When Ferris was returning through Horseneck after the escape of Bashaw, he found the place in the possession of Delancey's Refugees who had come up that day or the day before. His quickness furnished an expedient for passing the sentinel. Riding up: "I want to see Major H - - -," said Ferris - "where shall I find him?" The soldier informed him and allowed him to pass, but he took care not to be seen by any more of the Refugees and escaped safely.
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Tom. Ferris and Tim. Knapp went below and secured a drove of cattle at West and East Chester from the Tories, but on returning at night near where John Tredwell (below where Mr. Bates (?)) lived they encountered a party of ten or twelve cowboys who had been above and were now on their way back also with a drove of cattle. The hostile parties were ignorant of each other's strength. It was dark and the cattle became intermixed and the drivers were mutually afraid of each other. Each party sprang over the fence opposite each other. Ferris and Knapp fired several times, then ran round a knoll for cover, loaded, and fired again. The Refugees all this time couldn't see them. After awhile all was still. Ferris then crept between the rider and rails of the
- Hufeland Index Page 814 -
fence so as not to expose himself, and picked out or got a cow and pair of oxen in the dark which he turned out into the field where they lay among the bushes. The whole drove being tired by this time had laid down in the road. Ferris had made out so well he now attempted another capture, but on going through the fence the rail cracked and broke, and he perceived a man behind an opposite the fence sink down and therefore didn't dare to cross, but went behind a tree and watched carefully.