1845. Jackson Odell. September 12th.

Colonel Norton with the expedition against Young's house advanced by the Sprain road and continued their march on the road passing from the Methodist Church to the Four Corners. At the house of Mr. Van Dahl Allaire, about half a mile from Young's, he encountered an out post, surrounded, and took it. The enemy's cavalry, from the depth of the snow, not being able to surround the house, drew up on the hill, situated east on the White Plains road, awaiting the infantry. A party of Americans had advanced as far as Dr. Adams and Gilbert Fisher's hill to relieve Colonel Thompson's guard. When the strength of the British forces was seen, Thompson was advised either to join said relief party on the hill or to retreat within the house. He answered: "I was sent here to defend this post - and shall do so. They are only De Lancey's Cow-boys!" He drew up his men in front of the house and to the right [page break] 1845. right side of it and posted some in the house. The Grenadiers and De Lancey's horse charged, simultaneously, and the Americans were routed. De Lancey pursued as far as the first hill, about a quarter of a mile from Young's. There was a spring of water nearly opposite Young's on the East side of and the road where many wounded crawled for water and died. The British returned I think by the Sprain road. My father was at Youngs House at the time and I obtained these facts from him.