A few days afterwards the British, seeing the necessity of having strong defenses at the north end of Manhattan Island, built a fort on Laurel Hill, at the high point now the terminus of Tenth Avenue, and about this time also constructed Redoubt Number Eight, on theWestchester side, on the site of the present residence of Mr. Gustav Schwab, near Morris' Dock. Shortly after the building of Fort Number Eight, I>ieut. Oakley, of the American army, took five prisoners and came very near capturing Colonel de Lancey, the leader of the Tory Westchester light horse, who was quartered at

that time at the Archer house, which lay just under the guns of the fort. The old house is standing today and traces of Fort Number Eight are to be found on Mr. Schwab's lawn. The gallant Armand in the same year made a raid and captured Captain Cruger of Bearmore's corps. ' During 1780 the township was tliescene of constant military mananivres. In February of that year a body of British cavalry crossed the East River on the ice from Long Island to Westchester. Arnold also began to fit out a boat expedition in Spuyten Duyvil Creek, which, however, was never carried out. De Lancey was making continual raids from Fordham and Morrisania on the adjoining country, and the Americans were constantly retaliating, at one time having gone so far into the territory as to destroy a pontoon bridge which the enemy had thrown across the Harlem at Morrisania and carried ofl' large numbers of cattle.^