Oakley, Samuel
John M. McDonald interview — 1844-10-12
Samuel Oakley (b.c.1766) gave this interview to John Macdonald over two days. He indicates that his grandfather and the father of Westchester Guide Cornelius Oakley were brothers. He begins by discussing the death of Jotham Purdy, a Loyalist officer, during a skirmish in Mamaroneck and the capture of Captain Benjamin Ogden by an American raiding party in the Bronx. (Other interviews indicate that Purdy was killed in Rye, not Mamaroneck.) He also describes how a troop of DeLancey’s Refugees swam their horses across the Long Island Sound from Throggs Neck to Queens during the reconnaissance of the American and French armies in July 1781, and how the tide affected Westchester Creek and led to the drowning of the daughter of Loyalist Captain Solomon Fowler. He then recounts how a group of Americans who conducted a raid in the Bronx were captured when they stopped for supper at the home of Isaac Vermille in present-day Yonkers. Oakley notes that Dyckman’s Bridge, also known as the Farmers’ Bridge, that connected Manhattan to the mainland was taken up by the British during the war. He recalls that the party of Americans that reached Throggs Neck in the Bronx in July 1781 were fired upon by British artillery posted in a fort at Whitestone in Queens, and that the British stole a large quantity of grain and flour from the mills of American Colonel Thomas Thomas in Harrison. Oakley begins the second day of the interview by describing Mosier’s Fight of December 2, 1781. He then recounts the American raid led by William Hull against the Refugee settlements in present-day Bronx County on January 28, 1781, as well as a skirmish that took place near the Eastchester church while Hull’s command was withdrawing. Samuel Oakley also recounts a successful raid led by Cornelius Oakley that disrupted a ball at a house near Fort No. 8 and resulted in the capture of several prisoners. Samuel Oakley also notes that Daniel Nimham, sachem of the Wappinger People, was friendly with the Ferris family. He briefly describes the participation of the Stockbridge-Munsee soldiers at the Battle of Van Cortlandt’s Woods. Oakley then explains why Loyalist officer Robert Simmons decided to change his allegiance to the American cause, and states his belief that Edward Thomas was too young to have been American Colonel Thomas Thomas’s adjutant. (A note indicates that Edward Thomas was, in fact, the colonel’s adjutant.) Oakley next states what he has heard regarding the certificates given by foraging parties to their friends. He concludes by noting that he does not know the first name of the man named Purdy who was killed at Mamaroneck.
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Transcription
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1844 October 12th Samuel Oakley: “Mr. [Jotham] Purdy belonged to Delanceys and was killed in 1777 at Maroneck [X] Bridge. A party of Delancy’s went up on an excursion, and Purdy was with the advance guard of about twenty cavalry. On a knoll just over the bridge was an American party of about thirty infantry. The knoll was almost inaccessible, to, cavalry, and has since been removed in whole or part. The advance guard attempted to rush over the Bridge and get in rear of the Americans, and while passing received their fire which [X] Sometimes written Mamaroneck
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Samuel Oakley contd
was given with fatal effect. Purdy and another were killed, seven wounded, and five horses killed. The guard then fell back upon their main body, and the Americans retreated to the woods to avoid capture by superior members. I am certain this was not at New Rochelle. Captain Ogden was taken at his quarters at Vermille’s under the hill at Dyckman’s Bridge. The Americans passed the outposts without discovery. Ogden’s sentinel was pacing the long piazza in front of the house, and when he turned was pinioned, and threatened with immediate death if he made a noise. They then went to the stable and saddled and bridled his horse – then to his chamber and woke him. He had retired fatigued and slept through all the noise. When he awoke the first thing he saw was the glittering of three dragoons swords over his head. He was mounted, and taken in upon his horse.
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Samuel Oakley contd.
My grandfather and the father of Cornelius Oakley of White Plains were brothers. James Oakley, of the Revolution, who belonged to the same company with the Odell’s and Dyckman’s, and was their friend &c, was my uncle. When the French advanced to Haerlem river in 1781, a troop of Delancey’s horse was on Throg’s Neck and swam their horses across to Whitestone, Long Island. - Willett Carpenter was among them. All went over safe, though one or two of the horses came near going down by the head. The troopers were directed to sit back upon the haunches, and the horses then kept their heads more easily above water. Their number was about forty, and they crossed from the Point. [I think this was when the American and the French engineers measured the distance &c.] Captain Honeywell of the [American] West Chester Refugees was the brother of Philip Honeywell, and lived where Isaac Odell afterwards resided. His, and his fathers
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name was Israel. In and before the Revolution the tide at West Chester mills rose over the cause way which accounts for Rochambeau’s adventure. [X] It was afterwards raised. Captain Solomon Fowler in the beginning or before the war attempted to cross to attend a wedding. He was on horseback, and his wife and daugh -ter (a girl of fifteen) in a gig. The tide swept the gig away and the daughter was drowned. He was cautioned anxiously not to make the attempt. [There was a pass above back of Honeywell’s (or Watsons?) where there was a bridge which was guarded in 1776 by the Americans.] A party of the guides and others under Odell (Queré, John?) had been to Morrisania and were returning by the Sprain road. - They were hungry and weary, and had five or six prisoners, and some of Delancey’s horses, cattle and arms. [The main body with the prisoners went on, but one of the Odells, Post, McChain, and another stopped, and were taken by a party of Delancey’s that pursued.]
[X] See next page - 14a
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[X] The tide rose so high that the causeway was impassible. After it was at a certain height they never ventured to cross it. Fowler relied upon his know ledge of the way. Fowler had been out once, before he was killed, and some sneered at his prudence and even doubted his courage. He ventured almost alone, among the American’s determined to establish a reputation for courage which should last.
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Some one proposed to stop and get supper at Uncle Isaac Vemille’s (father of Isaac Vermille of Dobb’s Ferry). They stopped and were surprised, and taken by a party that followed them, (?) June 1781 (?) Dyckman’s or the Farmers’ Bridge, was taken up by the British during the war. It was built because they paid toll at King’s Bridge. When an American party went down to Throg’s Neck they were fired upon from the British fort at Whitestone (in 1781) and covered all over with sand but none were killed. The party immediately retreated singly up the neck. [They were engineers. My uncle, James Oakley, was with them as a guide.] The British in 1779? (when? in 1778.) took a great quantity of [wheat grain and] flour which had been sent (that is, the grain) to Thomas’s Mill to be ground. The British pressed a great many teams and took it off. (?) The Mill was south of Thomas’ house on Blind Brook, (?) I believe.
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Saml. Oakley contd.
Oct.14th- [Samuel Oakley continued.] When Kipp overtook Mosier he was at Breakfast at a house (Treadwell’s?) with his company. One or two of the soldiers made their escape across the fields. Thirty-two remained with him and retreated. The affair took place near General Thomas’s, between the Purchase road and King street near Treadwell’s. Kipp and Holmes had their pistols, but it was said the men had not, which occasioned much censure towards the officers. They could not reach Mosiers men with their swords.
In 1781, when Hull attacked the Refugee settlements he was at West Chester and retreated to East Chester, being soon followed by the Refugees who overtook him in East Chester. A detachment of Parson’s brigade took possession of the church with some pieces of cannon and fired upon the green Yagers who advanced (horse and foot) from Kings bridge by the road
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that comes out by Philemon Fowler’s. The green Yagers when fired upon by cannon refused to advance. A strong force was drawn up in East Chester Church yard behind the church. The firing from the church prevented the Refugees from advancing any further. The Refugees rallied very soon after the destruction of their settlement, and followed Hull from West Chester to East Chester village. One of Delancey’s men was up with a flag and talking of some prisoners they had recently made, said to Cornelius Oakley: “We’ll have you next.”- Oakley replied, “That may well be for none of us can tell what may happen.” He soon after received information from a spy (a cripple who was suf fered to go about among the Refugee posts and settlements unmolested and unsuspected) that there was to be a great ball at a house near Fort No.8. Oakley, [Dyckman?] and a party went down on the
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Samuel Oakley cont’d.
appointed night. They passed the advanced posts undiscovered and crept along a wall by Redoubt No.8, close to the sentinels and reached the house in question, without being seen or heard. The revellers were completely surprised, being engaged in dancing while they surrounded the house and up to the moment when they entered. The men were seized before they could get their arms and threatened with death if they resisted. The women shrieked, and a scene ensued when their partners were captured, but they brought off most, if not all, the prisoners. The garrison of No.8 was alarmed, and pursued; but Oakley’s party retreated successfully, having taken among other prisoners the very man who predicted his (Oakley’s) capture. Nimham was intimate with some of the Ferris [X] family, and either
[X] Farmer James Ferris owned lands on Lake Champlain which accounts for his acquaintance with Nimham. (C Y. Ferris)
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visited them or promised to just before his death. The Indians were enticed in the open fields by the British and attacked by the horse, when they made for the woods, some of them throwing away their arms (French muskets) on the retreat. The pass at Throg’s Neck (besides the Bridge) was on or near the farm of Honeywell Watson. Captain Simmons left the British service in consequence of a quarrel with some officer or some difficulty, and did not return. There was a Captain of Delancey’s named Fredrick Williams with whom Simmons quarreled and commanded on Throg’s Neck. Adjutant Thomas, I think, must have been John, the General’s brother. Edward was too young. (It was Edward.) The foraging parties on both sides, I think took mostly from their enemies whom they never paid, and when they took from their friends gave certificates, but
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seldom paid. This, I think is what I have generally heard on the subject. The first name of Purdy [X], who was killed at Maroneck, I don’t know.”
[X] Jotham.