Home / Macdonald, John. Interview with Odell, Jackson, 1792-1849; (1845-12-16; 1845-12-19). John M. McDonald Interviews, 1844-1851, WCHS item 1151. Westchester County Historical Society. Transcribed by history.croton.news April 2026. / Passage

Interview with Odell, Jackson

Macdonald, John. Interview with Odell, Jackson, 1792-1849; (1845-12-16; 1845-12-19). John M. McDonald Interviews, 1844-1851, WCHS item 1151. Westchester County Historical Society. Transcribed by history.croton.news April 2026. 259 words

December 16th Jackson Odell: "My neighbour, Mr. Mead, has been over to Quaker Ridge since you were there, and reported to me that Mr. Calvin Mead now recollects the house where Tarleton with his legion stopped in 1779, and enquired for Colonel White who was at the time in the farmers barn, &c. It was the farm house occupied owned by Roger Brown near Round Hill. Col. White was at the moment engaged in conversation on business with Mr. Brown and Tarleton addressed himself to the females of the house who said they had not seen Colonel White and did not know where he was. Roger Brown was the father of Allen Brown afterwards Governor of Ohio. In Captain Cushing's expedition to Morrisania the guides succeeded in obtaining DeLancey's countersign by

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going to a private house frequented by DeLancey's Refugees where where they found and made prisoners two privates courting the girls. One of the men was a raw Dutchman just enlisted, and by frightening and wheedling them they got from the countersign of the night. The countersign was: "Long Live King George", with three slaps of the hand above the head. There were more than seventeen prisoners taken -- my father always said about thirty -- seventeen or eighteen were taken at DeLancey's Quarters, and the rest at another house. During the retreat Michael Dychman rode by the side of Captain Cushing, and it was owing as my father always said principally to his good judgment, decision and knowledge of the country that it was successful.