A body of about ninety American cavalry, under Colonel Elisha Sheldon, was quartered at Poundridge in and around the house of Major Ebenezer Lockwood, one of the most noted patriots of Westchester County,1 and in the same locality was a militia force of 120 men, commanded by Major Leavenworth. Tarleton, then encamped at the Mile Square near Yonkers, was ordered to make a sudden night march to Poundridge for the double purpose of surprising and 1 Ebenezer Lockwood was the foremost mon Pleas of Westchester County. He took a Poundridge citizen of his times. He was for conspicuous part in the locating and building many years a member of the board of super- of the new county court house. He was comvisors, represented the county in the second, missioned major of Colonel Thomas Thomas's third, ami fourth provincial congresses, in the regiment of Westchester County militia in State convention of 1776-77. and in the assem- 1775, and at various times performed service in lily during and subsequently to the Revolution, the field, and in 17!)1 was appointed first judge of Com-

FROM

JANUARY,

1779,

SEPTEMBER,

17S0

Lockcapturing these Americans and securing the person of Major wood, on whose head a price of forty guineas had been set. An American spy named Luther Kinnicutt gave notice to Sheldon of but without being able to say on what day it the intended' attack, would occur. This timely information enabled Lockwood to escape. Tarleton chose a very rainy night, and in consequence the Americans were not well on their guard. He moved from the Mile Square about half-past eleven on the night of July 1, with a mixed force of horse and foot carefully picked from four different regiments. In his official report he stated that his numbers were about 200, but according to American estimates they were some 300.