Consistent in this determination, he never accepted but one office, that of Colonel in the New York State Militia. After a life distinguished for hospital-ity, benevolence, industry and frugality, and having been twice married, he died at his residence upon the heights of Greenburgh, on the 26th of October 1835, leaving two chil-dren and other descendants. His character may be summed up in a few words, and no one who ever knew him will dis-pute its accuracy. He was the consummate pattern of an intelligent and virtuous yeoman.

90 THE MCDONALD PAPERS Oakley possessed the principal military characteristics of the other two, but to these were added traits peculiarly his own. To much of the headlong ardor of the one, he joined the circumspection and unerring judgement of the other, and superadded to both, a rapidity of weighing circumstances in the mental balance and a consequent quickness of decision in emergency, which left his contemporaries far behind. He did not provoke his destiny by bravery which had in view no definite result, like Dyckman; nor did he like Odell, always wait till the chances were in his favor, but often stood the hazard of the die when probabilities were somewhat adverse; always taking into the account, that fortune favors the agres-sive party when its measures are well concerted. In 1781, during the whole time the combined army was in Westchester, he lived constantly near General Count Rocham-beau, with whom he was a great favourite; partaking during the marches and reconnoissances which then occurred, of all the hospitalities of the French commander's tent and table. His correct answers and prompt advice, when consulted upon the military routes to be traversed, his rapid and accurate perception of heights, and distances, and his sagacity in pointing out the proper direction for the various columns of the army to take through the impediments of the country, made a strong impression upon the principal officers, both French and American; and Rochambeau said to him, - "Oakley, nature designed you for the leader of an army." He always possessed a nice sense of what was due to him-self as a man of honor.