"During the Revolutionary war and previous to the spring of 1781, when my father left Yorktown for New Rochelle, there was (for a while) a company of foot stationed at O'Blenis's, to guard the ford with a sergeant's squad guard of ten or twelve men at work our house - (Chadeayne) - that is, a picket. The Refugees who were lurking about the neighbouring woods and houses determined to carry off this guard. The company which formed the main guard and the advanced were

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569 209 rangers under the command of Benjamin Greene (Stevenson?). One night, one or two Refugees crawled unperceived near the sentinel and fired at him. The rest of the picket were at this time in high glee amusing themselves at the expense of one of their number who was what they called a "Johnny Raw." They ran on the alarm, ran first to their arms and fired upon the enemy (the main body of whom had come up) and then fell back upon the main guard. One man, left behind in retreating mistook the Refugees (who ran also) for his comrades, and holloed for them to stop. Several when they heard him, stopped, turned about, and fired. He then discovered his mistake, and altered his course.

You will, during the winter, hear from me, and Jes. Ryder, probably, 1779, I saw the British army (regulars) pass down the hardscrabble road?