots took effect in the midst of the enemy's squadron, killing or wounding one or two dragoons, and throwing another to the ground, whose rider-less steed, maddened with terror, ran into the American lines and was taken.