Tarleton and Emmerick then got among them with the cavalry. The Indians fought most gallantly, pulling several of the cavalry from their horses ; but overpowered by the superior force of the enemy, they had to flee. They were swiftly pursued up over the fields, across the lane, down through Van Cortlandt's woods, over Tippett's Brook into the woods on the ridge beyond, where a few survivors found concealment among the rocks and bushes, and thus escaped. Nearly forty were killed or desperately wounded, including the old chief Nimham and his son. The former called out to his people to fly, "that he was old and would die there." He wounded Simcoe and was killed by Wright, his orderly hussar. Tarleton had a narrow escape in the pursuit down the ridge. In striking at an Indian he lost his balance and fell from his horse, but luckily for him the Indian had no bayonet and had discharged his musket. During the pursuit Simcoe joined the battalion of rangers, seized the heights (Husted's) and captured a captain and several men of the American light troops, but the main body escaped. The bodies of many of the Indians were buried in a small clearing in Van Cortlandt's woods, since known as the " Indian Field."

In July, 1781, Wttshington came in force to attempt a surprise of the British posts at King's Bridge, expressly to cut off De Lancey's and other light corps ; but without success. Later in the month, accompanied by De Rochambeau, he moved a force of five thousand men down to the heights beyond King's Bridge and reconnoitered the northerly part of Manhattan island from Tippett's and Tetard's Hills and Fordham Heights. In Sejitember a British force of five thousand men moved out across the bridge to Valentine's Hill, as an escort to the young Prince William Henry.