The owners or conductors of these supplies were generally accompanied by a band of well armed men, who protected the droves and guarded the sleighs filled with grain and flour. They passed along by-roads where they seldom met any but friends, through neighborhoods disaffected to the republican cause, moving for the most part rapidly and by night, halting in the obscurity of the thickest woods; and avoiding large and ready to fight with small parties of the American militia, they gen-erally proceeded in safety to their journey's end. Toward the conclusion of January, this intercourse was for a short time, put an end to, by Colonel Thompson, who at the head of three hundred men, crossed the Croton and pos-sessed himself of the roads and passes usually traversed by those who traded below. The inhabitants of New York City soon felt the consequences of this movement. Tryon, who was still the Royal governor, and Lieutenant-general Kny-phausen, who commanded in the absence of Sir Henry Clin- ton, immediately determined upon an enterprise, which had for its object, the destruction of Thompson's corps, and the re-opening of communications with the interior. For these purposes, Lieutenant-colonel Norton of the guards, on the evening of the 2d of February, with a strong detachment of troops in sleighs, was sent against the American colonel at that time posted at Youngs' House on the high grounds be-

8 THE MCDONALD PAPERS

tween Tarrytown and Whiteplains. The result of this excur-sion was, that early on the ensuing morning, Colonel Thompson was surprised, his post taken by a superior force, and his fol-lowers killed, captured or dispersed.