The Americans withdrew from their lines, when the British retired to undertake the siege of _Fort Washington_, and at the storming of the lines and redoubts near the fort, on the 16th of November, the SEVENTEENTH Light Dragoons supported the infantry, and had one man wounded. One troop of the regiment formed part of the force under Lieut.-General Clinton, which sailed from New York on the 1st of December, landed on _Rhode Island_ on the 8th, and overpowering the American troops, reduced the island to submission to the British Government. This troop remained on Rhode Island during the succeeding twelve months under Major-General Earl Percy, and afterwards under Major-General Prescott. Five troops of the regiment were stationed, during the winter, at New York and other places in the vicinity of that city. [Sidenote: 1777] The Americans having formed extensive magazines at _Danbury_ and other places on the borders of Connecticut, a detachment of the SEVENTEENTH formed part of the force sent from New York, under Major-General Tryon, to destroy the stores. Sailing from New York in transports, the troops arrived, on the evening of the 25th of April, 1777, off Norwalk, landed without opposition, and commenced their march at ten o'clock that night for Danbury, where they arrived about two in the afternoon of the following day. On their approach the American soldiers fled, and as no carriages could be procured to bring off the stores, they were destroyed by fire; the flames communicating to the town, it was also consumed. On the following morning the British commenced their march back to their shipping, but had to fight their way through troops assembled to oppose them. They overthrew one body of Americans at _Ridgefield_, routed another party at the _Hill of Campo_, and afterwards embarked without molestation for New York. In June the army took the field, and endeavoured to draw the American forces under General Washington from their strong position in the mountains in the Jerseys, but without success. The British General afterwards embarked with the greater part of his army on an expedition against the populous and wealthy city of Philadelphia, taking with him the Sixteenth Light Dragoons, and leaving five troops of the SEVENTEENTH at New York, and one troop at Rhode Island. From New York one troop of the SEVENTEENTH embarked, dismounted, in the early part of October, with the expedition against _Forts Montgomery_ and _Clinton_. Having landed at Stoney-point, on the 6th of October, the troop of the SEVENTEENTH formed part of the column under Major-General Vaughan, which captured one of the forts by storm on the same evening; the other fort was abandoned by the Americans. After returning from this enterprise the troop rejoined the regiment at New York, and during the winter the SEVENTEENTH embarked for Pennsylvania, and were stationed at Philadelphia under General Sir William Howe. [Sidenote: 1778]