Barker, William
John M. McDonald interview — 1845-10-24
William Barker (1764-1859) recounts the fight between Captain Archibald Campbell, a British officer, and Lieutenant Paddock (likely Isaac Paddock), an American officer, during a skirmish at Ward’s House in Eastchester on March 16, 1777. Much of his interview is spent telling the story of Luther Kennicutt, a double agent who was a “false sp[y] for the British and real for the Americans.” He also describes two skirmishes, one in Scarsdale and one apparently in White Plains, where Loyalist cavalry from DeLancey’s Refugees killed or captured parties of Skinners. He concludes his interview with a reference to John Oakley, a brother of Westchester Guide Cornelius Oakley.
Manuscript page facsimiles
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Transcription
- Hufeland Index Page 224 -
October 24th. William Barker – Scarsdale see next page “Captain Campbell and Lieutenant Paddock met in Wards house, when the former entered and ran each other through. Lieut. Paddock had just at that time, obtained a Lieutenancy in the Continental army, and came down to the lines to recruit from the militia and others. One of the Haines’ family a private in the Queen’s Rangers was killed at the same time. Kennicutt remained below until Arnold’s treason, and then left Westchester and went above. He, as well as Captain John Hunter, and Capt Gilbert Dean, married a daughter of Colonel Samuel Drake. Hunter and Kennicutt were each spies for both sides – false spies for the British and real for the Americans. Arnold knew
- Hufeland Index Page 225 -
all the spies, and when he went over those of them within the British lines fled precipitately the moment they heard of his deflection, and it was understood generally, they had a narrow escape. Kennicutt was once taken up in Scarsdale near my father’s as a British spy, by a party of Sheldon’s and carried above where he soon made his escape. He was at this time supposed by every horseman to be a British spy and his capture and subsequent escape, were afterwards known to have been pre-concerted with the view of impressing the Royalists and the public at large with the opinion that the American authorities considered him as strongly attached to the King and as being in the habit of rendering the tories important services. After learhing leaving West Chester in 1780, he lived a free life and it was said sometimes
- Hufeland Index Page 226 -
plundered. Once he searched a house and found nothing, when it occurred to him there might be, a secret apartment. Accordingly, being a carpenter, and having a scale by him, he measured the house and rooms inside and then took, the, dimensions outside, and made discovery of a hiding place for valuables, partitioned from off the house. He and his party then obtained a great quantity of clothes, money and dry goods, all of which they were in search of. When taken at Scarsdale Kennicut was secured by a rope which he took off with him to show his friends when he got within the British lines. Once during the war, probably in , 6 or 7, Skinners was overtaken in Scarsdale near my father’s house by a party of Delancey’s who attacked
- Hufeland Index Page 227 -
them, refused to give them quarter, killed all but one, and left him for dead, he was cut to pieces and life barely remained in him, but he at length recovered. These men were hacked slashed and killed begging for quarter.” [This probably occurred in 1781, and is the affair mentioned by Dr. Thatcher in his Military Journal.] “Another party of five or six Skinners in , or thereabouts, came down, I think from the eastward. – That day my brother Gilbert was taking the wife of Isaac Webbers behind him, home to her residence when they met this party who compelled him and Mrs. Webbers to dismount and took the horse, a fine, fleet young animal. The Skinners were soon after surprised by a party of DeLancey’s in the road leading from Purdy lane, a little north of –
- Hufeland Index Page 228 -
Captain Jonathan Purdy’s, along Joseph Hart’s farm to North Street. Near Elijah Purdy’s old place. They were all (five or six) either killed or taken, except the man who took my brother’s horse, and he owed his escape to the fleetness of the animal. Cornelius Oakley has a brother named John a Lieutenant in in the New York Levies.