Carpenter, John
John M. McDonald interview — 1848-12-04
John Carpenter (1769-1851) states that Loyalist Major Mansfield Bearmore returned south from the burning of Bedford on July 11, 1779, via Purchase Street. He states that the force that burned Bedford was commanded by Colonel John Graves Simcoe, who also ordered the burning of the house of Francis Nash on the east side of the Byram River in Greenwich, Connecticut. Carpenter also discusses the capture of American Colonel Thomas Thomas in Harrison on November 13, 1778. He then notes his positive impressions of American Major Benjamin Tallmadge, Loyalist Major Thomas Huggeford (misspelled here as Hungerford), and American Lieutenant James Dole. Carpenter next discusses a series of retaliatory hangings that took place during the war. He notes that after the execution of Brom Barrett, “strict orders were given on both sides that there should be no more hanging without trials, as they could not see where it would end.” He concludes by discussing the location of American General Charles Lee’s headquarters in 1778, but notes that he does not know the headquarters locations of any other American officers.
Manuscript page facsimiles
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Transcription
- Hufeland Index Page 876 -
December 4th John Carpenter, of Harison: “I was born in 1769, and remember the battle of White Plains. – Bearmore was with the party that burnt Bedford and returned through Purchase Street as did the whole force. Colonel Simcoe commanded this party as I have always heard – and that is my recollection and belief. On his return in the morning he stopped at my uncle’s (Francis Nash) at Byram river on the east side, and ordered Mrs. Nash to prepare him a breakfast which she did, and after eating, &c., he directed the house to be burnt down and it was. Then The house was entirely plundered before it was burnt. When Col. Thomas was taken by Simcoe two of his men were killed, James Brundage and Gilbert Slater. This last was hacked to pieces by the swords of the British horse. Carpenter (a Lieutenant or paymaster) was taken and paroled.
- Hufeland Index Page 877 -
Major Tallmadge, Major Hungerford, and Lieutenant Dole were moderate, just men who protected the peaceable inhabitants Tim Knapp was hanged for stealing DeLancey’s horse. Brom. Barrett was hanged to retaliate for Knapp’s death, ^by and Fade Donaldson and Capt. Sam Lockwood, and Fade Donaldson was hanged in retaliation of Brom. Barrett. After the executions had taken place strict orders were given on both sides that there should be no more hanging without trials, as they could not see where it would end. Brom. Barrett had married a woman belonging to this town. He was a harmless, simple man. I dont know where he was from, or whether he was Irish or American. General Lee’s quarters in 1778, were in a house owned by me, a quarter of a mile from here (north) where my son now lives. I don’t know as to the quarters of Wilkinson, St Clair, Kosciusko, &c.
[X] (see original page 102)