During the eventful week that preceded the battle of White Plains, General Washington's advance corps lay upon the Tuckahoe heights, under the command of General Scott, whose whole corps numbered 2000 men. Directly south of the church, bordering the Easfchester road, is the property of Mr. Valentine Odell. Here a party of nine patriots were overtaken by a large company of De Lancey's horse, commanded by Colonel Oliver Hatfield. Tlie whole party were barbarously killed or mortally wounded.

A touching incident deserves to be recorded in connection with this melancholy affair. A dog belonging to one of the Americans that fell upon this occasion, took up his quarters at Mr. Caleb Smith's who lived a mile below. The ladies of Mr. Smith's family were frequently in the habit of visiting their neighbor Mr. Odell, when the dog would go with them half way and return. It appears nothing could ever tempt him to pass the fatal spot.

On the farm of Isaac Lent west of the hill, the American officer (Major Leavenworth of the Massachusetts line) ambuscaded a large detachment in 1778, for the purpose of cutting off Capt. Joshua Barnes of De Lancey's corps ; who, he ascertained, had gone up in the neighborhood of Hart's Corners for the object of plundering. The better to draw Barnes into his ambuscade, Shotwell posted a party of his command upon the hill a little below the church. Upon the return of Barnes he immediately descried the detachment on the hill, to avoid which he lead his men off by the opposite side, thus walking directly into the trap laid by his wary foe. They received one heavy fire and surrendered, consisting of one full company, sixty-four men.