Ou the 22d a smart skirmish occurred near the fort, and Heath sent for a twenty-four-pounder and some howitzers. On the 23d a lively fight took place just hefore dusk in the broken groiuid near the south side of the fort, probably on the Dykman farm. An ensign and one man of the New York Militia were killed and five wounded ; the loss of the enemy was un known , as they were close to the fort.

On the morning of the 25th the enemy made a sally in the direction of deLancey's Mills, where they surprised and routed the guard, 'wounding several, but neither killing or capturing any of them. A regiment near that place quitted their quarters. Emboldened by their success, about ten o'clock in the morning the British made a powerful sally in the direction of Valentine's (Bailey place) and the Negro Fort (Claflin's place), instantly driving the guards and pickets away. The guards threw themselves into the old redoubt near Williams' Bridge (the present site of the new reservoir on Michael Varian's farm), and the enemy took a position behind a stone wall to the southwest. Two regiments of the militia were formed in the road near Williams' house, which, according to the De Witt map, (vol. 4, Hist. Soc, No. 122.) was situated east of the Bronx, and the horses being hitched to the limbers of the field-pieces, Captain Bryant was ordered to cross the river by fording with his piece, and the militia was ordered to follow. Captain Bryant unlimbered his field-piece when he had reached the top of the Williams' Bridge hill, and to prevent his horses being killed, the men pulled the gun up the rest of