On Washof September, five davs before the British army moved upon Island Randall's) (now 's Montressor Bay, Kip's from ington's forces amount w;?s taken, and a detachment was placed there, with a large Colonel of stores. The island commanded the Morrisania shore, and hunfour Some range. convenient within Morris's manor honse was dred of Heath's men were posted along the shore, and for a time between their senthere were frequent interchanges of complimentsMuch irritation was tinels and those of the British on the island. between the caused on both sides bv occasional exchanges of shots

EVENTS

FROM

JULY

OCTOBER

12,

sentinels, contrary to the regulations of war, and as a result the British commander threatened to cannonade the Morris house. These practices were finally stopped, and it is related that the opposing pickets were afterward " so civil to each other that they used to exchange tobacco by throwing the roll across the creek." On the 24th of September a daring attempt was made to recapture the island. During the preceding night an expedition of two hundred and forty men, loaded on three flatboats, with a fourth boat bearing a small cannon, dropped down the Harlem from Kiugsbridge. depending upon the tide to float them up on the island about daybreak. They arrived at the calculated time, with no other misadventure than an unfortunate experience with an American sentry, who, refusing to believe that they were friends, discharged his gun at them, thereby probably alarming the enemy. Yet the endeavor would undoubtedly have succeeded if it had not been for the cowardly behavior of the troops on two of the boats, who at the critical moment failed to land. The heroic party that did land according to programme was easily repulsed and made to retreat, sustaining a loss of fourteen killed and wounded.