Carpenter, Jotham
John M. McDonald interview — 1848-10-30
Jotham Carpenter (c.1763-1852) believes that the killing of American James Miller took place during the first raid of the British into North Castle. He recounts this raid, and mentions Anthony Tripp and Gilbert Palmer, two elderly men who belonged to the Society of Friends and whom the British briefly took prisoner. Carpenter then lists the names of the Bedford-area families whose homes were burned by the British during the Revolutionary War, and notes the belief that some of the houses were torched by a company of DeLancey’s Refugees led by Captain Gilbert Totten. He also explains that Loyalist Major Thomas Huggeford was too late to intervene in the execution of Tim Knapp, and that the sons of Fade Donaldson “swore vengeance” against Huggeford for his role in the execution of their father. Carpenter then describes a successful raid led by Major Thomas Huggeford of DeLancey’s Refugees against an American guard post at Horseneck in Greenwich, Connecticut. He also references the surrender of a Captain Bouton of Pound Ridge, the capture of Major Samuel Lyon by a party of Refugees, the background of American Lieutenant William Mosier, and the death of Loyalist Captain Ebenezer Theall in a skirmish at Round Hill in Greenwich, Connecticut. Carpenter notes that black rate was enforced in North Castle, and describes the locations of mills in the town as well as the location of two ovens built by the French army near Sand’s Mill. Carpenter also recounts the killing of a forage master from the French army in New Castle south of Pines Bridge. (Other versions of this story indicate that the man was a doctor.) He describes a raid conducted by a group of Skinners against the home of Joseph Wilson in Rye, and the restitution that the party made when identified by Lieutenant James Dole, who was convalescing at the house. Carpenter also criticizes the behavior of some of the discharged soldiers from Colonel Stephen Moylan’s 4th Continental Light Dragoons. He relates an incident when a group of these soldiers raided the home of his father-in-law, a Quaker named Aaron Furman, but were stopped by Furman’s daughter. Carpenter concludes by referencing two lieutenants, Elijah Janes (misspelled here as Jayne) and Doyle, whom he knew from Lansingburgh, New York, and notes the revenge that Janes sought for being wounded by Charles Leggett while being held as a prisoner.
Original findings from this interview
Manuscript page facsimiles
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Transcription
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October 30th Jotham Carpenter of North Castle: “I am 85 years old and was a boy of twelve when the Revolution commenced. I believe that the first excursion of the enemy was when James Miller was killed. This occurred on the high ground half a mile north east of Smith’s Tavern and near the Post road. A party of the enemy advanced in front and the militia stood firm, but another party got in the rear which when they perceived they fled. James Miller being an elderly man ran slow, and was overtaken in the fields east of the road about a quarter of a mile from the road, and three quarters of a mile north east of Smith’s and cut to pieces by the horsemen with their swords. Anthony Tripp an old Friend sixty years old or so was then hoeing corn
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nearby. Finding a gun near him they took him prisoner. They also took another old friend named Gilbert Palmer. In retreating they halted for refreshments at Tommy Clapp’s near King Street. The prisoners were put in a smokehouse for safety and when they resumed their march the two old men were left behind. The other prisoners were taken on. The enemy took off at the same time two horses of a friend John Cornell. These they left at Clapp’s and Anthony Tripp and John Cornell rode back upon them. The enemy were all horseman. They burnt no houses this time and didn’t plunder much. When the British burnt Bedford the following houses were burnt by them on the White Plains road as they retired – vizt: Israel Lyon’s, John
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Ferris’s, Peter Lyons’s (two houses) Andrew Griffen’s, Benjamin Hopkins (where Smith Tavern is) Francis Nash’s near Byram river. Afterwards (in 1781 probably) another party of Refugees burnt the following houses, vizt: Wright Carpenter’s, Peter Lyons, two houses which had been rebuilt. This was said to have been done by Captain Totten’s company. No others were burnt this time that I recollect. When Tim Knapp was hung Major Huggerford was absent. On hearing of Knapp’s being brought in he hastened home, but arrived too late to save him. He was very much put out at his death. Brom. (Abraham) Barrett as I have always understood was hanged in retaliation of Tim Knapp. When Major Huggeford returned
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after the war the sons of Fade Donaldson swore vengeance against him, and for long the major went about armed. Sometime in the latter end of the war, Major Huggeford came up with a party of horse to Horseneck to surprise a Guard under Captain Fogg, and crossing over a place called “Peck’s Land,” they took Mr. Peck (or whoever lived on that land) and compelled him to pilot them across to where Fogg lay. When they came near Huggeford halted and told his followers to lay quiet until they heard a firing and then to march on. Huggeford taking one man with him went on having first quietly removed the stones from a wall to allow the horses to cross. This was done very carefully and silently stone by stone. Huggeford and his
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men, then approached the guard and were hailed: “Who goes there?” No answer &c. – Sentry fired, and the Refugees rushed on and took the Captain and all or most of his men. When Captain Bouton of Poundridge surrendered great fault was found. They said he might have so fortified himself in the swamp as to have bid defiance to an enemy. One of his men was killed and one wounded I believe he didn’t afterwards command I think there was no fighting when they took Major Samuel Lyon who was a very pleasant, good man. William Mosier was a mason from near Horseneck who afterwards moved up the country. When Captain Theall was killed the Refugees came up to North astle, and so went into the Middle
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Patent sweeping off the cattle of the Whigs. Black rate was enforced here – that is, Whig losses were assessed on tories and on those who would not take up arms. The Mills now owned by Sands were in the Revolutionary war owned by one Thomas Wright, where great quantities of stores were kept. Robbin’s Mills were then owned by one Reuben Wright. Captain Kipp, as I have heard, commanded the horse that attacked Captain Bouton near Smith’s when he surrendered. The French army built two very large ovens about forty rods north of Sands’ Mills where they baked five hundred loaves at a time in the two. A French Forage Master ? was killed a little south of Pines Bridge by
<left margin> A different version of this is given elsewhere – In the other, the[…] <left margin>
<left margin> […] victim is called a French Doctor who died game. <left margin>
four men. Totten and Tillet were two of them. The Frenchman went down upon his knees and begged. They cast lots who should kill and the person on whom it should fall was to have his gold watch over and above an equal share of the plunder, such as horse, money &c. The lot fell on Tillett (?) who performed the murder by striking him on the head with the butt of his pistol being afraid of causing an alarm by firing. Tillett struck the cock into the Frenchman’s head. Fancher foolishly threw away his gun in the swamp, and was then overtaken and badly cut in the head. While Dole was laying sick of his wounds at the house of Joseph Wilson, the house was plundered by a party of Skinners among which was my cousin Wright Carpenter and Isaac Webbers.
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After he recovered Dole called both of them to account and compelled restitution. Some of Moylan’s discharged soldiers were very great plunderers and bad men. Among them was Mitchel Burke [X], Bob Forrest and Bob Thurston. Burke and others once came to my father in law’s house seized, and attempted to gouge his eye out by seizing a lock of his hair, &c. My father in law was a Friend and named Aaron Furman. He was a blacksmith. He had a daughter a resolute woman who took hold of her father’s sledge hammer kept for safety in the house, and said, “If you take hold of my father again, I’ll lay you sprawling.” Burke then desisted but cursed her, and used offensive language &c. Lieuts. Jayne and Doyle were partners in business at Lansingburgh
[X] (Michael Bourke in another place)
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where I was acquainted with them. Jayne swore he would be revenged of Charles Leggett for having wounded him while a prisoner.