Battle of Mamaroneck

The night attack at Mamaroneck on October 22, 1776 was an American attempt to strike at Robert Rogers's Queen's Rangers — one of the most famous Loyalist units of the war. Colonel John Haslet led Delaware Continentals in a night march to surprise Rogers's camp in Westchester County.

The attack initially achieved surprise and inflicted casualties on the Rangers. However, Rogers managed to extract most of his force before Haslet could complete the encirclement. The Americans captured some prisoners and supplies before withdrawing. Rogers, the legendary frontier fighter whose 'Rules of Ranging' had influenced light infantry tactics for decades, escaped capture.

Robert Rogers had hoped to command American forces when the war began, but was denied a command by Washington who distrusted his loyalties. His service with the British as commander of the Queen's Rangers represented one of the war's more interesting 'roads not taken' — had Rogers's allegiance gone the other way, his extraordinary skills in irregular warfare would have been invaluable to the American cause.