He was answered, that their own began ; upon which he repHed, 'he shall then pay for it.' The sentinel was directly after relieved, and there was no firing between the sentinels, in that place any more ; and they were so civil to each other, on the posts, that one day, at a part of the creek where it was practicable, the British sentinel asked the American, v/ho was nearly opposite, if he could give hirn a chew of tobacco ; the latter, ha\ing in his pocket a piece of thick twisted roll, sent it across the creek to the British sentinel, who, after taking off his bite, sent the remainder back again."*

'•On the 6th of October, 1776, (continues General Heath), orders were given for throwing up a new work on Harlem creek below the wood at Morrisania."''

After the retreat of the American army northwards and the settlement of their lines on the Croton, the British refugee corps were stationed at Morrisania, under the command of Col. James de Lancey, who held his headquarters at Col. Morris's house. Here the British appear to have been kept in a constant state of alarm by their vigilant enemies. Upon the 5th of August, 1779, (says Heath) about 100 horse of Sheldon's, Moyland's, and of the militia, and about forty infantry of Glover's brigade,

a Heath'.s Meoi. p. 62. h Ibid. C3

500 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

passed by de Lance}-'s mills to the neighborhood of Morrisania, v/her-.- they took twelve or fourteen prisoners, some stock, &c. The enomv collected, a skirmish ensued, in which the enemy had a number ofmen killed and wounded; our loss, two killed and two wounded."'^ The frequency of these attacks compelled De Lancey to shift his quarters under the British guns of Fort No.