The table had been covered with flowers and beautifully decorated with cut-glass and silver, and the guests, many of whom were ladies, were strolling about the grounds in the balmy summer evening, when a servant suddenly rushed from the house and informed the Colonel that the building was burning. That officer, not in the least discomposed, calmly ordered the tables brought out on the lawn, and seated the company, who watched the conflagration while enjoying their repast. The cool and gallant Colonel was unfortunately killed in a skirmish, very soon after this event.

Ube '"IFleutral Ground"

The skirmishes between the Light Horse of the two armies were entirely too numerous and too barren of permanent result to chronicle in their entirety. One or two more, however, to show the general character of these expeditions may not be out of place.

Colonel Burr, afterwards so famous, or, rather, infamous, as the slayer of Hamilton, destroyed Colonel De Lancey's blockhouse, after a slight skirmish. The Colonel secretly approached the building in the night with quite a large number of men, threw a handgrenade into the building, setting it on fire and killing a number of men. Most of the rest were captured while attempting to escape.

At the time of Washington's retreat before White Plains, a series of forts and earthworks were erected from the East River to the Hudson across Morrisania and the lower part of the present city of Yonkers. After their desertion by the Continentals, these works were often utilized by both parties in their expeditions against each other, and held for longer or shorter periods of time as might be advisable. General Heath, of the American forces, often occupied them, as did Lincoln and many another Continental commander, and on the British side. Simcoe, Tarleton. and Colonel James De Lancey made favorite resorts of them.