Major Leavenworth, with about one hundred Continental troops and the same number of militia, pursuant to orders, had taken up a position on the most southerly of the two roads leading to Bedford, about a mile west of the head-quarters of Colonel Sheldon, who was in command of all the out-guards posted in this vicinity. Lock-wood, who lived in the village of Poundridge, was First-major in Colonel Thomas' regiment of Westchester militia. With patriotic earnestness, he shared the comforts of his residence with Sheldon, who had made it his head-quarters, and whose horsemen were cantoned in the barns and out-buildings of the farm. It was well known to the King's officers that Colonel

CAPTURE OF POUNDRIDGE 37

Moylan's dragoons had long been expected at Poundridge where it was said they were to unite with Sheldon; and the surprise and destruction of these two cavalry regiments, formed the great object of Tarleton's ambition. On the evening of the 1st day of July, about half an hour before midnight and in the midst of a storm of uncommon vio-lence, Tarleton started upon his enterprise. The point from which he took his departure was the camp on the Bronx near Milesquare, occupied by the British advanced guard. A less determined leader would have shrunk from seeking a passage-at-arms with an antagonist, who could not be reached until after a fierce struggle with the elements. The royal detach-ment consisted of seventy of the Seventeenth regiment of light dragoons, part of the legion-cavalry and infantry, the Hussars of the Queen's rangers, some Yager light horse, and some of the Westchester refugees: in all, about three hundred men. The whole of the party, infantry as well as cavalry, were unusually well-mounted. The horses of the Seventeenth and of the legion were superb. The former were the best that remained of the finely trained chargers brought over from England and Ireland two years previously and both Lord Cathcart and his lieutenant Tarleton, had been at great pains and expense in selecting and drilling the latter.