THE NEUTRAL GROUND I propose, upon the present occasion, to place before this society, the particulars of a bold and successful partisan exploit belonging to the American revolutionary contest, and accomplished in the spring of 1780, upon the borders of New York county. In order that my narrative may be the more readily com-prehended, a few preliminary remarks seem requisite, in rela-tion to the …

So too, at various other times, strong detachments from the main army sud-denly marched as low down as Morrisania or Kingsbridge, and having beaten up the enemy's quarters, soon after with-drew; while upon different occasions, the advanced guards of the upper party established for short periods, a chain of pickets, from the high grounds above Tarrytown, through Whiteplains and the Purchase, to Con…

Twice, in 1777 and 1779 when the river fortresses were reduced, the British standard was displayed as far north as the Highland mountains above Peekskill, and for a short time, nearly the whole county of Westchester was held in subjection by the enemy. At sev-eral other times moreover, the main body of the king's forces crossed the Spyt den duivel Creek, and encamped on the high grounds that exten…

From the beginning of the war, almost all the young men had been out in arms, either for the King or the Common-wealth. Whole sets of brothers, some of them yet in boy-hood, had abandoned the paternal household and gone off to enrol themselves among soldiers, either above or below. They generally remained together, but sometimes disagreed in allegiance and joined hostile ranks; often, never more t…

So unmerciful and continued were these persecutions, that, as men of the firmest mould afterward related of them-selves, they started with alarm on hearing the baying of a watch-dog, and suffered nervous disturbance even from a simple knocking at the door. Such were the circumstances under which the farmers of the "Neutral Ground" contrived to prolong a precarious existence throughout a civil war …

This officer was by birth a Hanoverian, educated to arms from early life, who in his youth had served in Germany during the celebrated "Seven years' war," at the head of a small body of rangers, and was sent out to the assistance of royalty in this country with a reputation, which he is said to have justly deserved, of possessing extraordinary abilities as a partisan. During the first years of the…

When not on duty, they occupied the woods and fields of Morrisania, whose proprietors were re-publicans, and for the most part, in the service of the United States. There, where populous villages now gladden the eye, the British refugees lived in log-huts, upon lands assigned them by the royal authorities, making free use of the soil, and committing waste at discretion, upon what they termed the p…

To countercheck the operations of this formidable corps of light troops, volunteer associations were formed among the young whigs, composed for the most part of American refu-gees, a few of whom had fled from New York and Long Island, but who were principally from the middle and lower parts of Westchester county. These bands, like those of their adversaries, consisted of both horse and foot, and h…

Much more usually than their opponents, the American refugees sought for honorable distinction in their desultory contests; but it would be a strange anomaly in civil war, if the volunteer soldier never prosecuted retaliation for private wrong and did not sometimes condescend to sweep away from the hostile marches, whatever was valuable. The British refugees were the more numerous, and their excur…

Great rivalry sprang up between the champions of the opposite parties, who were sometimes kins-men, and often, either as friends or as foes, well known to each other. Under these circumstances challenges were sometimes given and accepted, and combats, both single and between adversaries of equal numbers, were fought: not unlike those that romance loves to dwell upon when she speaks of Roland or Al…

The owners or conductors of these supplies were generally accompanied by a band of well armed men, who protected the droves and guarded the sleighs filled with grain and flour. They passed along by-roads where they seldom met any but friends, through neighborhoods disaffected to the republican cause, moving for the most part rapidly and by night, halting in the obscurity of the thickest woods; and…

For these purposes, Lieutenant-colonel Norton of the guards, on the evening of the 2d of February, with a strong detachment of troops in sleighs, was sent against the American colonel at that time posted at Youngs' House on the high grounds be- 8 THE MCDONALD PAPERS tween Tarrytown and Whiteplains. The result of this excur-sion was, that early on the ensuing morning, Colonel Thompson was surpris…

Although overlooked by history, and almost unknown to a new generation, the memories of these men are cherished in their native county, where the first of each of the three groups above named, are still familiarly spoken of as "The three great guides." On one of the last days of April before preparations for the intended attack had been entirely completed, and in the absence of the two field-offic…

Hop-ing to overtake them by a rapid pursuit, he resumed his march until nightfall, when a heavy rain set in, and the com-manding officer perceiving that his game had escaped, halted his followers near Milesquare, and announced his intention to return. This determination was opposed with much warmth by the guides, who urged that this was the moment to surprise the refugee-colonel in his quarters, w…

The guides, after a short consultation, all gave their voices for proceeding with the enterprise. The American commander then continued his march, cau-tiously traversing fields and woods, never approaching the picket-guards of the enemy, whose usual stations were well known to the guides, and avoiding carefully the British patrols. At length, when within a mile of the refugee head-quarters, he aga…

This mode of attack was agreed to without hesitation, and the daring proposer, who was well acquainted with the situation of the building, was allowed the honor, which he earnestly solicited, of leading on the storming party. Cor-nelius Oakley, James Oakley and Abraham Dyckman then prepared to make the assault at the head of the guides; plac-ing immediately before them one of the prisoners they ha…

As the guides approached Delancey's quarters, the soldier on guard hailed them, the true countersign was given by the captive royalist, and they continued moving forward, but while passing the sentinel, Abraham Dyckman rushed upon, disarmed and threw him to the ground, and at the same time prevented an alarm by holding his prisoner by the throat, and charging him at the peril of his life to keep q…

This time, however, when he pried open the shutters, which were old, they made a creaking sound, and Dyckman said, "Take care, if you make so much noise you'll startle the refugees." "It's too late now," answered Oakley. "They are running for their arms.-- Quick, follow me." Getting the fingers of both hands, fully between the shutters and pulling with his utmost force, he fortunately drew them op…

A British patrol that came in at this time, and some men taken at a neighboring house, swelled the number of prisoners to thirty-four. The American com-mander lost not a moment in securing his prisoners, and then fell back upon his covering-party, knowing full well that his only chance for safety lay in a rapid retreat, which was the more requisite, as some soldiers, quartered in the out-buildings…

Here the British refugees got upon the left flank of the Americans, and compelled them to move by their right, across some open ground. Kipp, one of Delancey's captains, taking immediate advantage of this circumstance, led his troop to the charge; but a sharp fire from the rear of the Continental party, which killed or wounded several of the dragoons, here brought the pursuers to a stand, which wa…

They were now passing a smooth and beautiful tract of land, consisting of large wheat-fields, called Acker's slope, that declined gently toward the west; when one of the captive officers addressed Michael Dyckman by whose side he was riding; "If our folks were here, this is the very spot where they would charge you." These words were scarcely uttered, when the blast of a trumpet was heard, which i…

Cushing's pris-oners, who, tied together, had hitherto been marching quietly between the retreating platoons, now broke away from the ranks, exclaiming with loud shouts: "Our friends are coming, --Our friends are coming, we'll soon be clear." For a short time the soldiers were in dismay, and even some of the officers asked the guides in a whisper, whether it would not be better to disband and let …