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.

In the house of Isaac Lent then occupied by Jacob Vermilyea, a small party of American volunteers under tlie command of

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494 . ^ HISTORY OF THE

Captain Honeywell had stopped to take some refreshment, having just returned from an incursion into Morrisania, when they were suddenly surrounded by the enemy under Captain Totten, who fired upon the house, killing one of the patriots and making prisoners of nine. These however finally rose upon the guard and escaped.

Near the vicinity of the school-house, Benjamin Hunt of the continental army, captured thirty of the enemy by stratagem, with a force of half that number. Availing himself of the darkness of the night, he called out as if in command of a large detachment, Lieutenant Such-a-one to the right, Captain to

the left; in this manner he deceived his enemy who laid down their arms and surrendered at discretion.

On the east side of the Tuckahoe hill is the property of Charles Dusenberry, Esq., one of the most active members of the Croton water commissioners. The house occupies an elevated position overlooking a picturesque vale to the south-east.