To countercheck the operations of this formidable corps of light troops, volunteer associations were formed among the young whigs, composed for the most part of American refu-gees, a few of whom had fled from New York and Long Island, but who were principally from the middle and lower parts of Westchester county. These bands, like those of their adversaries, consisted of both horse and foot, and held themselves ready at all times, for a march against their royal antagonists. In large operations, they never failed to accom-pany the regular troops and New York levies, acting upon such occasions under the command of the continental and state officers, while they always planned and conducted their own excursions. Each troop or company, generally either nomi-nated or selected its own officers, some of whom gained a great local celebrity for enterprise and courage. Among these, were the captains Delavan, Honeywell, Williams, Stevenson, Sackett, Dean, and Lieutenant Mosier. Great pains had been taken in teaching them the military duties required of horsemen, by several officers who had belonged to the hussars or light dragoons of France or Germany. In a short time the mounted American refugees became expert cavaliers, excelled in the sabre exercise on horseback; and find-ing fire-arms almost useless when in the saddle, soon learned to place their entire reliance upon a powerful steed and a good broad-sword.

6 THE MCDONALD PAPERS

Much more usually than their opponents, the American refugees sought for honorable distinction in their desultory contests; but it would be a strange anomaly in civil war, if the volunteer soldier never prosecuted retaliation for private wrong and did not sometimes condescend to sweep away from the hostile marches, whatever was valuable. The British refugees were the more numerous, and their excursions the more frequent and successful, during the first years of the war; but before its close the tide had turned in favor of their antag-onists, whose services had made them popular, and whose ranks were filled with the patriotic and the enterprising.