For reasons not clear he placed himself in the power of Governor George Clinton in 1778 and was sent to prison from which he escaped only to be recaptured and escape again. Judging from interviews with some of his townspeople of Bedford, his reputation during and after the war was none of the best. In fact he is accused by some of his neighbors of having served as a volunteer in the raid in which Bedford Village was partly burned in 1779.

70 THE McDONALD PAPERS

on this hill, the latter lunged at them with their bayonets, pricking the horses, which reared and threw the attacking party into some confusion, so that it retreated out of reach. This first success encouraged the Americans. When a second attempt was made, the enemy found a still firmer line and were compelled to drop back even quicker than before; one of their number, Strang by name, fired his pistol in anger, for which he was instantly shot dead by a sharp order from Mosier. This quick retribution had its effect on both sides; it steadied the Americans and gave notice to the Refugees that they had a serious fight on their hands. After consultation among themselves, they tried argument and a parley began, in which the words exchanged were almost as hard as bullets if contemporary accounts are to be believed. Holmes and Kipp promised quarter to the Americans if they surrendered, but the answer returned was probably irritating, for Holmes drew his pistol and pointed it at Mosier, who at once gave a command that meant certain death to the Colonel and the pistol was dropped, while Kipp satisfied his anger and dis-appointment by abusing some of the privates whom he recognized, particularly a colored man, who shortly before, had been a prisoner under him at Morrisania.