Tarleton, with the whole of the cavalry, was to proceed to cover the right, and arrive at Valentine's hill by daylight ; a detachment of Yagers, under Capt. Wreden, were to march on Cortland's ridge, and to halt opposite to Gist's encampment ; and a larger detachment of Yagers, under Major Pruschank, were, at the same time, to be ready to force Philipse's bridge, then to proceed to the bridge opposite Babcock's house, and to cut off the enemy's retreat by that road. The signal for these divisions moving on was to be noise of storming Gist's encampment. Lieut. Col. Emmerick conducted the march in so able a manner and the whole corps followed with so much silence, that the enemy's sentinels

488 . / • HISTORY OF THE

were passed without alarm, and this division gained the heights in the rear, and could see the whole chain of sentinels walking below them. Major Rosa was detached to possess himself of Post's house, to preserve a communication with Lieut. Col. Tarleton ou Valentine's hill ; the remainder of the Rangers inclined to the right, towards Gist's camp, and Lieut. Col. Emmerick was directed to secure the Saw Mill road. Firing soon began; and it was apparent from Lieut. Col. Emmerick's quarter, whom the enemy had discovered. Lieut. Col. Simcoe immediately moved rapidly into the road, and directly up the steeps to the enemy's camp, as a nearer way than through the thickets ; he attained it, and, to his great surprise, found that Major Pruschank had not forced Philips' bridge, as had been intended, but had crossed and joined Capt. Wreden on Cortlandt's ridge, and that Col. Gist had escaped through the passage which had been so unaccountably left open. Lieut. Col. Tarleton fell in with a patrole of cavalry, and dispersed it ; and the Queen's Rangers, as soon as they got possession of Gist's camp, having ambuscaded themselves took a patrole which came forward on hearing the firing.