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. It had been Tarleton's intention to reach Poundridge before day-light, but the severity of the storm retarded his progress. When he reached the Old Northcastle Church, which stood upon the borders of Bedford, it was half past three o'clock in the morning. There he made a brief halt, in order to procure further details of the American strength and position. When he resumed his march, the weather was still dreadful. He pricked forward however with speed through wind and rain, and at Bedford village, took the northern of the two roads leading to Poundridge. As he approached this last place, his guide in front inquired of a farmer, who was standing in the door of his house, respecting the shortest route to Sheldon's head-quarters. Mistaking the husbandman's directions, when about three quarters of a mile from Poundridge Church, at a place where the road forks, the guide pressed forward upon the