Oakley, Samuel
John M. McDonald interview — 1844-10-10
Samuel Oakley (b.c.1766) begins this interview by discussing the prisoners taken by American troops under Captain Daniel Williams during a raid into present-day Bronx County in December 1778 at the homes of the Valentine family and Theophilus Hunt. One of these prisoners, John Champenois, was accidentally killed the following day at Youngs’ House in present-day Valhalla when Major Mansfield Bearmore led a raid to free the men. Oakley then discusses Loyalist Shubael Merritt’s refusal to grant quarter to captured Americans, and how this led to his own death at New Rochelle. He concludes his interview by describing the theft of Loyalist Colonel James DeLancey’s horse by Tim Knapp, as well as Knapp’s refusal to attempt an escape in Eastchester after he was captured for the crime.
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Transcription
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Oakley
Oct 10th Samuel Oakley, of Hog Island, Pelham: Capt. Daniel Williams took five prisoners at Valentines and four or five at the Theophilus Hunts. Among these last was Willett Carpenter who was accidentally at West Farms and was one of Bearmore’s serjeants. Williams went down the [Saw-Mill] River road to Valentine’s and Hunt’s, and then with his prisoners passed through West Chester village to take another post. [They returned through East Chester, and went from there to Mile square, returning by the Saw Mill river road.] They took at West Farms, Carpenter, Champenois, and M[iller] and B[rundage], the sons-in-law of Hunt. This occurred in a snowstorm which lasted three days. The next day B[earmore] struck at Young’s house. He surrounded the house. The prisoners were round the fire. Champenois heard [Bearmore’s] voice and sprang to the
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Samuel Oakley contd.
window throwing open the shutters. - Bearmore’s party supposing it was some one escaping fired into the window and killed him. Bearmore directed Carpenter to take charge of Williams. Carpenter told Bearmore Williams had no boots and asked permission to go back there for them which Bearmore refused. At White Plains Williams was supplied with shoes. Carpenter said that he and his fellow prisoners were extremely well treated by Williams. Williams after the war kept a public house at New Rochelle. Shube Merritt took Capt. Lockwood (?) prisoner. And not wishing to be troubled with prisoners said, “Stand off so many as twenty(?) paces ^or run so many paces, I will then fire, and if &c, and if my gun misses fire you shall go clear!” Merritt’s gun missed fire, and Lockwood forthwith escaped. Afterwards Lockwood was patrolling in Rye and heard that Merritts was in Mamaroneck with a party. He
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Samuel Oakley contd.
pursued, and Shubal Merritt with five others retreated along the shore to a house at New Rochelle landing. Here they were surrounded. They took to the upper story and refused to surrender. Lockwood, then exclaimed, that they must burn the house. Fire was supplied, and when Shubal’s party felt the smoke they offered to give up on promise of quarter. – Quarter was given, but Lockwood then said, “Merritt, you shall have the same quarter you gave me. Go twenty paces and if I miss, you are clear.” Shube ran, Lockwood fired and killed him dead. Shube was a small man from Rye or near there. Delancy’s officers, Huggeford, Holmes, Totten, Kipp, and Knapp, were present one day when it was proposed to make a trial of the speed of their horses, and Tim Knapp rode the Colonel’s horse which distanced the other horses, and Knapp took him off.
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Samuel Oakley contd.
Carpenter commanded the party that brought him in and told him he had better escape for Delancy would hang him, but Knapp said, “No.” They were passing a wood near John Treadwell’s in East Chester, when Carpenter advised his escape which he might have accom plished by jumping from his horse.