The parent there-upon wisely deferred his wishes to the military inclinations of the child, for whom, in 1775, he procured a cornetcy in the King's dragoon-guards. In the following year, the young soldier obtained leave to push his fortunes by joining the royal forces in America, where the revolutionary struggle had just commenced. Eager for distinction, he volunteered imme-diately after his arrival to serve under Colonel Harcourt of the Sixteenth light dragoons, and in the month of December, commanded the advanced guard of the detachment, which made General Charles Lee prisoner, near Baskingridge in New Jersey. During the two following years, he witnessed most of the actions that took place in Maryland, Delaware, Penn-sylvania, and New Jersey. On the retreat of the King's forces in June 1778 from Philadelphia to Sandy Hook, Tarleton's reputation for activity and vigilance had become such, that although possessing only the rank of captain, Sir Henry Clin-ton placed under his command, the rear-guard of the army. His conduct upon this occasion, gained him the favor of the British general. A few days after he was appointed Lieuten-ant-colonel of provincial cavalry. In August, he took com-mand as Lieutenant-colonel of the British legion, then posted on Fordham Heights, near Kingsbridge, and in the immediate vicinity of Emmerich's corps and the Queen's rangers. These three bodies of light troops were at this time under the immedi-ate command of Lieutenant-colonel Simcoe. On the last day of August, Simcoe with the whole of his troops, ambuscaded the Stockbridge Indians, under their chief, Nimham, as they were marching along the Milesquare road in the Lower Yon-kers, for the purpose of attacking the royal outposts. They were accompanied and supported upon this occasion, by a small detachment of Continental troops under Major Stewart and by some Westchester volunteers under Captain Daniel Williams.