The latter was born i;: 1G02, about the time of Governor Fletcher's arrival in the colony, after whons he was named Beujamia Fletcher. When the revolutionary troubles coim^enced. Captain Isaac Corsa,'^ the father of the subject of this notice, held a commis;'io:i under the crown, and like most persons similarly situated, espoused the my.il side throughout the great controversy. But parental authority was not sulFici'-ii' to keep the young Andrev.-, long within the limits of the ancient allegiance : ami about the middle of the war, his strong incliuatious in favor of American Ini'.f-

(i .Vinnncr th-* >!-'>. i:i tlii> S.^c-y's Dc^pt. nr.- Ui- oii-itiu! Muster RoKs of tti.- c mp".!- "' whii-,'1 .-ifrviil III [lit- I'.mijiui^'u of i;,j.> au'ainst tlit^ Froiicli : ;iiui)ug oiliers is Cui't. Isaac corru s Coan>,, Wt^icustir 35 rauK.-- Doc. lli.it,. of N. Y. vol. ii, 09ti.

THE TOWN OF WEST FAR-MS. 533

•vnilcnce OTcrcame every other consideration, and lie commenced an independent iu:-^' r bv reudering important services to tlic Guides and scouting parties that 8'>'>roached tlie British liaes, whetlier for attack or observation. Minutely fr^iuainled with all the passes about Kingsbridge, Fordham and Morrisauia-- and witiial of a disposition sprightly, intelligent and communicatiTe -- his services wi re anxiously sought for ; when in the summer of 1781, after the allied forces Um\ hix-n encamped upon the heights of Greenburgh about two^vcelvS, "Washing- \,m aiid Rochumbeau made ready for a formidable movement, with a sekct por- :i.)) of their army, towards the lines of the enemy. Preparatory to this operation, (.'uuiit 31athieu Dumas, the two brotheas Berthier, and several other young officers belonging to the French staff, who had, for some days, been zealously engaged iji exploring the ground and roads and in sketching maps of the country between tiie allied camp aud Kings Bridge, were ordered by the French commander to set oiil before daylight, and to push their examinations till they came within sight of the enemy's most advanced redoubts, at the noithern extremity of New York island.