Derbyshire, William
John M. McDonald interview — 1849-12-03
William Derbyshire (b.1770) was a native of White Plains but resided in Morrisania in present-day Bronx County during the Revolutionary War with his father, who was a Loyalist. He recounts two incidents regarding a Loyalist cavalryman and a French officer during the Franco-American reconnaissance against British defenses in the Bronx and northern Manhattan on July 22, 1781. Derbyshire notes that the Loyalist Refugees who resided in Morrisania “never entirely returned” after their settlements were destroyed during an American raid in January 1781.
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Transcription
- Hufeland Index Page 997 -
<left margin> Wm. Derbyshire born in ’70 at White Plains – Dragoon drowned – His horse went into ranks on a salt meadow at Harlem – French Officer’s horse shot – took off saddle, bridle and holsters and coolly went off. </left margin>
Decr. 3rd. William Derbyshire: “I was born at White Plains in 1770 – I lived during the Revolutionary war with my father at Morrisania. He was a Royalist and a saddler and worked for the British at his trade. When the French and Americans (on July 22, 1781) charged Delancey’s horse and drove them into Harlem creek, a Refugee dragoon was wounded and drowned in the crossing, but his horse continued in the ranks and joined them when they drew up and paraded on the salt meadows immediately afterwards. On this occasion a French officer’s horse was shot. The officer, dismounting in the water, coolly took off the saddle, bridle, and holsters and waded back, all the time under fire. The Refugees never entirely returned after the burning of their settlements in January 1781.”