THE WESTCHESTER GUIDES 75 At Valentine's Hill the left column of the American troops formed a junction with the two French divisions, and the united forces arrived before Kingsbridge about daylight. Here they found General Parsons, who had arrived on the ground a short time previously. The whole army then formed on the heights back of Fort Independence, and be-tween there and Fordham Hamlet, to the great surprise of the enemy, who appeared to have been without the least intelligence of the hostile approach until the combined forces were ready to deploy. The commander-in-chief, in company with General Ro-chambeau and the engineers, thereupon began to reconnoitre the enemy's position and works, first from Tippett's Hill opposite to their left, and then from Kingsbridge-Hill by Dyckman's bridge. After a short survey the two generals and their retinue galloped forward rapidly to Fordham Ham-let, where they halted. It was on the morning of Sunday, July the 22nd, and soon after sunrise, when Cornelius Oakley and Isaac Webbers, rode to the house of Captain Isaac Corsa, who lived near where the Roman Catholic College of St. John now stands, and asked to see his son Andrew, then a youth of about eighteen or nineteen, who is still alive, and a resident at Fordham. He had not yet risen, and the strangers who demanded the inter-view were conducted to his bedroom. Oakley then informed him that agreeably to his promise, General Washington re-quired his services forthwith as a guide, while the combined army remained below. This young man whose quick parts, intelligence, and accurate knowledge of the roads and passes of Morrisania and Fordham had recommended him to the elder guides, soon dressed, and then followed his visitors; who took him to front of a gateway which had lately led to Union Hill, the Rev.