Home / Macdonald, John. Interview with Corsa, Andrew, 1762-1852; (1849-10-27). John M. McDonald Interviews, 1844-1851, WCHS item 839. Westchester County Historical Society. Transcribed by history.croton.news April 2026. / Passage

Interview with Corsa, Andrew

Macdonald, John. Interview with Corsa, Andrew, 1762-1852; (1849-10-27). John M. McDonald Interviews, 1844-1851, WCHS item 839. Westchester County Historical Society. Transcribed by history.croton.news April 2026. 250 words

We then returned turned to the right and entered Morrisania, moving all this while along the roads. The moment we came in sight of Harlem river from the high grounds about Gouverneur Morris's house, a furious cannonade was directed against us from the British at Montressor's Island, Harlem and Snake Hill, and from the ships of war in the river. We (that is, guides) sheltered ourselves for several minutes behind the old hill, but Washington Rochambeau and their suites moved on as cool and tranquil as ever. We halted a short time at Morrisania while the officers made some observations. After this we crossed the bridge

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917265 at the Mill, and the army also, after gaining the west side of the Mill brook halted awhile. We then led the army along the west bank of Mill brook about two miles, when turning to the west we retired through the fields of Fordham &c. passing by Robert Morris's (present) house - a little to the east of it, & so on to the high grounds above Dennis Bolentine's hill at Sun Hill where (I believe) the combined army encamped for the night. The next day (Monday July 23d 1781) we piloted the army again to Morrisania, but this time we advanced no further south than the mills, and then retired as we had done the day before in a nearly direct line through the fields of Fordham towards Valentine's Hill, where, as I understood the army lay that night.