He thereupon, with characteristic promptness, put his followers in marching order, and caused them to retire by the same way they had advanced. With his rear-guard, he then made a feint of retreating by the south road, where the Ameri-can infantry were awaiting him. But after amusing them for a while, he galloped briskly along the northern route. The moment the direction of his retreat was ascertained, Leaven-worth moved across the fields to gain the upper road, before his antagonist should have passed over it, but the endeavour was unsuccessful. As the King's soldiers passed the residence of Crawford, the farmer of whom they had inquired their way in the morn-ing, and who, as they supposed, had purposely misdirected them; some of the party set fire to his house. This was a great mistake, as he and his family were devoted friends of the Crown.

CAPTURE OF POUNDRIDGE 43

When they reached Bedford, the British forces made a short halt. Here they burnt the house occupied by Benjamin Hays, a noted tavern keeper, whose whiggery had rendered him extremely obnoxious to the Tories. This man was uncle to the celebrated High-Constable, long known in New York as "Old Hays." Meanwhile some of the militia by dint of running, had arrived at the village, and from behind the fences and houses, commenced firing upon the enemy. Tarleton now resumed his retreat. To retaliate however, for this last attack of the militia, he set fire, as he left, to the Presbyterian Church; but retired so precipitately, that the flames were extinguished soon after, by the inhabitants. The Refugees had collected and brought off from Pound-ridge and the vicinity, the cattle belonging to obnoxious persons; such as were warmly opposed to the royal cause. But on leaving Bedford, finding that these droves retarded his movements, the British commander ordered them to be left behind.