Hop-ing to overtake them by a rapid pursuit, he resumed his march until nightfall, when a heavy rain set in, and the com-manding officer perceiving that his game had escaped, halted his followers near Milesquare, and announced his intention to return. This determination was opposed with much warmth by the guides, who urged that this was the moment to surprise the refugee-colonel in his quarters, while his men were reposing from the fatigues of their late excursion, and when, in consequence of the darkness of the night and the inclemency of the weather, they would probably be more off their guard than usual. Cushing answered, that it would be forestalling an attempt long since intended to be made by others who were his superiors in rank, that he had no author-ity to make the attack, and in case of failure, could not hope to escape censure; but before concluding, he confessed, that notwithstanding these objections, he was willing to strike at Delancey, if the guides, whose opinions were much relied upon at head-quarters, would unanimously advise him to pursue that course. The guides, after a short consultation, all gave their voices for proceeding with the enterprise. The American commander then continued his march, cau-tiously traversing fields and woods, never approaching the picket-guards of the enemy, whose usual stations were well known to the guides, and avoiding carefully the British patrols. At length, when within a mile of the refugee head-quarters, he again halted to rest his men before the assault. An ad-vanced party was placed in ambush behind a stone wall,