"He procured a number of hand-grenades ; also, rolls of port fire, and canteens filled with inflammable materials, with contrivances to attach them to the side of the blockhouse. He set out with his troops early in the evening, and arrived within a mile of the blockhouse by two o'clock in the morning. The colonel gave Captain Black the command of about forty volunteers, who were first to approach ; twenty of them were to carry the port fires, &.C. Those who had hand-grenades, had short ladders to enable ihcm to reach the port holes, the exact height of which Colonel Burr had ascertained. Colonel Burr gave Captain Black his instructions in the hearing of his company, assuring him of his protection if they were attacked by superior numbers ; for it was expected that the enemy, who had several thousand men at and near King's Bridge, would endeavor to cut us off, as we were several miles below them.
Burr directed those who carried the combustibles to march in front as silently as possible; that on being hailed, they should light the hand-grenades, (fcc. with a slow match provided for tiie purpose, and throw them into the port holes. I was one of the party that advanced. The sentinel hailed and fired. We rushed on. The first hand-grenade that was thrown in drove the enemy from the upper story, and before they could take any measure to defend it, the blockhouse was on fire in several places. Some iew escaped, and the rest