Simcoe's great surprise, the enemy's cannon were fired at the infantry, whom he expected to have been hidden from their sight, by the intervention of the woods ; but it appeared that while Captain Ross was with the atlvanced companies some officers imprudently had got upou a fence, out of curiosity, and discovered themselves to the enem}\ Lieutenant Colonel Simcoe iinaicdiately withdrew his men out of the reach of any ciumc* shot, and made use of the low ground (the crossing of which would have led him into the ambuscade,) to march his infantry under its cover, out of their sight, or the reach of their cannon ; he sent orders to Captain Bujs to withdraw ;

6o2 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

and again ambuscaded the cavalry in a position to take advantage of the euemv if any party of tlioui should pursue hiui, or from Vaientiae's lilll should eudeavur to incommode his retreat. Obsurviug the movement of the YagxT cavalry, the enemy marched a party to watch their movements, on the opposite bank, while their main body formed the line. _ Captain Ross thought proper to wait for the party that had crossed the Bronx. He permitted them to come close to him, when his fire threw them into confusion; he then retreated, making a small circuit to avoid some riflemen who had occupied the wood, and the corps returned to the camp."" -

A day or two preceding the battle of White Plains a large body of British horse advanced upon the road leading through this place for the purpose of reconnoitering.