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October 27th James Hopkins of Round hill aged 82: "The first time that the British regulars came up to North Castle was in the month of May or June. We were hoeing corn the first time. Their force was four or five hundred horse, and about the same number of foot commanded by a general officer who remained at Clapp's in King Street to support the horse. They were Hessians, British and Refugees. The horse came up to the hill east north east of Smith's Tavern where about twenty militia were posted, I don't know who commanded them. It might have been Lieutenant Mosier or Lieutenant Wright Carpenter who were with them. Captain Benoni Platt was not there. He [Carpenter?] had a black servant, named
<left margin> (see origl. middle of page 38.) <left margin>
- Hufeland Index Page 743 -
Aaron (a military man, a slave, who would turn out with the militia, and his master, Gilbert Palmer, a whig, in consequence gave him his free- -dom) and a fine horse called Prince. When the attack was about to com- -mence Carpenter told Aaron: "Now when we begin to run do you mount my horse and secure him." Accordingly very soon the militia began to retreat, and Aaron ran for the horse which had escaped from his fastening but he secured, mounted him, and escaped, by riding down a precipice among rocks where his pursuers (some British dragoons) were not able to follow him. James Miller was the only American killed, one [brave] militia man was taken and a number of the inhabitants. This happened before Pound-ridge was taken by T[otten]. They must have come up for cattle and prisoners. When they