He sent General Wayne, with some Pennsylvanian and M^aryland troops, horse and foot, to storm the block-house, and to drive the
THE HUDSON.
cattle within the American lines. Wayne sent the cavalry, under Major Henry Lee, to perform the latter duty, whilst he and three Pennsylvanian reo-iments marched against the block-house with four pieces of cannon. They made a spirited attack, but their cannon were too light to be effective, and, after a skirmish, the Americans were repulsed with a loss of sixty men, killed and wounded. After burning some wood-boats near.
bull's ferry.
and capturing those who had them in charge, Wayne returned to camp with a large number of cattle driven by the dragoons.
This event was the theme of a satirical poem, in three cantos, in the ballad style, written by Major Andre, and published in Eivington's^oy«Z Gazette, in the city of New York. The following is a correct copy, made
THE HUDSON.
by the writer for his Pictorial Field Book of the Eevolutiox, in 1850, from an original in the hand-writing of Major Andre. It was written upon small folio paper. The poem is entitled
THE cow CHASE. Canto I.
To drive the kine one summer's n The tanner* took his way ;
The calf shall rue, that is unborn, The yumbling of that day.
And Wayne descending steers sliall know
And tauntingly deride, And call to mind, in every low,
The tanning of his liide.
Yet IJergen cows still ruminate
Unconscious in the stall, What mighty means were used to get