Odell, Jackson
John M. McDonald interview — 1845-12-16; 1845-12-19
Jackson Odell (1792-1849) was a son of John Odell, one of the Westchester Guides. During the first part of this two-day interview, he relays a story from his neighbor, a Mr. Mead, who visited Quaker Ridge in Greenwich, Connecticut, and spoke to Calvin Mead. The latter related a story about how British Colonel Banastre Tarleton nearly captured Colonel Anthony Walton White of the 4th Continental Light Dragoons. Odell then discusses Captain Nathaniel Cushing’s raid into Morrisania in 1780, and describes how the Americans obtained the countersign of DeLancey’s Refugees. On the second day of the interview, Odell adds a few details to his story of Cushing’s raid. He concludes with a story regarding General James Clinton and a Black servant, who discovered a secret message on a prisoner that was intended to be sent to British General John Burgoyne.
Manuscript page facsimiles
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Transcription
- Hufeland Index Page 332 -
1845 December 16th Jackson Odell: “My neighbor, Mr. Mead, has been over to Quaker Ridge since you were there, and reported to me that Mr. Calvin Mead now recollects the house where Tarleton with his legion stopped in 1779 and enquired for Colonel White who was at the time in the farmers’ barn &c. It was the farm house owned by Roger Brown near Round Hill. Col. White was at the moment engaged in conversation on business with Mr. Browne and Tarleton addressed himself to the females of the house who said they had not seen Colonel White and did not know where he was. Roger Brown was the father of Allen Brown afterwards Governor of Ohio. In Captain Cushing’s expedition to Morrisania the guides succeeded in obtaining DeLancey’s countersign by
- Hufeland Index Page 333 -
1845 going to a private house frequented by DeLancey’s Refugees where they found and made prisoners two privates courting the girls. One of the men was a raw Dutchman just enlisted, and by frightning and wheedling they got from the countersign of the night. The countersign was: ‘Long Live King George,’ with three slaps of the hand above the head. There were more than seventeen prisoners taken – my father always said about thirty – seventeen or eighteen were taken at DeLancey’s Quarters, and the rest at another house. During the retreat Michael Dyckman rode by the side of Captain Cushing, and it was owing as my father always said principally to his good judgement, decision and knowledge of the country that it was successful.
- Hufeland Index Page 334 -
1845 I had the life of Captain John Underhill printed in 1756. I lent it to William N. Dyckman of New York who now has it. My address is: Jackson Odell Dobbs Ferry Post Office, West Chester County [Greenburg.]
Decr. 19th. Jackson Odell. “In Cushing’s affair, he captured seventeen or eighteen at DeLancey’s Quarters, and immediately afterwards Lieutenant Blake surprised an adjacent post and made prisoners of seventeen or eighteen more. When General James Clinton escaped from Fort Montgomery, he was retreating along up Poplopen’s (?) Creek in the dark attended by his black servant, when the latter came
- Hufeland Index Page 335 -
1845 in contact with a man whom he made prisoner. The black man told General James Clinton he saw the prisoner swallow something in haste. An emetic was soon after given to him and he thereupon threw up a silver bullet which was found to be hollow and to contain a small scroll of paper directed to General Burgoyne, containing with these words in writing: “Fort Montgomery is taken and the command of the Hudson is ours.” This mans name was Stevens ? I think – and a native of Dutchess County. He was immediately afterwards tried by a Court Martial, found guilty of being a spy, and executed.”