Although they waited through the night, nothing happened. "While marching back after sunrise, the jaded men, not knowing the object of their unpleasant journey, swore lustily at being dragged through the mud so far for nothing. . . . It was long after the event transpired, when the men learned that they had been sent to succor Lee, and why they had 'marched down the hill and then marched up again.' "

Simms added, "The facts respecting the intended succor of Lee, are from Daniel Spencer, an old pensioner of Canajoharie, who was one of the 900 men sent out by Gen. Heath."

At the end of 1780, Congress ordered the consolidation of the Continental regiments. Connecticut's eight regiments were compacted into five. Some officers, including Capt. McGregier, were retired from the service; sometimes soldiers joined other units during this shake-up.

On May 1, 1781, Spencer enlisted in Col. Elisha Sheldon's Light Dragoons. This renowned group, the 2nd Dragoons of the Continental Army, could operate as cavalry or, dismounted, as infantry. Spencer was a private in the company commanded by Capt. George Hurlbut.

Spencer's 1818 pension application says "he cannot recollect having been in any battle of importance, though he remembers having been in skirmishes at Thog's Point & Valentine Hill in the vicinity of New York. . . ."

Those fights, in July 1781, were among the first on land carried out jointly with the French army. When Washington's troops formed in line of battle beside the Hudson River, the Connecticut State Brigade held the advanced position on the left while Sheldon's Light Dragoons were stationed in the advance on the right; both were ahead of the first line of troops.

The diaries of George Washington (printed by the University Press of Virginia and placed online by the Library of Congress) detail an action of July 15, 1781. Three or four American vessels had arrived at Tarrytown, N.Y., and were attacked by the enemy, Washington wrote, "and with infinite difficulty, & by great exertion of Colo. Sheldon, Captn. Hurlbut, (who got wounded) — Captn. Lieut. Miles of the artillery & Lt. Shayler (the vessels) were prevented from falling into the hands of the Enemy as they got a ground 100 yards from the Dock and were set fire to by the Enemy but extinguished by the extraordinary activity & spirit of the above Gentn. Two of the Carriages however were a good deal damaged by the fire.

"The Enemy however by sending their armed Boats up the River took the Vessel of a Captn. Dobbs laden with Bread for the French Army — Cloathing for Sheldons Regiment & some passengers. This was done in the Night — it being after Sunset before the Vessels passed the Post at Dobs ferry."